VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHFR #0327 0561344
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251344Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2071
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS PARIS 000327
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
EUR/WE, EEB, EEB/ESC - KOPP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV IEA ENRG FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON CHINA, INDIA
MEMBERSHIP IN THE IEA
REF: SECSTATE 14271
1. (SBU) EEB A/S Daniel Sullivan raised reftel demarche
points with MFA Director for Economic and Financial Affairs
Christian Masset February 13. Masset said he believed the
beginnings of a GOF consensus on the issue were emerging. As
a general principle President Sarkozy was in favor of greater
inclusion of India and China in international institutions,
and Elysee staffers with whom Masset had discussed the idea
of IEA membership had not raised specific objections to it.
France had not taken a decision on the issue yet, but in his
view it would best to focus on outreach in the context of a
technical dialogue in the initial stages, rather than to
proceed directly to the question of changing OECD membership
statutes, a matter of principle. Outreach and increased
dialogue with India and China as a first step could help to
build consensus around the issue among OECD members.
2. (SBU) Econoff also discussed reftel demarche February 13
with Pascal Schuster, International Strategy Chief of the
General Directorate for Energy and Raw Materials (now part of
the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development).
Schuster noted that in previous years the idea of an
associate membership for Russia had been discussed, and that
this discussion would no doubt build on that. Full membership
would require fulfillment of stockpiling requirements, which
was clearly a goal that would receive considerable support.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
PEKALA