FRENCH REACTION TO LIBERIA ARREARS CLEARANCE

UNCLAS PARIS 000528 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EB/IFD/OMA for Audu Besmer, and EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV PINR FR SUBJECT: FRENCH REACTION TO LIBERIA ARREARS CLEARANCE REF: A) STATE 9925 B) PARIS 400 C) State 15595 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, NOT FOR INTERNET ¶1. (SBU) We conveyed ref C message about Liberia's arrears to the office of Cooperation Minister Girardin on February 7, and to the MFA on February 8. According to the MFA, France is quite close to re-opening its embassy in Monrovia. The French have asked the Liberian government for agrement for their proposed chief of mission, MFA official Jacques Gerard (currently stationed in Juba, Sudan). Once the Liberians respond, the French plan to move expeditiously to reopen their mission. The MFA hopes Gerard will be able to attend the Partnership Forum in Washington. ¶2. (SBU) We spoke on February 7 with Jerome Walter, advisor to Cooperation Minister Brigitte Girardin. Walter promised to pass the message to Girardin. He noted that the African Development Bank had gone beyond the norm for use of PCCF in clearing arrears for the Central African Republic, and perhaps something similar could be done for Liberia. He added that Girardin would be represented at the Partnership Forum by the Ministry of Finance's Financial Counselor for Africa, Serge Tomasi. ¶3. (SBU) On February 8 Ramon Fernandez, PDAS for international finance and development affairs at the French Ministry of Finance, told us he had seen the Finance Minister of Liberia last week in Paris and made the point that France strongly supports Liberia. But on arrears clearance there is a need to follow rules. He concluded that France remains ready to help on this matter. WHITE