US embassy cable - 05PARIS6974

S E C R E T PARIS 006974 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, INR, EB/IFD/ODF AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2025 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, HA, FR 
SUBJECT: HAITI: BIO INFO ON NEW FRENCH AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: MERTEN-GRIFFITHS E-MAILS 
 
Classified By: ECON KENNETH MERTEN FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) As part of an office call to discuss France's "co 
development" policy (septel), Econ Couns and intern met on 5 
October with the newly named French Ambassador to Haiti, 
Christian Connan.  Connan said he is looking forward to his 
new assignment, which will start in January.  He asked Econ 
Couns for a frank assessment of GOF policy towards Haiti. 
Econ Couns told him that the USG appreciated the effective 
cooperation with the GOF on the elections and development 
agenda, and particularly appreciated the work the GOF was 
attempting to do with the EU and the European Commission in 
urging them to be more flexible in their disbursements with 
the IGOH.  Connan said that an old friend of his in the 
Canadian diplomatic service told him, "Frankly France does 
nothing in Haiti," and leaves most of the work to Canada and 
the U.S.  He said he was trying to get a "true" picture of 
what allies thought of France's efforts there. 
 
2.  (S) We found Connan very friendly but not particularly 
dynamic.  His areas of expertise are Germany and development 
issues.  He had several tours in Germany in the 1980's and 
early 1990's, has a doctorate in German studies, and noted 
with great pride that he was the first French diplomat ever 
to participate in an exchange program with Germany.  He is 
currently head of MFA's "Co development" (giving money and 
training to illegal immigrants and returning them to their 
country of origin to start businesses and create jobs) 
office, where he's been since 2002.  He appears to have been 
closely associated with the Socialists and has spent the last 
several years in the "wilderness." Presumably he is once 
again seen as "safe," hence this new appointment.  Prior to 
being the "Co development coordinator," Connan served as 
France's Ambassador to Mali from 1998-2002. 
 
3.  (C) Connan, born in Dunkirk on 18 October 1947, started 
his professional life as a German teacher (1974 - 1980) after 
which he attended ENA (Ecole nationale d'administration) from 
'82-84.  After joining the diplomatic service in 1984 he went 
to the Defense Ministry where he worked on the staff of 
Minister Charles Hernu (a confidant of Mitterand, who, 
according to L'Express magazine was a well-paid KGB/Bulgarian 
mole starting in at least 1953, and who resigned after the 
Greenpeace "Rainbow Warrior" incident in the south Pacific) 
and his successor Paul Quils. 
 
4.  (SBU) Connan said he wanted to meet again with Econ Couns 
closer to his departure for Port-au-Prince to discuss Haiti 
and U.S.-GOF coordination. 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
STAPLETON