Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS7844
2006-12-19 16:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
GOF SUPPORTIVE OF ROBUST MONITORING OF OECD BRIBERY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0027 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHFR #7844 3531614 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 191614Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3858 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 6476 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6364 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2017 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 8140 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2419 RUEAWJA/DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS PARIS 007844
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD OECD KCOR FR
SUBJECT: GOF SUPPORTIVE OF ROBUST MONITORING OF OECD BRIBERY
CONVENTION
REF: STATE 197786
UNCLAS PARIS 007844
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD OECD KCOR FR
SUBJECT: GOF SUPPORTIVE OF ROBUST MONITORING OF OECD BRIBERY
CONVENTION
REF: STATE 197786
1. (SBU) Econ Counselor raised reftel points on the work of the OECD
Working Group on Bribery (WGB) with MFA DAS-equivalent Cyrille
Pierre on December 14. Pierre said France was fully supportive of
U.S. efforts to continue with a robust post-Phase II monitoring
mechanism. Parties to the Convention had yet to "arrive at the same
place" on enforcement, and monitoring would be critical to progress.
Pierre said French business was particularly anxious to bring other
parties along in order to ensure a level commercial playing field.
2. (SBU) France was supportive of extending the WGB field of
activity in some areas -- such as corruption in off-shore financial
centers - as long as doing so would not sacrifice the focus on
monitoring. Increased outreach would also be important to encourage
the trend of non-OECD members becoming party to the convention. On
the budget, Pierre said there was little daylight between the French
and U.S. positions, particularly given that there was some
fungibility among allocations. Pierre closed by making a pitch for
Guillaume Vanderheyden's candidacy for the WGB Management
Committee, noting that he would bring strong legal skills to the
job.
3. (SBU) Comment: From our vantage there has indeed been
considerable evolution in the French attitude towards corruption. A
recent MEDEF (French employers organization)-sponsored conference on
the topic saw much hand-wringing about the need for leveling the
playing field now that France has enacted tough anti-corruption
legislation. The head of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the
Council of French Investors in Africa, Philippe Montigny, told us
recently that some of France's largest traditional investors in
Africa have left the continent in recent years, in part because of
growing concerns about the issue. The GOF will be receptive to
efforts to push the anti-corruption agenda -- both on demand and
supply sides -- and we should seek every opportunity to do so.
HOFMANN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD OECD KCOR FR
SUBJECT: GOF SUPPORTIVE OF ROBUST MONITORING OF OECD BRIBERY
CONVENTION
REF: STATE 197786
1. (SBU) Econ Counselor raised reftel points on the work of the OECD
Working Group on Bribery (WGB) with MFA DAS-equivalent Cyrille
Pierre on December 14. Pierre said France was fully supportive of
U.S. efforts to continue with a robust post-Phase II monitoring
mechanism. Parties to the Convention had yet to "arrive at the same
place" on enforcement, and monitoring would be critical to progress.
Pierre said French business was particularly anxious to bring other
parties along in order to ensure a level commercial playing field.
2. (SBU) France was supportive of extending the WGB field of
activity in some areas -- such as corruption in off-shore financial
centers - as long as doing so would not sacrifice the focus on
monitoring. Increased outreach would also be important to encourage
the trend of non-OECD members becoming party to the convention. On
the budget, Pierre said there was little daylight between the French
and U.S. positions, particularly given that there was some
fungibility among allocations. Pierre closed by making a pitch for
Guillaume Vanderheyden's candidacy for the WGB Management
Committee, noting that he would bring strong legal skills to the
job.
3. (SBU) Comment: From our vantage there has indeed been
considerable evolution in the French attitude towards corruption. A
recent MEDEF (French employers organization)-sponsored conference on
the topic saw much hand-wringing about the need for leveling the
playing field now that France has enacted tough anti-corruption
legislation. The head of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the
Council of French Investors in Africa, Philippe Montigny, told us
recently that some of France's largest traditional investors in
Africa have left the continent in recent years, in part because of
growing concerns about the issue. The GOF will be receptive to
efforts to push the anti-corruption agenda -- both on demand and
supply sides -- and we should seek every opportunity to do so.
HOFMANN