US embassy cable - 05PARIS2043

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE AND OES/HEALTH 
STATE FOR OES/EID NANCY CARTER-FOSTER 
STATE ALSO PASS NSF/GOMBAY 
HHS FOR STEIGER OGHA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, FR 
SUBJECT: AIDS: FRENCH/US COLLABORATION "ESSENTIAL" 
 
1.  Summary.  EST Counselor met with Michel Kazatchkine, 
head of the National Agency for AIDS Research (ANRS) on 
March 24, shortly after Dr Kazatchkine's nomination as 
"Ambassador at large for AIDS."  The meeting focused on 
France's involvement in global AIDS activities and 
ANRS's research in developing countries.  He emphasized 
President Chirac's total commitment to this subject and 
indicated that enhancing French/U.S. cooperation in this 
sector is for the GOF "a top priority."  Kazatchkine 
will depart ANRS in June 2005. His possible replacement 
has not been named.  End summary. 
 
Enhance French/U.S. collaborative activities 
--------------------------------------------- 
2.  Dr Michel Kazatchkine, the director of ANRS (since 
1998), was appointed Ambassador for HIV/AIDS issues in 
February 2005.  Commenting on his new mission, 
Kazatchkine stated that one of his first priorities, as 
defined by President Chirac, is to keep and reinforce 
the on-going dialogue with the U.S.  He noted that 
France and the U.S. play leadership roles on the AIDS 
issue and globally think basically the same way about 
the necessity to promote prevention and treatment.  He 
praised U.S. (NIH) research in the AIDS sector and the 
"excellent" French/U.S. collaborative work conducted in 
the areas of vaccine trials, immunotherapy, and more 
informal basic research.  As ANRS Director, he has been 
thrilled by the participation of U.S. top scientists in 
the peer review of ANRS-funded research programs. 
 
3.  U.S. contribution to Global AIDS: Kazatchkine noted 
that people in France are not fully aware of the scope 
of U.S. HIV/AIDS initiatives--which go far beyond the 
PEPFAR program, and suggested that more information work 
might be done to ensure that the U.S. receives greater 
credit for its contribution to Global AIDS.  He also 
insisted on the need to "pull efforts together" to avoid 
duplication of initiatives in the developing world, 
which he considers as sometimes confusing and 
detrimental for the recipient countries and eventually 
prejudicial for the (AIDS) international cooperation 
image. 
 
4.  Intensify French-U.S. dialogue/focal points: 
Speaking both as ANRS Director and Ambassador for AIDS, 
Kazatchkine expressed a desire to seize every 
opportunity for meetings between French and U.S. senior 
AIDS officials.  He said he will personally welcome and 
encourage such opportunities.  Taking into consideration 
Chirac's strong personal commitment to Global AIDS, he 
recommended as other key contacts on the French side: 
- President Chirac's technical adviser (G8/multilateral 
affairs) Laurent Vigier; and 
- Xavier Darcos, Minister delegate for Cooperation, 
Development and Francophony (within the MFA). 
 
Biosketch 
---------- 
5.  Michel KAZATCHKINE, 58, graduated as an MD from 
Paris VII University and specialized in internal 
medicine, nephrology and immunology.  After completing 
doctoral training at St Mary Hospital Medical School in 
London and at the department of immunology and 
rhumatology at Harvard University, he returned to France 
to work and teach as a clinical immunologist at the 
Broussais hospital in Paris.  He currently serves as 
Head of the department of immunology at the Georges 
Pompidou European hospital in Paris.  Doctor Kazatchkine 
has authored or co-authored over 500 publications. 
 
6.  International experience.  At the head of ANRS 
since 1998, Kazatchkine has committed himself to 
ensure AIDS treatment access in the developing 
world.  The ANRS programs of which he has been a 
part constitute 25 percent of the agency's 
activity.  He has also been active at the 
international level: in 2002, he was appointed as 
member of the Technical Review Panel of the Global 
Fund to Fight against AIDS, Malaria and 
Tuberculosis.  He also chaired the WHO Strategic 
and Technology Advisor Committee for HIV/AIDS from 
2002 to 2004. 
 
7.  Comment.  Dr Kazatchkine is highly regarded in 
the French and international medical community. 
He is thoroughly enthusiastic about his new 
assignment. Taking into account his knowledge of 
U.S. and international AIDS-related institutions 
and key players, the strong links already built up 
with U.S. scientists and official key players in 
the field, he should prove an invaluable partner 
in promoting French/U.S. collaborative work. 
 
8.  Future Vice-Chairman of the Fund?  Kazatchkine 
also informed EST officers that he is a candidate 
for vice-chairmanship of the Global Fund and is 
extremely appreciative of U.S. support. 
Wolff