US embassy cable - 05PARIS1727

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2015 
TAGS: ETTC, PREL, PTER, HR, CH, LE, KPAL, RS, GG, FR, SY, EUN 
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE ON MARCH 16 GAERC DEMARCHE 
 
REF: A. STATE 39909 
     B. STATE 39018 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.(U)  Post delivered reftel points to Pascal LeDeunff, MFA 
deputy director for CFSP, and Caroline Ferrari, 
DAS-equivalent for European External Relations at the MFA on 
March 9 and followed up in conversation on March 14 and 15. 
 
CHINA ARMS EMBARGO 
------------------ 
 
2.  (C) LeDeunff said that discussion of the embargo is not 
on the GAERC agenda. He also underlined the importance of EU 
non-proliferation specialist Giannella's current visit to the 
US, noting that there is a French diplomat seconded to 
Solana's staff on the mission. 
 
Middle East/Lebanon-Syria/Iran 
------------------------------ 
 
3.  (C) According to LeDeunff, the Middle East will be the 
subject of the ministers' lunch, where three topics will be 
covered: Lebanon, Middle East peace process, and Iran.  On 
Lebanon, he said the ministers would issue a conclusion that 
would be firm, and will be the first time that the EU calls 
for an "immediate and complete" implementation of UNSCR 1559. 
 He said the EU will also announce that it is ready to send a 
mission to assist in election observing.  He noted that it is 
important that the EU remains mobilized, pressuring Damascus. 
 
 
4.  (C) On the Middle East peace process, LeDeunff said there 
are no conclusions planned, but that the EU will emphasize 
again that there exists a dynamic now which must be taken 
advantage of.  He said they would call for action on the 
Solana plan, and for more assistance to the Palestinian 
police.  He noted that the French would continue to support 
the organization of an international conference on the peace 
process as called for in phase II of the roadmap. 
 
5.  (C) On Iran, LeDeunff said that FMs Barnier, Straw and 
Fischer will provide a report on last week's working group 
meeting in Geneva (NOTE: The EU-3 delivered a copy of the 
report to the EU Presidency on March 3).  He said the 
Europeans hail the decision of the US to support their 
negotiations to halt Iran's attempted production of nuclear 
weapons. 
 
CROATIA 
------- 
 
6.  (C)  Ferrari noted that there was no agreement at the 
COREPER to open negotiations with Croatia given its failure 
to deliver Gotovina to the ICTY, and she said she believes 
the GAERC will not come to consensus to open negotiations 
either.  She said that the French position would be against 
setting a new target date since March 17 will (apparently) 
arrive without compliance.  She assessed that the FMs would 
leave the decision to the heads of state at the European 
Council on March 22-23.   FM Barnier has also underlined 
French opposition to opening negotiations now, noting on 
March 14 in a conference on the Balkans that the conditions 
established for Croatia's beginning negotiations had included 
"total cooperation" with the ICTY--a condition, he said, that 
no one would abandon.  "There will be no shortcuts or 
indulgences for any of these (former Yugoslav) countries," 
said Barnier. 
 
7.  (U)  In addition, President Chirac's spokesman, speaking 
after Chirac's Mar 14 meeting with Carla del Ponte, said, 
"for France, the Union can take the decision to open these 
negotiations when the Council certifies Croatia's full 
cooperation with the ICTY."  He also confirmed "France's 
support for the court's action and notably for its efforts to 
arrest fugitives." 
 
UNCHR 
----- 
 
8.  (C) LeDeunff said that the UNCHR will not be discussed at 
the ministers' level but said the EU will take several 
initiatives at the CHR: on the death penalty, religious 
intolerance, children, North Korea, Burma, Israeli 
settlements, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Colombia, and Afghanistan. 
 
MOLDOVA/GEORGIA 
--------------- 
 
9.  (C)  LeDeunff said these subjects would not be discussed 
at the GAERC at the ministerial level, but noted that the EU 
continues to consider a mission to replace the BMO in Georgia. 
 
SUDAN 
----- 
 
10.  (C) LeDeunff said he expects that the EU will continue 
to press for quick adoption of the UNSC draft resolution, 
including its accountability component.  He said that if FM 
Barnier speaks on the subject during the GAERC, he would 
press his European colleagues to convince the United States 
to close the dossier by acting quickly and supporting the 
comprehensive resolution. LeDeunff also noted that the French 
hope that the EU will increase its aid to the African Union, 
given that the pronounced lack of aid. 
Leach