US embassy cable - 05PARIS1708

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NP/CBM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10 YEARS 
TAGS: ETTC, PARM, PREL, FR, CBE 
SUBJECT: APRIL 2005 AUSTRALIA GROUP PLENARY DEMARCHES: 
PROMOTIONAL PARTICIPATION IN INFO EXCHANGE AND PLENARY 
TECHNICAL PROPOSALS (SBU) 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 41247 
     B. SECSTATE 39371 
 
Classified By: EST COUNSELOR ROBERT W. DRY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) (D) AND 
(H) 
 
1.  (C) On 11 March 2005, Embassy EST officer delivered 
reftels non-papers on U.S. Government (USG) proposals in 
advance of the April 2005 Australia Group (AG) Plenary to 
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs point of contact for AG 
matters, Etienne Sur.  After reading points in non-papers, 
Sur first addressed the AG releasable non-paper containing US 
recommendations for the Plenary's Information Exchange (IE) 
and the Enforcement Experts (EE) discussions, commenting that 
France also supported active participation of AG members in 
the IE and EE discussions.  He noted that France would fully 
endorse the USG suggestion that during the IE, group members 
place additional emphasis on emerging technologies, trends, 
and threats.  Sur thanked the USG for its recommendations, 
and noted that France looked forward to working closely with 
the U.S. delegation at the Plenary. 
 
2.  (C)  Addressing the 'France-Only' non-paper that 
contained a request to the French that they share information 
on recent French law enforcement actions related to ricin and 
botulism in the Lyon area, as well as a request to elaborate 
on recent French official comments relating to continued 
terrorist activity in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge, Sur remarked 
that France might be able to make some informal comments on 
these issues during the Plenary, but doubted France would be 
in a position to distribute formal comments on these cases to 
the group. 
 
3.  (C)  Sur then provided some general remarks and requested 
clarification on the USG non-paper regarding additional 
biological agents for inclusion in the AG core list.  Sur 
read through the non-paper, then asked EST officer if the USG 
was suggesting that the AG take specific action at the 
Plenary to add some of the "new" biological agents listed in 
the USG non-paper to the AG core list.  EST replied that the 
USG was requesting that during the Plenary, France and other 
AG members consider placing the targeted biological agents 
into the AG core list.  Sur said that he would discuss the 
list of agents included in the non-paper with French experts, 
and would provide EST officer with a formal reply once this 
analysis was completed. 
 
4.  (C)  Sur then made general remarks on the non-paper 
calling for a revision to the AG control for pumps and 
components on the common control list for chemical 
manufacturing facilities and equipment.  Sur remarked that he 
would have to consult with French technical experts and once 
this review was completed would make formal comments to EST 
officer. 
Leach