Cablegate: Possible Re-Transfer of Usml From France to French

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Lucia A Keegan 11/28/2006 10:09:15 AM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan

Cable
Text:

UNCLAS SENSITIVE PARIS 07533

SIPDIS
cxparis:
ACTION: ECON
INFO: ESCI FCS POL ORA AMB AGR ENGO SCIO TRDO LABO
DCM ECNO UNESCO ECSO SCI

DISSEMINATION: ECONOUT /1
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: ECON:SDWYER
DRAFTED: ECON:HSULLIVAN
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCFRI085
RR RUEHC RUEKJCS RUCPDOC RUEAORC
DE RUEHFR #7533 3281509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241509Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3343
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEAORC/ICE WASHDC

UNCLAS PARIS 007533

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR PM/DTC - REBECCA VALERIN AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC FR
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE RE-TRANSFER OF USML FROM FRANCE TO FRENCH
GUIANA

REF: A. A) STATE 158658
B. B) PARIS 4714
C. C) STATE 81335

(SBU) On October 19 Post Blue Lantern Action Officer
contacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant
Secretary-equivalent for Export Control Marc Abensour to seek

SIPDIS
clarification of laws regarding re-transfers of U.S.
Munitions List (USML) articles to French DOM-TOM (ref A). On
November 21 Abensour replied to our request for a brief
assessment of French law by fax. The following is a
translation of Abensour's letter.

2. (SBU) Begin text:

The first paragraph of the instruction of January 21, 1982
relating to exports and imports of firearms and munitions
between metropolitan France and its overseas departments
states, "All transfer of arms and munitions between
metropolitan France and its overseas departments shall be
free. Such transfers are not subject to the preliminary
authorization regime governing imports and exports specified
in Articles 11 and 13 of the April 18, 1939 Decree and the
July 16, 1955 Decree governing the inter-ministerial
examination of arms exports.

The transfer of war and associated materials between
metropolitan France and its overseas departments is therefore
not subject to the October 2, 1992 special export control
procedures regarding the import, export, and transfer of war
materials, arms, and associated materials.

French Guiana, being an overseas department of France,
therefore has the same common rights regarding the purchase,
possession, import, and export of munitions and associated
materials. The following laws are relevant:

- The April 18, 1939 Decree Number 95-589, updated May 6,
1996, which covers the manufacture and trade of war
materials, arms, and munitions.

- The May 6, 1995 update of Decree Number 95-589, which
covers the purchase, possession, and transport of arms and
munitions.

- The January 21, 1982 instruction applies to the delivery of
arms between France and Guiana.

Regarding USML transfers from France to Guiana, such
information can only be known after a thorough investigation.
This department does not have, at this stage, all the
necessary information. We have requested the help of the
relevant officials at the Ministry of Defense to examine and
collect information on these possible transfers and will
inform you as soon as they are communicated.

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

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