Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 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
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06PARIS6558, FRANCE: ENERGY SECTOR UPDATE

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. #06PARIS6558.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06PARIS6558 2006-10-02 16:51 2011-08-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Paris
null
Lucia A Keegan  10/03/2006 09:45:24 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS    SENSITIVE     PARIS 06558

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: ECON
    INFO:   ENGO SCIO TRDO ESCI FCS POL ORA AMB AGR LABO
            DCM ECNO UNESCO ECSO SCI

DISSEMINATION: ECONOUT /1
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: ECON:SDWYER
DRAFTED: ECON:FRADOVIC
CLEARED: ECON:HSULLIVAN; POL:WOWEN

VZCZCFRI158
RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RHEBAAA RUCNMEM RUEANFA
DE RUEHFR #6558/01 2751651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021651Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1863
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEANFA/NRC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006558 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE; OES; NP; EB/ESC, AND EB/CBA 
USDOC FOR 4212/MAC/EUR/OEURA 
DOE FOR ROBERT PRICE PI-32 AND KP LAU NE-80 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG ELAB EPET EIND EINV PREL PGOV FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE: ENERGY SECTOR UPDATE 
 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
1. (U) This is another in a series of occasional updates on the 
French energy sector.  Feedback is welcome to help us make this 
product as useful as possible for our inter-agency USG audience. 
 
Contents: 
 
-- French PM calls for EU Energy Summit and EU Energy Chief (para 
2) 
-- EU energy supplies dominate France-Germany-Russia talks 
para 3) 
-- France to introduce biofuel "green pumps" (para 4) 
-- The GOF energy bill: contents and timetable (para 5) 
-- Privatization of GDF (para 6) 
-- French-style implementation of EU energy deregulation (para 8) 
-- French union opposition to further privatization of GDF weak so 
far (para 9) 
 
2. (U) French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin on September 22 
called for an energy summit bringing together European Union 
countries and the main neighboring oil and gas-producing countries. 
De Villepin announced that the summit should take place early next 
year and include major energy producers Russia, Algeria, Norway and 
countries such as Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.  "At a time when energy 
occupies an increasingly important role in our exchanges with these 
countries, it is time for us to conclude agreements which 
specifically deal with this issue," he explained.  He further 
proposed that a new post of "special representative for energy" be 
set up at the European level.  He suggested that such a 
representative would work closely with the EU's foreign policy chief 
Javier Solana.  "We would carry more weight in negotiations with the 
producers by being able to speak with one voice," de Villepin noted. 
 
 
3. (SBU) EU energy supplies were at the forefront of the September 
23 summit near Paris between the leaders of France, Germany and 
Russia.  The French press said that the talks stressed the EU's 
eagerness to avoid a repeat of January's gas crisis, when Gazprom 
switched off its gas taps to Ukraine and impacted gas supplies in 
western Europe.  French papers further noted Russia's apparent drive 
to assert control over the country's vast energy reserves and muscle 
out foreign energy majors in favor of state-backed Russian ones. 
Earlier, they had given prominent coverage to Russia's alleged 
threat to revoke a license for French group Total to develop the 
Kharyaga oil field, accusing it of excessive delays.  Contacts told 
us Putin reportedly said that Russia was a law abiding country that 
would honor its commitments so long as firms investing in Russia 
followed Russian law and their Production Sharing Agreements. The 
Franco-Russian cooperation deals clinched during the summit that 
were worth more than 10 billion dollars were not in the energy 
sector, but rather in transportation and aviation. 
 
4.  (U)  French Finance, Economy and Industry Minister Thierry 
Breton revealed on September 24 his intention to launch biofuel 
"green pumps" serving bioethanol, which will offer motorists "a 
green fuel that costs much less."  The announcement follows an 
earlier series of proposals by the European Commission to encourage 
a switch to green fuels. 
 
5. (U)  The GOF energy draft bill presented to the National Assembly 
on September 7 would fully liberalize the French electricity and gas 
markets on July 1 2007, as required by two 2003 EU directives.  At 
the same time, the bill would expedite the further privatization of 
gas utility Gaz de France (GDF) prior to its 70.8 billion euro 
merger with Suez, the second largest electricity generator in 
France.  Parliamentary debate is taking place under a fast-track 
procedure, which requires only one reading by both houses, followed 
by re-conciliation procedures to agree on a final text to be voted 
on by both houses.  The National Assembly is expected to vote on the 
bill on October 3. 
 
6.  (SBU) On September 27, the National Assembly approved the 
controversial Article 10 of the GOF energy draft bill, providing for 
the further privatization of Gaz de France (GDF).  This article 
enables the GOF to reduce its minimal shareholding in GDF from 70 
percent to a third, thus paving the way for GDF's merger with Suez. 
The EU Commission has allowed the French Government to retain a 
"golden share" protecting GDF's gas distribution network, liquefied 
natural gas terminals and storage depots from takeovers.  Unveiled 
last February by Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin from his 
office, with the chairmen of both companies at his side, the deal 
was brokered to ward off hostile advances form Italian energy group 
Enel.  (Note: AFEP, the French private enterprise business 
association, told us they found the sight of a French PM announcing 
the deal in his office "very shocking."  End Note). 
 
7. (U) Even though the French administration has championed the 
merger, several other processes could derail the deal.  The Senate 
must also pass the bill after the National Assembly does so on 
October 3.  The European Commission must clear the merger.  The 
Commission prolonged its review of the merger proposals from the 
original October 25 deadline to November 17 after concessions the 
two companies provided in September failed to assuage concerns. 
Finally, Suez share holders must vote for the privatization. 
Tensions between France and Italy were eased somewhat when de 
Villepin and his Italian counterpart Romano Prodi met in Rome 
earlier this month to boost their two countries' cooperation in the 
energy sector.  The two countries' industry ministers met in Paris 
on September 28 in a bid to further defuse the situation. 
 
8.  (SBU) The original GOF energy draft bill's opening articles gave 
domestic consumers the right to choose their electricity and gas 
providers, in line with EU energy directives that come into force on 
July 1, 2007.  The text recently adopted by the National Assembly 
members (yet to be approved by the Senate), however, agreed to 
maintain government-regulated gas and electricity tariffs for an 
indefinite period beyond 2007.  The National Assembly also 
transformed the role and make-up of the French energy regulatory 
authority (CREG), which Members criticized as too independent and 
too market-oriented.  Cambridge Energy Research Associations 
Electricity and Gas Director Jean-Marie Chevalier told us that with 
elections in the offing Parliamentarians wanted to showing the 
French people "they are protected" from EU liberalization and market 
realities. 
 
9.  (SBU) Privatization is a sensitive issue for France's national 
trade union federations, traditionally quite strong in France's 
energy sector.  However, so far, the unions have not succeeded in 
challenging the GOF's energy draft bill.  They oppose both market 
deregulation and the further privatization of GDF.  Organized 
labor's first attempt to organize strikes and demonstrations on 
September 12 failed miserably.  However, the major trade union 
federations have announced that they plan to organize further 
demonstrations on October 3 and 14.  According to protest organizers 
the privatization of GDF may lead to 20,000 lost jobs. 
 
Stapleton