VZCZCXYZ0210
PP RUEHWEB
ZNR UUUUU ZOC STATE ZZH
MSI3245
PP RUEHC
DE RUEHFR #0361 0630629
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030629Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2122
INFO RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 1577
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 1588
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6828
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 1319
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 0337
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 1101
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0209
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 8754
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 2204
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0780
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0416
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0421
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 2206
UNCLAS PARIS 000361
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ADDIS ALSO FOR USAU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV SO FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH OPEN TO REFORMING THE SOMALIA INTERNATIONAL
CONTACT GROUP
REF: STATE 16168
(SBU) FRANCE IS OPEN TO REFORMING THE SOMALIA INTERNATIONAL
CONTACT GROUP AS PROPOSED IN REFTEL DEMARCHE, MFA SOMALIA
DESK OFFICER THIERRY CABOCHE SAID ON FEBRUARY 29. HE
COMMENTED THAT THE DEMARCHE MADE MANY GOOD POINTS, ESPECIALLY
THE NOTION OF INDIVIDUAL CLUSTER GROUPS. MAKING A VEILED BUT
MILDLY-STATED REFERENCE TO FRANCE'S SLIGHT IRRITATION AT NOT
BEING OFFERED FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONTACT
GROUP WHEN IT WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED (NOTWITHSTANDING FRENCH
REGIONAL INTERESTS SUCH AS DJIBOUTI), CABOCHE ADDED THAT
"PERHAPS THE GROUP'S FORMAL MEMBERSHIP COULD BE ENLARGED."
HE SAID THAT THE GOF LOOKED FORWARD TO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF
THE GROUP AND ITS ACTIVITIES AS U.S. IDEAS TAKE FURTHER SHAPE.
PLEASE VISIT PARIS' CLASSIFIED WEBSITE AT:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/PARIS/INDEX.C FM
ROSENBLATT