Cablegate: French Funding Still Undetermined but Not Likely

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS PARIS 002586

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF PREL EAID FR UNSC
SUBJECT: FRENCH FUNDING STILL UNDETERMINED BUT NOT LIKELY
FOR AFGHANISTAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

REF: SECSTATE 61560

1. On April 7 reftel points were delivered to French MFA
Afghanistan Desk Officer Cyril Gerardon. In conversations on
April 12 and 13, Gerardon told poloff he hoped his government
would be able to contribute to the upcoming Parliamentary
elections, but that he did not think that the chances were
good. The decision, he said, would be made at the
ministerial level in the near future though he could not say
when.

2. While Gerardon maintained that he thought the chances for
a French contribution were slim, he did not rule it out
altogether saying that if a contribution is made, it will
probably not exceed the 1.5 million dollars France gave for
the Presidential elections held in October, 2004. He added
that France had recently promised to contribute an additional
1 million euros to support the Afghan Legislature once it is
established. Gerardon said that this, coupled with what he
characterized as the present French focus on Africa, would
likely keep decision-makers from feeling compelled to commit
sizable funds to the upcoming Afghan Parliamentary elections.
LEACH

© Scoop Media