FRANCE: CI/KR RESPONSE FOR S/CT

UNCLAS PARIS 000406

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

S/CT FOR S. GAIL ROBERTSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC ECON PTER PREL PGOV ETTC EAID EAGER EFIN
FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE: CI/KR RESPONSE FOR S/CT

REF: STATE 06461


1. After mission-wide consultation, Embassy Paris did not
identify any physical infrastructure or resources in France
whose loss would immediately affect the security, national
economic security, and/or national public health or safety of
the United States. Our CI/KR report is therefore negative.


2. GOF ACTIONS TO PROTECT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Critical
infrastructure protection is a high priority for France, with
particular attention paid to airports, seaports, public
transit systems, and nuclear reactors. The GOF, under the
auspices of the Interior Ministry, developed a national
security plan in 1978 known as Vigipirate to respond to
terrorist threats. Vigipirate consists of four threat
levels, each of which activates certain protocols aimed at
reinforcing security, including critical infrastructure. The
evaluation of possible threats is updated regularly. Both
the national police and the military assist in security, as
appropriate. The GOF also has specialized plans in place to
deal with specific threats, such as chemical or biological
attacks.


3. The Vigipirate system consists of four threat levels: (1)
Yellow: Emphasize vigilance against real but indefinite
threats using localized measures; (2) Orange: Warning of a
possible terrorist attack; preparation for higher threat
level; (3) Red: Known risk of one or several serious
attacks; put in place necessary emergency and counter-attack
measures; (4) Scarlet: Known risk of major attacks,
possibly simultaneous, and could cause disastrous effects;
all necessary security measures must be taken.


4. France has been operating at threat level Red since the
London bombings on July 7, 2005.



Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm


STAPLETON