VZCZCXRO2387
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHFR #1706/01 0760914
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 170914Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5291
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001706 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV LI FR
SUBJECT: LIBERIAN PRESIDENT ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF VISITS 
PARIS 
 
Classified By: Political-Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 
1.4 (b/d). 
 
¶1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  MFA DAS-equivalent for West Africa Bruno 
Foucher on March 13 described Liberia President Ellen 
Johnson-Sirleaf's March 7-10 official visit to France as a 
success.  France's primary interest in supporting 
Johnson-Sirleaf and stability in Liberia is to promote 
stability in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.  France intends by 
the end of 2006 to re-establish an official diplomatic 
presence in Liberia and to implement assistance programs now 
under consideration.  Foucher said that France was 
comfortable with plans underway to transfer Charles Taylor 
from Nigeria via Sierra Leone to the Hague for prosecution. 
During her visit, Johnson-Sirleaf met with a range of 
government and business leaders.  She was the featured 
speaker at French think-tank IFRI on March 9, where she 
presented her plans to jumpstart development in her war-torn 
country.  END SUMMARY. 
 
LIBERIA IS IMPORTANT TO FRANCE BECAUSE OF COTE D'IVOIRE 
 
¶2.  (C)  MFA DAS-equivalent for West Africa Bruno Foucher on 
March 13 discussed Liberian President Johnson-Sirleaf's 
official visit to France the previous week.  He said the 
visit occurred after President Chirac invited Johnson-Sirleaf 
to France at the December 2005 France-Africa Summit in Mali 
soon after her election.  Foucher was quite blunt in stating 
that France's primary interest in Liberia related to Cote 
d'Ivoire.  Liberia's political stability and economic 
viability were of strategic importance to France because of 
its border with Cote d'Ivoire.  Instability in Liberia, 
Foucher said, contributed to problems in Cote d'Ivoire, 
especially in the volatile western region of the country.  It 
was therefore in France's interest to support efforts for 
political stability and economic development in Liberia in 
order to minimize spill-over effects into Cote d'Ivoire. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Johnson-Sirleaf met with several of France's most 
senior leaders, including Chirac, the presidents of the 
Senate and National Assembly, Cooperation Minister-Delegate 
Girardin, and a number of business leaders.  During her 
meeting with Chirac, Johnson-Sirleaf asked how France could 
help Liberia.  Chirac reportedly expressed his wish for 
France "to participate in the development and stability of 
Liberia."  He proposed specifically a public health project 
to build health clinics to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. 
Besides basic humanitarian aid, the French also presented a 
project aimed at cultural development and exchange, including 
an augmented French-language study program.  This program, 
Foucher noted, would allow for improved relations between 
Anglophone Liberia and Francophone Cote d'Ivoire, hopefully 
leading to enhanced security cooperation and border control, 
increased trade, and stronger diplomatic ties. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Johnson-Sirleaf's meeting with FM Douste-Blaze 
included a dinner.  During his lengthy toast, Douste-Blazy 
praised her personal achievements and those of her country, 
noting the historic significance of her election as the first 
woman president of Africa's first independent nation, and 
underlined France's interest in supporting peace, stability, 
and economic development in Liberia.  He described 
Johnson-Sirleaf's election as the first African female head 
of state as "doubly historic," as it also symbolically marked 
the end of Liberia's devastating civil war.  He described 
Liberia as "a new model of peace and progress" in Africa, 
demonstrating the ability of an African country to emerge 
from the quagmire of civil war and begin moving along the 
path of democracy and prosperity.  The French FM concluded by 
emphasizing that "today, more than ever, the African 
continent is a priority" of French foreign policy and that 
France would seek to further stability, security, and 
development in Liberia through "an approach founded on mutual 
interest."  Many prominent business leaders were present at 
the dinner and were able to make the acquaintance of 
Johnson-Sirleaf and members of her party. 
 
FRANCE TO ENHANCE PRESENCE IN LIBERIA 
 
¶5.  (C)  Foucher said that France hoped to establish a full 
diplomatic presence in Liberia by the end of 2006.  France 
had evacuated its diplomatic mission in 1990 and formally 
closed it in 1996.  Most recently, France was represented by 
one honorary consul, but a second honorary consul was now in 
place.  Foucher did not know if an ambassador would be named 
when France reopens its mission or if it would operate with a 
charge d'affaires.  Foucher said it would be difficult to 
manage the assistance programs now under consideration 
without a permanent official presence in Liberia, which was 
one reason the French wanted to re-open their mission this 
year.  Foucher commented that Chirac disliked "laptop" (i.e., 
 
PARIS 00001706  002 OF 002 
 
 
itinerant) ambassadors who visit from time to time but who do 
not get much done. 
 
CHARLES TAYLOR 
 
¶6.  (C)  On the issue of justice for former Liberian 
President Charles Taylor, Foucher stated that France had no 
problem with his prosecution as long as Nigeria accepted his 
transfer to Sierra Leone and then to the Hague for 
prosecution.  Foucher said he believed the UNSC would act 
favorably on this plan soon.  However, Foucher expressed his 
concern that a push by Johnson-Sirleaf to bring Taylor to 
justice could lead to instability in Liberia and problems for 
her personally, as several of Taylor's allies still retained 
influence in Liberia, including in its parliament. 
 
LIBERIAN PRESIDENT PRESENTS DEVELOPMENT PLAN AT IFRI 
CONFERENCE 
 
¶7.  (U)  In a March 9 speech at the prestigious French 
Institute of International Relations (IFRI), Johnson-Sirleaf 
presented her plan to move her war-torn country towards 
political stability and economic development.  Xavier de 
Villepin, former president of the French Senate,s Foreign 
Affairs Committee (and father of current Prime Minister 
Dominique de Villepin), presided over the conference. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Johnson-Sirleaf said that "Liberia can indeed become 
a success story in Africa," escaping its tumultuous past with 
a development approach focused on the reconciliation of 
Liberia,s disparate groups, peace in the West African 
region, economic growth, infrastructure improvement, and the 
restoration of economic credibility.  As the first 
democratically elected president of her country, 
Johnson-Sirleaf said she understood that Liberian 
expectations were high, and her plan thus emphasized tangible 
results.  Her proposed package, called the "150-Day 
Deliverables," would seek to make a visible difference in 
Liberians, lives through vast improvements to the 
infrastructure, a restructuring of the military and security 
forces, and improved local governance. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Audience questions involved repatriation issues, 
justice for Charles Taylor, women,s rights, education, and 
the monetary and fiscal dilemmas facing the country.  The 
heart of the discussion centered on the role of the donor 
community in aiding Liberia. Johnson-Sirleaf emphasized that 
sustained help over the long term was necessary to put her 
country on the track of stable economic growth, but she 
encouraged donors to participate in her "150-Day 
Deliverables" program to jumpstart development, stressing 
that Liberian expectations -- and thus the nation,s 
stability -- were tied to its successful implementation. 
 
 
 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
 
Stapleton