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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 002269 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
USDOC PLS PASS NOAA FOR INTL AFFAIRS RIPPI 
STATE FOR OES/OA ARNAUDO/TIRPAK;OES/EGC 
STATE ALSO PASS NSF/INT/JSLIMOWITZ 
STATE ALSO PASS NSF/INT/RGOMBAY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: TPHY SENV KSCA FR
SUBJECT: MARINE SCIENCE RESEARCH: NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
U.S.-FRENCH UNDERTAKINGS 
 
 
This message contains a sensitive but unclassified 
paragraph 8.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1. (U) On March 18, EST Science Counselor and the NSF 
regional representative for Europe met with 
officials of the French Institute for Research 
into Sea Resources (IFREMER - www.ifremer.fr) to 
review IFREMER's priorities and discuss means to 
promote bilateral cooperation (NOAA/IFREMER), 
notably in climate science. While IFREMER is 
undergoing institutional changes, including the 
appointment of a new president, IFREMER 
officials expressed a strong willingness to 
enhance current, often informal, joint work.  An 
IFREMER-hosted workshop could be a first step. 
NOTE FOR U.S. RESEARCHERS: IFREMER has extended 
a new call for proposals on tsunami-related 
research for 2006 utilizing its vessels.  End 
summary. 
 
Marine Science research in France/key role of IFREMER 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶2. (U) Marine science research in France is conducted 
by a variety of organizations--universities, 
CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research, 
www.cnrs.fr), IRD (Research Institute for 
(Overseas) Development, www.ird.fr), 
CETMEF(marine technology, 
www.cetmef.equipement.gouv.fr - French only), 
Meteo France (French Meteorological Office, 
www.meteo.com), IPEV (polar science, 
www.ipev.fr), CNES (French Space Agency, 
www.cnes.fr), and SHOM (French Naval 
Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service, 
www.shom.fr - French only).  Marine research 
covers almost all fields, notably numerical 
ocean modeling, understanding of marine 
ecosystems, marine geoscience, and submarine 
research technologies.  This combined effort 
includes over 3000 researchers and technicians. 
Extensive EU collaboration accounts for 40 
percent of funding.  Over 50 percent (staff and 
budget) of French research in marine science is 
conducted at IFREMER. 
 
¶3. (U) Created in 1984, IFREMER is a semi-public 
research establishment of industrial and 
commercial nature that reports to four 
ministries: Research, Ecology, 
Agriculture/Fisheries, and Transport and 
Housing.  Eighty percent of its 150 million euro 
budget comes from the Research Ministry and 20 
percent comes from services performed for other 
government organizations such as coastal 
monitoring stations.  IFREMER facilities (1700 
employees, including 320 ship management staff) 
are located throughout France and the French 
overseas territories in the Caribbean, the 
Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.  IFREMER's 
objectives are: 1) identify, evaluate, and 
forecast exploitation of marine resources; 2) 
develop monitoring and forecasting methods for 
protecting and enhancing coastal environments; 
and 3) encourage economic development of marine 
ecosystems. 
 
Currents of Change 
------------------ 
¶4. (U) In January 2005 IFREMER reorganized from 
groupings by technical competencies into a 
system of programs containing smaller projects 
to insure close and efficient collaboration on 
specific scientific priorities.  According to 
IFREMER officials, these multidisciplinary 
projects aim at solving "complex" issues related 
to climate, biodiversity, and the environment, 
and are more widely open to national and 
international scientific partnership.  IFREMER's 
high level thematic areas are now: 
- large equipment in support of oceanographic research 
current fleet includes seven vessels (four of 
which deep-sea vessels), two manned 
submersibles, and one remotely-operated vehicle 
for deep sea explorations) 
- monitoring and exploitation of coastal seas 
- monitoring and optimization of aquaculture 
- sustainable exploitation of fisheries 
- exploration and exploitation of deep oceans 
- the mechanisms, evolution, and forecasting of ocean 
currents and marine ecosystems. 
 
¶5. (U) IFREMER's new president: Politician-in-charge. 
Jean-Yves Perrot, a magistrate with the French 
"Cour des Comptes" (similar to the U.S. General 
Accounting Office) has been appointed to replace 
Jean Francois Minster at the head of IFREMER. 
In contrast with his predecessor, Perrot has no 
scientific background.  The impact of the 
arrival of this "non-scientist" at the head of 
IFREMER remains to be seen. (Biosketch and 
comment see para 8). 
 
NOAA/IFREMER Cooperation: Intensifying Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
¶6. (U) Currently, interaction between IFREMER and U.S. 
researchers is conducted at the initiative of 
individual scientists.  According to IFREMER 
officials, IFREMER researchers are ready for 
more ambitious approaches.  The next step would 
be the selection of "domains" for joint research 
projects.  IFREMER's head of International 
Affairs will seek his hierarchy's approval to 
host a workshop to: 
- cross examine scientific projects to confirm interest 
on both sides; and 
- devise a set of tools to make these partnerships more 
efficient/easier to conduct. 
A possible specific issue of interest to both sides is 
operational oceanography.  IFREMER officials 
commented that discussions at both scientific 
and institutional levels appear necessary and 
will require the identification of specific 
entities (e.g., the U.S. Embassy)to act as 
"facilitators." 
 
Tsunami-related research 
 
SIPDIS 
------------------------ 
¶7. (U) IFREMER officials informed ESToff that IFREMER 
is currently revising its 2006 planning. 
Following the December 2004 events, IFREMER has 
decided to issue a new call for research 
projects focusing on tsunami issues and 
geosciences.  This new call is opened to U.S. 
scientists. 
 
IFREMER's new President: a bureaucrat takes the reins 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶8. (SBU) Jean-Yves Perrot, 48, was appointed on March 
24 to replace Jean Francois Minster (who was 
candidate to his own reelection) at the head of 
IFREMER.  A graduate of the prestigious French 
school for Political Sciences ("Sciences Po"), 
and a former student of the Ecole Nationale 
d'Administration (ENA), he worked for two years 
(2002-2004) as Director of Cabinet of 
Agriculture Minister Herve Gaymard, before 
following him as "special adviser" at the 
Finance Ministry in November 2004.  He was 
previously Director for International and 
Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Public 
Works, Transports, Housings and Tourism. 
Gaymard's sudden resignation in February 2005 
left him "unemployed."  Perrot also holds a 
number of political posts: he is notably the 
Mayor of Marly-le-Roi, a medium-sized city in 
the western suburbs of Paris and sits in the Ile- 
de-France Regional Council.  Note: Perrot's 
nomination at the head of IFREMER took the 
science community by surprise and raised turmoil 
among researchers' unions.  The latter commented 
that it is the first time in France that a 
politician, without any scientific or technical 
background has been appointed to head a public 
research establishment.  They further noted that 
Perrot is not likely to renounce his political 
mandates and will be at best a "part-time" 
director. During their meeting with EST 
officers, IFREMER's officials underscored that 
the newcomer had spent two years in a top 
position at the Ministry of Agriculture, which 
also oversees fisheries.  End note. 
 
Comment and Next Steps 
---------------------- 
¶9. (U) IFREMER is a prestigious French public research 
establishment with competent research personnel 
and impressive equipment for ocean research. 
IFREMER officials seek opportunities to enhance 
their organization's relationships with 
scientists and similar institutions in the U.S., 
particularly NOAA, with which it shares a rich 
past.  EST officer shared with IFREMER several 
possible topics for collaboration provided in 
advance by NOAA counterparts.  IFREMER will 
study these and respond to them and possibly 
advance other topics in the coming months.  They 
consider that a workshop to discuss these 
subjects and modalities for approved 
collaborative projects makes sense.  In the 
interim, the Embassy will be pleased to serve as 
a facilitator.  For example, should NOAA wish to 
bring additional proposals to IFREMER's 
attention, the Embassy would be pleased to 
assist.  From the Embassy's perspective, 
collaborative work between U.S. climate science 
agencies such as NOAA and IFREMER, perhaps under 
the GEOSS framework, would serve as concrete 
evidence of U.S.-French collaboration to address 
the climate change phenomenon.  LEACH