US embassy cable - 05PARIS1733

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001733 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ZJ, RS, GG, PBTS, FR, EUN, OSCE 
SUBJECT: FRANCE "CAUTIOUS" ON EU-LED BMO MISSION 
 
REF: A. STATE 43096 
 
     B. PARIS 1611 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS 
ONS 1.4 B/D 
 
(C) On March 11, we delivered reftel demarche on approaching 
EU member states on Georgia's Border Monitoring Organization 
(BMO) to Pierre Cochard, the MFA's DAS-equivalent for Russia 
and the former Soviet states.  Cochard referred to ref B 
conversation, in which he said that France was not firmly 
opposed to a EU-led BMO in Georgia, but that it was being 
"cautious" based on the swirl of other options available and 
ESDP funding constraints.  Cochard bemoaned the lack of a 
unified front with the Russians regarding the BMO; he thought 
it still possible that Russia could be convinced to acquiesce 
to an OSCE monitoring and training mission along the Georgian 
border with Russia.  He said the EU was discussing three 
options: 1) a modest reinforcement of the EU Mission in 
Georgia; 2) a full-fledged EU monitoring mission; and 3) a 
combined EU monitoring and training mission.  The EU, said 
Cochard, would probably decide on the first option as an 
interim measure, and later, if necessary, it would consider 
the second and third options.  He reiterated that France, 
despite reports to the contrary, was not categorically 
opposed to the second option if circumstances warranted such 
a decision. 
Leach