US embassy cable - 05PARIS3013

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/PRA, NP/ECNP, AND PM/WRA. 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2015 
TAGS: RS, KHDP, MARR, PARM, PREL, PTER, FR 
SUBJECT: FRANCE RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S.-RUSSIA MANPADS 
ARRANGEMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 66823 
     B. STATE 80382 
 
Classified By: Acting Charge d'Affairs, Josiah Rosenblatt, for Reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Poloff delivered points on U.S.-Russia MANPADS 
arrangement (reftel A) to French MFA Office for Disarmament's 
Small Arms/Light Weapons (SA/LW) action officer, 
Jean-Francois Guillaume on April 15 and again on April 22. 
Guillaume told poloff the MFA appreciated being informed on 
the matter adding that the French are eager to know if there 
is an official U.S. reaction to recent calls by British 
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw for a legally binding 
international treaty controlling the sale of small arms. 
EconOff also delivered reftel points to Bruno Bisson of the 
MFA office for export controls.  Bisson said that he knew of 
the U.S.-Russia discussions concerning Manpads from press 
reports, but nonetheless appreciated receiving this 
information directly from us. 
 
2.  (C) For the Department:  Post noted with interest 
Secstate's letter to Straw (reftel B) and requests guidance 
on whether we could reiterate the substance of the points 
made therein to the GOF. 
ROSENBLATT