US embassy cable - 05PARIS2444

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, AF, FR, NATO 
SUBJECT: NATO-AFGHANISTAN: FRANCE OPPOSED TO CAVEATS, BUT 
MAINTAINS KABUL RESTRICTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 60862 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Paul Mailhot, Reason 
 1.4 B and D 
 
1. (C) We conveyed on April 4 reftel points requesting that 
France lift its ISAF caveats to Camille Grand, Diplomatic 
Advisor in the MOD Cabinet, and to Xavier Chatel, NATO-ISAF 
desk officer at the MFA.  They both observed that France is 
in principle opposed to caveats and pointed to French NATO 
operations in Kosovo as an example.  Pressed further, they 
acknowledged that the French battalion in Kabul is not 
authorized to effect crowd control. Grand admitted that the 
French restriction is technically a caveat, but sought to 
explain that it is based on an operational rather than a 
political restriction.  The French have assessed the 
likelihood of street demonstrations in Kabul as low.  The 
French battalion has therefore not been equipped to take on 
crowd control duties.  Asked if French forces would control a 
crowd were a situation to deteriorate, Grand was less certain 
and promised to get back to us with a more definitive 
response. 
 
2. (U) Kabul minimized considered. 
LEACH