Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08PARIS1777, ENERGY SECURITY: FRENCH GOALS ON CENTRAL

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08PARIS1777.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08PARIS1777 2008-09-23 16:27 2011-08-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Paris
VZCZCXRO9607
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHFR #1777/01 2671627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231627Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4365
INFO RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0176
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0196
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0278
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0083
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0967
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 6184
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0064
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0380
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001777 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB; EUR/WE; SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG ZK PREL FR EU
SUBJECT: ENERGY SECURITY: FRENCH GOALS ON CENTRAL 
ASIA/CASPIAN 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  In a September 17 meeting with MFA 
Director for Economic Affairs Christian Masset, 
Special Envoy for Eurasia Energy C. Boyden Gray shared 
concerns over Caspian Basin supply diversification 
issues and the need for greater EU engagement with 
Central Asia.  Masset told Gray the issues were 
priorities for the French EU presidency, and were part 
of the rationale for the September 17-18 EU-Central 
Asia Ministerial Forum on Security Issues in Paris 
(which would feed into a Baku Initiative meeting 
scheduled for late November).  Masset said France 
wanted to pursue a balanced, "triangular" relationship 
among Russia, Central Asia and the EU.  Should Russia 
fulfill the Georgia ceasefire conditions, the November 
14 Russia-EU Summit could provide a roadmap for the 
energy portion of a new Partnership and Cooperation 
Agreement.  An MFA official debriefed econoff 
separately on the outcome of the EU-Central Asia 
Ministerial Forum.  End summary. 
Turkey and Iraq 
--------------- 
 
2. (SBU) In a September 17 meeting with MFA Economic 
Affairs Director Christian Masset, Special Envoy Gray 
shared observations on the challenge of securing 
Caspian Basin energy supplies for Europe.  Effective 
engagement with Turkey would be critical, given its 
key transit role, its challenging domestic politics 
and its own energy needs.  On the latter, Turkey's 
interest in securing energy supplies from Northern 
Iraq would be complicated by the lack of hydrocarbon 
legislation in Iraq and complex Kurdish relations with 
the Iraqi authorities. 
3. (SBU) Masset said the events in Georgia justified a 
new assessment of Turkey and its role as a hub, a role 
which the French support.  While the EU needed a "good 
dialogue" with Turkey on energy, Turkey had made a 
"big mistake" on Nabucco and generally had an inflated 
sense of its bargaining power.  Masset agreed with 
observations on Iraq, and noted in an aside that 
France "wanted to be present" economically in Iraq and 
would engage the U.S. further to that end. 
Central Asia 
------------ 
4. (SBU) Masset said France shares U.S. views on the 
need to address security of energy supply in Central 
Asia and the Caspian countries, and had made the issue 
a priority for its EU presidency.  Energy security in 
Central Asia would be a theme of the first EU-Central 
Asia Ministerial Forum hosted by the French (para 7), 
and would be a topic for discussion at the European 
Council meeting in October. 
Russia 
------- 
5. (SBU) Masset said France will pursue a balanced 
triangular relationship among Russia, the EU, and 
Central Asia.  President Sarkozy had made it clear to 
the Russians that either they fulfill conditions of 
the Georgia ceasefire by October 10, or face 
suspension of negotiations on a new strategic 
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).  If 
Russia complies, energy would be an important 
component of the November 14 discussions on a PCA. 
France envisions an "energy roadmap" with Russia based 
on the St. Petersburg principles that would also 
include concrete joint energy sector projects to 
highlight common interests. 
6. (SBU) To strengthen its position with Russia, 
Masset underscored the importance for the EU to 
implement available "solidarity mechanisms" to better 
cope with energy supply crises and other eventualities 
that may hit member states asymmetrically.  France 
realizes that Europe cannot do without Russia to meet 
energy supplies.  It is also clear Russia will face a 
production shortage in the next decade.  France will 
pursue a relationship of interdependence with Russia 
and push the GOR to approach energy security with a 
long-term perspective, he said. 
 
 
PARIS 00001777  002 OF 002 
 
 
First EU-Central Asia Ministerial Forum 
--------------------------------------- 
7. (SBU) Although presumably the elephant in the room 
at the EU-Central Asia Ministerial Forum, held in 
Paris on September 18, Russia did not come up in 
discussions, according to MFA desk officer Christophe 
Sammartano.  The Forum included participants from the 
EU 27 member states, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as 
the IEA and EBRD.  The main subjects were terrorism 
and non-proliferation, human and drug trafficking, and 
energy and environmental security.  Energy security 
discussions were designed to inform a meeting of the 
Baku Initiative (end November in Brussels), which will 
look at energy market conditions including energy 
resource management, infrastructure issues and routes, 
and energy efficiency. 
8. (SBU) Sammartano noted that most participants 
assumed Central Asian energy interests were oriented 
toward the EU.  Bulgaria reminded participants that 
the Central Asian countries are not limited to EU 
markets and would consider selling to other countries 
(China, Parkistan) in accordance with market 
principles.  Romania expressed its desire to act as a 
link to the region.  Hungary proposed to hold a 
conference on the Nabucco project in early 2009 (to 
which the U.S. will be invited) with the EU consortium 
members and producer, consumer, and transit countries. 
9. (U) The declaration of the Forum included the 
following points, inter alia: 
-- reinforce cooperation in energy and harmonize 
interests of consumers and suppliers, transit states, 
and transnational companies to strengthen 
international energy stability; 
-- encourage diversification regarding potential 
transport options involving all the countries 
concerned and develop different hydrocarbon transport 
corridors to ensure energy supply for European markets 
and other international markets; 
-- in light of the conclusions of the energy 
ministersQ conference in Baku in November 2004, focus 
on the development of regional energy markets and 
financing capacities for new infrastructure; 
-- implement forward-looking energy policies and 
create an investor-friendly environment with an 
appropriate role for market mechanisms; 
-- develop collaboration to exploit hydro-energy 
resources, taking into consideration the interests of 
all the regionQs countries; 
-- provide EU support to the development of hydro 
energy in Central Asia to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions without prejudice to the regionQs 
environmental security. 
STAPLETON