VZCZCXRO7336
PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHFR #1425 2951541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221541Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7398
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 7299
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3120
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1214
RUEHRC/DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 0015
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1753

UNCLAS PARIS 001425 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/MPR BHACKETT 
USUN/MR FOR ECHEN, CNORMAN, AND BRASHKOW 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC PREL PGOV EAGR UNGA UNGA FR
SUBJECT:  FRENCH JIU AND FAO CANDIDATES 
 
REF:  STATE 105347 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  France believes their candidate to the United 
Nations' Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), Gerard Biraud, is well 
qualified; he is the JIU's current President.  France also hopes the 
United States will support its candidate for the Independent 
President of the FAO Council, Luc Guyau even though that election is 
contested by a U.K. candidate.  Guyau is President of France's 
Chambers of Agriculture and is a member of France's Economic and 
Social Council, but, in Post's opinion, has a record of promoting 
protectionist measures and whose management credentials deserve 
scrutiny.  END SUMMARY. 
 
JOINT INSPECTION UNIT 
--------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) On October 21, MFA Deputy Director for International 
Organizations, Emmanuel Cocher, asserted that France's candidate to 
the United Nations' Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), Gerard Biraud, is 
well-qualified based on the criteria requested in reftel demarche. 
Cocher noted that Biraud is, in fact, seeking reelection to the JIU, 
and was elected by the other members to serve as the current 
President of the organization.  He noted that Biraud is a former MFA 
official and is "well and favorably known." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) France has been actively lobbying for Biraud and Cocher 
believes the Department has already been demarched by the French 
Embassy in Washington.  Cocher explained that for most countries 
(though not the U.S.) French ambassadors were instructed to lobby at 
the Minister level.  Cocher provided Poloff with copies of the note 
verbal and CV for Biraud that are being shared in capitals.  [Note: 
Post will forward these documents to IO and USUN via e-mail.  End 
note.]  When asked why Spain and Turkey were contesting the JIU 
seat, Cocher speculated that sometimes governments need to put 
forward individuals for internal political reasons, but that France 
is pushing for better European coordination on IO candidates.  At 
this time, Post has no further information on Biraud's 
qualifications or suitability to continue serving on the JUI. 
 
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) COUNCIL 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶4.  (SBU) Cocher took advantage of Poloff's visit to request U.S. 
support for the French candidate for the Independent President of 
the FAO Council, Luc Guyau, who is President of France's formal 
farmers' lobby, "the Permanent Assembly of the Chambers of 
Agriculture" (an organization roughly similar to the chambers of 
commerce, but for the agriculture and food sectors only), a member 
of France's Economic and Social Council, and a former Chairman of 
the influential National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FNSEA) from 
1992 to 2001.  Cocher described Guyau as somebody who understands 
farming, but is also well versed in international agriculture policy 
issues. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) France has already been active in lobbying support for 
Guyau, and Cocher estimates that 40 countries have indicated their 
support, but the race could be close with the U.K.'s current Council 
member, Victor Heard, also running (as is a candidate from the 
Gambia).  Cocher admitted that it is not ideal to have French and 
U.K. candidates competing for the same seat and explained that Heard 
confirmed his candidacy at the last minute, well after France put 
forward Guyau's name, leaving little time for bilateral consultation 
or coordination.  If they have not yet done so, we expect France 
will contact the Department formally requesting support for Guyau 
for this election, the vote for which Cocher believes will be in 
late November. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Regarding Guyau's candidacy, our FAS office notes that 
during his recent bilateral visit to Washington, French Agricultural 
Minister Bruno Le Maire also lobbied for Guyau's bid with USDA 
Secretary Vilsack.  Luc Guyau has repeatedly opposed U.S. policies 
on agricultural trade liberalization in favor of regional 
agricultural policies that would allow importing countries to 
establish trade barriers in order to protect their own agriculture 
producers.  On management and leadership issues, we note that Luc 
Guyau, as well as other top members of FNSEA, was indicted in early 
2000 for improper use of public money, but the court overturned the 
subsequent conviction in 2008 and cleared them for the lack of 
evidence.  Our FAS also notes that Guyau's position at the top of 
the Chambers of Agriculture has often been criticized as the 
organizational and managerial reforms he had advocated before 
becoming President have not been realized.  Mr. Guyau does not speak 
English. 
 
RIVKIN