US embassy cable - 05PARIS1082

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IR, UP, MD, SU, CG, SR, BK, FR 
SUBJECT: FRENCH ON FEB. 21 GAERC 
 
REF: A. STATE 25111 
 
     B. PARIS 964 
     C. STATE 26062 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1.  (C) Poloff delivered reftel A) points to MFA 
DAS-equivalent for Common Foreign and Security Policy Pascal 
LeDeunff on Feb. 11 and followed up in conversation Feb. 18. 
LeDeunff emphasized that ministers would spend the bulk of 
the Feb. 21 GAERC in preparing for the EU summit with 
President Bush (and for the foreign ministers' agenda for 
Secretary Rice) the following day.  LeDeunff emphasized that 
 
SIPDIS 
they are preparing a positive summit for the President's 
visit, and that the US will be pleased. 
 
2.  (C) On the Middle East Peace Process, LeDeunff underlined 
the notion that Europe is determined to seize the opportunity 
that currently exists for progress.  He said that the French 
would like to see the Quartet re-energized and that they 
would like significant a US engagement on the issue.  He 
noted that they would welcome the Feb. 8 Sharm al-Sheikh 
Sharon-Abu Mazen meeting and would discuss the March 1 London 
conference.  FM Barnier will want to discuss how to open up a 
political perspective for the Palestinians. 
 
3. (C) On Iraq, LeDeunff said the EU proposal to train Iraqi 
civil administration and security personnel was to be 
finalized in discussions this (Friday 2/18) morning. Here, 
especially, he said, the Europeans are working to deliver 
something that will advance the transatlantic relationship. 
LeDeunff claimed that France would be the top contributor to 
this mission. 
 
4.  (C) On the Balkans, the ministers will receive a report 
at lunch from UN rep Jessen-Petersen, according to LeDeunff, 
but he indicated that no action will be taken on any of the 
issues involving Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo, Croatia, or 
Bosnia. 
 
5.  (C) In response to poloff inquiry about whether any 
discussion of the designation of Hizbollah as a terrorist 
organization would be on the agenda, LeDeunff said no, 
underlining again that France sees the political wing of 
Hizbollah as a legitimate political party.  He said in light 
of the assassination of former Lebanese PM Hariri, France 
would especially want to take time before considering such a 
move.  Acknowledging the divergence of views between the US 
and the GOF on the issue, he said, "That's our policy.  It 
might be worthy of criticism, but that is our policy." 
 
6.  (C) On the Great Lakes and Sudan, LeDeunff noted that 
Belgian FM de Gucht would be providing a readout of his trip 
to the DRC, but said he did not expect much else on these 
topics. 
 
7.  (C)  On Ukraine and Moldova, LeDeunff noted that the 
ministers would adopt an action plan for each, and said that 
the EU hoped to "maximize all possibilities" to encourage 
democratic reform in Ukraine in light of Yushchenko's 
accession to the presidency there. 
Leach