US embassy cable - 04PARIS5935

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Identifier:	04PARIS5935
Wikileaks:	View 04PARIS5935 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Paris
Created:	2004-08-10 16:22:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	PGOV PREL VE KPAO FR DKDEM
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005935 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND AND WHA/PDA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, VE, KPAO, FR, DKDEM 
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE TO VENEZUELA REFERENDUM DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 168747 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL M/C JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND 
(D) 
 
1.  (C) PolOff met with MFA Venezuelan desk officer Hedi 
Picquart on August 9 and delivered demarche as per reftel. 
Picquart noted that France had hoped EU international 
election observers would participate in the August 15 
referendum vote.  Unfortunately, the GoV-imposed restrictions 
were deemed unacceptable, as they were not up to EU standard 
methodology and would prohibit credible observation.  The GOF 
fully supports the OAS and Carter Center observer missions, 
as outlined in the August 3 EU declaration.  According to 
Picquart, the GOF will neither encourage nor prevent French 
citizens from observing the elections through other 
organizations, but they do so as private individuals and not 
representatives of the GOF.  The French mission in Caracas 
will closely follow all activities surrounding the 
referendum, and diplomatic personnel there have postponed 
traditional August vacations to remain in place. 
 
2.  (U) Two opinion pieces written by French academics have 
recently appeared in the left-of-center daily "Liberation" on 
opposing sides of the referendum vote.  The pro-Chavez 
article praises the President's reforms addressing social 
inequality and injustice in the country, claiming he is a 
modern-day Bolivar who, like his predecessor, is carrying 
forth the ideals of the French Revolution in South America. 
Washington, the authors assert, will claim any loss by the 
opposition as interference on the part of Chavez, thus giving 
Uncle Sam the right to intervene.  The anti-Chavez article 
draws attention to the problems that have persisted or 
increased under the Chavez administration - high unemployment 
rates and a quadrupling of the price of petroleum - and 
rebuts the argument that the opposition is comprised solely 
of oligarchs and rich elite, claiming many among the left 
also support the referendum.   Post will continue to monitor 
the French media as the referendum approaches and Paris PD is 
prepared to utilize the press points in reftel as 
appropriate. 
Wolff 
 
 
NNNN