UNSCR 1747/OECD: FRENCH VIEWS ON IRAN EXPORT CREDITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001609 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (DECL DATE HAS BEEN ADDED) SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE; NEA/IR; EB/IFD/ODF and EB/ESC/TFS Treasury for Treasury also for TFI U/S Levey E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/20/2017 TAGS: PREL EFIN MNUC EXIM UNSC OECD IR FR SUBJECT: UNSCR 1747/OECD: FRENCH VIEWS ON IRAN EXPORT CREDITS REFS: A) STATE 50834 B) Paris 407 C) Paris 544 Classified By: ECON Counselor Stuart Dwyer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) We delivered ref A's key points on April 18 to Ramon Fernandez, DAS-equivalent for International Financial Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, and followed up on the demarche with him on April 20. He reported that he had circulated our views with the relevant Ministries and to the French participant to the OECD Export Credit Arrangement, but that France is not likely to associate itself with our proposal. France believes an OECD "common line" restricting export credits would go beyond the language in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions (1737 and 1747). France has a different point of view on the meaning of the UNSCR operative paragraphs. France certainly shares the USG desire to maintain concerted international pressure until Iran abandons its nuclear weapons program, but only under explicit cover of decisions taken through the UN process. He welcomed continuing engagement with the USG on the issue, indicating that he expected Tresor Director General Xavier Musca would be prepared to discuss it further with Treasury Deputy Secretary Kimmitt when the latter visits Paris next week. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON #