US embassy cable - 05PARIS3957

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 PARIS 003957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/F/E (EILEEN CONNOLLY); EUR/PPD 
(L.DEVALCOURT-AYALA) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL/FR 
SUBJECT:  FY-2005 Voluntary Visitor Program: Karl-Erik 
Goffinet.  Request, recommendations, program suggestions 
Post requests an unfunded Voluntary Visitors Program for Karl- 
Erik Goffinet, a French citizen who is Vice-President for 
European Affairs within the Defense Federation of the major 
 
right-wing party, the UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire 
-- Union for a Popular Movement, a unified, pluralistic, 
democratic and decentralized political movement). 
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT): 
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables 
: automated processing in Washington and should not be 
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software. 
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB 
VERSION: 3.0.7 
POST-EMAIL: bornetvm@state.gov 
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Paris 
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 14544 
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA 
START NOMINATION: 
ECA-OFFICE: E/VFE 
PROG-AGENCY-NAME: 
POST-PROJ-ID: 272 
ECA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: Individual 
PROG-TYPE: Voluntary Visitor 
FY: 2005 
DEPART-POST: 07/10/2005 
SESSION-DATE: 07/11/2005 
RETURN-POST: 07/16/2005 
NO-OF-PART: 1 
RANK-ORDER: 1 
START MEMO POST-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO POST-RCMD: 
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1033 
PROG-AGENCY-ID: 
PROJ-TYPE-ID: IND 
PROG-TYPE-ID: 30 
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 14544 
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 
STATUS: N 
ORIGINATOR: P 
SUBJ-DISC: Foreign Policy 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Karl-Erik 
M-NAME: Bertrand, Xavier 
L-NAME: Goffinet 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 319 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
M-ADDR1: GICAT 
M-ADDR2: 64, rue du Ranelagh 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: Paris 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: France 
M-ZONE: 75016 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: 33-1-44-14-58-25 
M-FAX: 33-1-42-30-80-89 
M-EMAIL: gicat.goffinet@wanadoo.fr 
M-CNTRY-ID: FR 
M-ADDRTYPE: B 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 06/11/1966 
MAR-STAT: M 
BIRTH-CITY: Les Lilas 
BIRTH-CNTRY: France 
CITIZ-CNTRY: France 
RES-CNTRY: France 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Since 1999:  GICAT (French Land Defense Manufacturers 
Association):  Vice President International Relations and 
Strategic Affairs 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
Since 2002:  CIDEF (French Defense Industry Council):  Vice 
President European Affairs and Transatlantic Relations. 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
1992-2001:  GICAT (French Land Defense Manufacturers 
Association): 
-  Director Economic and Industrial Affairs (1992-1994); 
-  Director International Affairs (1994-1999); 
-  Strategic advisor of the President of European Defense 
Industrial Group (EDIG). 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
1989-1992:  SGDN (Secretariat General de la Defense Nationale 
- General Secretariat of National Defense) - Prime Minister 
Strategic Division: 
-  Strategic Analyst - Office of Eastern-Western Relations 
-  Strategic Analyst - Office of Middle East Affairs - Follow- 
up on the Gulf War. 
Member of the Board of Administration of Aerospace and Defense 
Industries Association of Europe (ASD). 
Member of the Board of Administration of the Defense 
organization of the French Party, "Union pour la Majorite 
Parlementaire" (UMP).  Vice President in charge of the 
European Delegation. 
 
 
 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
February 2005 - Business travel to Miami: yearly Winter 
Meetings of AUSA (Association of United States Army). 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, 
Austria. 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
1997:  PhD in Political Science at Paris V University. 
1990:  DEA (Post Graduate Degree) - Political Science/Public 
Law at Lille 2 University. 
1989:  M.A. Political Science - Robert Schumann University of 
Law, Strasbourg. 
1988:  M.A. International Relations - International Relations 
Institute of Paris. 
 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
Eurodefense. 
Forum du Futur--Future Forum. 
IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques- 
Strategic and International Relations Institute). 
Jefferson Circle (Association of I.V. alumni). 
Member of the U.S. Army Association. 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
Numerous Academic publications on: 
-  Relationships between France and NATO; 
-  Space Militarization; 
-  Security and Trust Measures in the Stockholm Final 
Agreement; 
-  Relationships between Economy and Defense; 
-  Major Risks and Threats for the Security of Europe; 
-  Crisis Communication. 
Numerous articles in the following professional journals: 
-  Parliament Journal; 
-  Abecedaire Parlementaire (a parliamentarian publication); 
-  National Defense Magazine; 
-  Armament Magazine. 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
Non-smoker 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: French 
ENGL-READ: 4 
ENGL-SPEAK: 4 
ENGL-COMP: 4 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: Spanish 
OTHER-LANG-ID: QB 
READ: 4 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
SPEAK: 4 
COMP: 4 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: Italian 
OTHER-LANG-ID: JT 
READ: 3 
SPEAK: 3 
COMP: 3 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
Post hopes that Karl-Erik Goffinet will be able to consult 
with key U.S. institutions and policy makers on current 
thinking about the transatlantic relationship; the second Bush 
administration; the U.S. government structure and current U.S. 
foreign and defense policies.  This trip will allow Mr. 
Goffinet to move ahead and explore the possibility of 
reestablishing bridges, in terms of the future, between France 
and the United States.  French decision makers very often rely 
on information gathered in the media.  This mission will 
provide Karl-Erik Goffinet with actual material that he will 
in return pass on to key French officials and to UMP staff 
working on transatlantic relations.  Another one of his task 
will be to introduce himself and meet key policy makers in 
order to set up and maintain an informal dialogue with 
American contacts.  Mr. Goffinet was a FY 96 IV.  He is a 
close contact of the Public Affairs Section and, through 
GICAT, maintains regular relations with the Office of Defense 
Cooperation (ODC). 
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
Post recommends a three-theme program for Mr. Goffinet. 
1.   Current U.S. Administration: 
- Introduction to governmental organizations under current 
administration. 
2.  Security and Defense Issues: 
- Introduction to Security and Defense Issues and Foreign 
Policy under current administration: OSD/AT and L. 
3.  Foreign Policy formulation and challenges (U.S. - European 
relations, more particularly on U.S.-French relations): 
- Policy-making formulation and process on Foreign Policy 
Challenges and Defense issues; 
- U.S. perspectives on U.S.-European/U.S.-French relations 
(including discussion on different perspectives of the 
Republican and Democratic Parties on Foreign Policy Issues). 
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
Mr. Goffinet is interested in the following themes: 
-  Evolution of the relationship between the U.S. and France 
in the second Bush administration. 
-  Evolution of Foreign Policy in the same administration, 
with a particular percentage in Defense issues, as he is part 
of the Defense Commission headed by Senator Serge Vincon, 
including meetings with new teams. 
-  Structure of the U.S. Government, in particular 
relationship between the executive and legislative branches, 
the Republican Party and the sitting president - what is the 
relationship? 
-  Meeting with lobby groups (Arms Industry, Foreign Policy, 
relations between Parliamentarian and Defense Industry). 
-  Understanding/management of communication process within 
the Administration. 
END MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
START MEMO VIS-REC: 
Mr. Goffinet would appreciate the following meetings: 
-  White House (Mr. Karl Rove's staff).  Mr. Rove has the 
reputation of being President Bush's political advisor.  A 
brief meeting with him would interest Mr. Goffinet, with an 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
exclusive political view.  Mr. Goffinet would like to 
understand globally how one builds up and manages an American 
politician's image, such as President Bush's one. 
-  National Security Council.  Mr. Goffinet would like to have 
an overview of the threats evaluation aspects, main evolutions 
and priorities of U.S. Foreign Policy. 
-  Department of Defense (Political Affairs/Industrial 
Affairs).  Mr. Goffinet would like to discuss new concepts and 
main evolution tendencies of U.S. Defense Policy; elaboration 
of mechanisms of U.S. Foreign Policy; Industrial Policy and 
DOD-Defense Industries relationships. 
-  Department of State (Mrs. Rice's staff and representatives 
from the Office of European Affairs for an overview of key 
policy issues).  Mr. Goffinet is interested in U.S. Foreign 
Policy priorities and evolution of EU-U.S. relations with an 
emphasis on France-U.S. relations. 
-  Department of Commerce (Office of Strategic Industries and 
Economic Security).  Mr. Goffinet would like to discuss 
priorities in the field of economic security and the status of 
U.S. Defense Industry. 
-  Congress/House of Representatives: Mr. Goffinet would like 
to meet with staffers working with Senator Mc Cain.  FYI, he 
met with Senator Mc Cain during his I.V. trip in 1996 and 
would like to have a chance to see him if possible; 
- Senator Hunter; 
- Senator John William Warner's staff to discuss Homeland 
security issues and defense issues; 
- Senator Dan Inouye to discuss the U.S. Army today. 
Mr. Goffinet would like to understand the role and power that 
Congress has in the Defense domain and the relations between 
executive and legislative powers in this field, particularly 
on budgetary aspects. 
- Republican Party and Democrat Party.  Mr. Goffinet would 
like to have an overview on how American parties are 
structured; how it works on a daily basis; what are their 
relations with the Government; how defense and foreign affairs 
problems are dealt with; and what are the parties' main 
differences on these questions. 
- Think Tanks: 
- The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF): meeting 
with the President Craig Kennedy to discuss transatlantic 
relations and the role of public opinion/public antagonism on 
U.S. foreign policy and on U.S.-European cooperation; 
- The American Enterprise Institute (AEI): meeting with senior 
researchers following foreign affairs and defense issues 
relevant to bilateral relations; 
- The Heritage Foundation: meeting with Dr. Kim Holmes, Vice 
President and Director to discuss U.S. security issues and 
foreign policy issues; 
- The New America Foundation: meeting with the Executive Vice- 
President Steve Clemons to discuss U.S.- European Relations. 
Mr. Goffinet would like to discuss strategic main questions; 
main threats; the evolution of transatlantic relations; the 
role of Europe; the role of France; the evolution of NATO. 
-  Media: foreign affairs journalists  (Washington Post, 
Herald Tribune). 
END MEMO VIS-REC: 
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Colombia Barrosse 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Post strongly supports this Voluntary Visitor project and 
hopes that ECA will be able to schedule it in the time frame 
proposed by the visitor.  With the attention focused on the 
European Union due to the debate about the Constitution, it is 
important for the USG to reiterate that the United States has 
long supported a strong Europe, a concept that is often argued 
in France.  USG and Post need to explain that cooperating 
partners are more beneficial than opposing "poles" or "counter 
weights" to each other.  Mr. Goffinet plays a major liaison 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
and substantive role on a myriad of Franco-American issues. 
Mr. Goffinet is a candidate with impressive academic 
credentials who looks forward to a future as a decision maker 
in the European defense sector.  Upon his return, Goffinet 
expects to brief UMP staffers on the evolution of 
transatlantic relations and provide them with contacts in 
Washington D.C.  By participating in this Voluntary Visitor 
trip, Mr. Goffinet will acquire expertise in European-American 
relations, will gain understanding of our policies and 
communicate a more positive view of the United States among 
French Government officials that would help the re- 
strengthening of Franco-American bilateral ties.  We highly 
recommend Mr. Goffinet for consideration for a VolVis. 
Karl-Erik Goffinet is a French citizen who is Vice-President 
for European Affairs within the Defense Federation of the 
major right-wing party, the UMP (Union pour un Mouvement 
Populaire -- Union for a Popular Movement, a unified 
pluralistic, democratic and decentralized movement).  Mr. 
Goffinet's responsibilities are planning exchange 
relationships with UMP's homologous parties in the European 
field and in the defense domain.  FYI, Nicolas Sarkozy (I.V. 
1985), former Finance Minister, heads the UMP Party since 
November 2004.  Mr. Sarkozy is one of France's most well known 
political figures and is considered to be the man to watch in 
the next (2007) French Presidential Elections.  Under his 
leadership, the UMP Party has been reorganized to permit an in- 
depth reflection on transatlantic relationship.  Mr. Serge 
Dassault presides over the "Defense Federation", an internal 
UMP body whose main vocation is to ensure the continued 
existence of a strong defense policy, particularly in the 
industrial field, able to meet the challenges of the 21st 
century.  This Federation has a Consortium whose members are 
elected for a three-year mandate.  Mr. Goffinet belongs to the 
executive committee for the Federation and, in that capacity 
is very interested in learning more about the U.S. position 
and in building stronger links to appropriate entities 
(private and government) 
Mr. Goffinet is also Vice-President for International 
Relations and Strategic Affairs at GICAT (Groupement des 
Industries Concernees par les Materiels de Defense Terrestre-- 
"French Land Defense Manufacturers Association".  GICAT is a 
private industry association regrouping most French companies 
in the land defense sector and reportedly enjoys close 
relations with the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA).  GICAT 
has the attention of key French Government officials, 
including the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, as 
well as direct access to most of Europe's defense decision 
makers and strategic planning organizations. GICAT is a strong 
supporter of the "Europeanization" of the defense industry, 
which is currently underway as a natural consequence of the 
defense market's international restructuring.  In his current 
position, Mr. Goffinet is actively working on the strategic 
development of a policy of cooperation between Europe and the 
United States in both land and air domains.  He has been 
working closely with GOF, USG, French and American industry 
associations to explore avenues to improve industry 
cooperation.  Mr. Goffinet is actively initiating programs to 
improve international understanding and communication as a 
means to break down invisible barriers to multilateral 
cooperation. 
With a PhD on "The New European Architecture in Terms of 
Defense and Security", a Masters Degree in International 
Relations and another Masters in Political Science, Mr. 
Goffinet is a knowledgeable specialist in Defense and 
Security.  Mr. Goffinet is also Vice-President of European 
Affairs and Transatlantic Relations at CIDEF (Conseil des 
Industries de Defense Francaises -- French Defense Industry 
Council).  CIDEF can be described as the French Industry's 
PROJ-NAME: VolVis - Fiscal Year 2005 - Karl-Erik Goffinet 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
holding structure, which consolidates the three main French 
arms industry unions (GIFAS, GICAN and GICAT).  CIDEF is 
alternatively presided over by one of these unions' President 
(GICAT for the moment).  CIDEF has a light structure with 
three permanent missions: Lobbying, European affairs and 
transatlantic relations, and regulation.  Mr. Goffinet 
coordinates issues concerning Europe and Transatlantic 
Relations.  His responsibilities deal essentially with the 
conception and implementation of the French industry's 
positions in Europe.  He is also in charge of following up on 
bilateral relations with the United States. 
 
 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs, American Embassy, Paris, France 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: No 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: No 
E-I-TYPE: ELEO 
NOMINEE-ID: 535 
PERSON-ID: 438 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: FR 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: FR 
RES-CNTRY-ID: FR 
FIRST-LANG-ID: FR 
E-I-TYPE-ID: E 
NOM-POST-ID: 14544 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 0 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 45.0901 
SPONS-FUNDS: 0 
SPONS-AGENCY1: 
USGOVT-AGENCY1: 
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0 
USGOVT-AGENCY2: 
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0 
INTL-ORG1: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0 
INTL-ORG2: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0 
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0 
COMMISSION: 0 
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-CAT: 5 
END BIO: 
END NOMINATION: 
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT: 
 
  Wolff