US embassy cable - 05PARIS3146

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR P, EUR/RPM, AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, SU, FR, NATO, EUN 
SUBJECT: DARFUR: FRENCH PREFER EU MISSION, BUT WOULD 
SUPPORT COMPLEMENTARY NATO AND EU ROLES 
 
REF: A) STATE 84333 B) PARTO 00009 C) PARIS 2863 
 
Classified By: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASON 
 1.4 B/D 
 
1. (C) Summary: A senior MFA official confirmed France's 
preference for an EU assistance mission to the African Union 
(AU) in Darfur.  While the French approach is still evolving, 
MFA officials believe the EU should continue to build on its 
existing assistance efforts to the AU (AMIS).  Towards that 
end, France and Germany have shared within the EU a non-paper 
with suggestions for beefing up the EU mission, to include 
French aerial surveillance over Chad.  The EU reportedly has 
not taken up the non-paper, but could do so for or at the May 
13 EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) meeting.  The 
overall French approach has not been settled given 
differences between the MFA and the MOD, with the latter 
reportedly more committed to an EU mission.  We can expect 
the Elysee to have the final say.  We understand that for 
domestic political reasons, the President's office is partial 
to an EU mission.  Meanwhile, the MFA stressed that France 
remains open to a NATO response to the AU's assistance 
request and cited FonMin Barnier's May 2 comments to the 
Secretary that France would take a "pragmatic approach."  Our 
 
SIPDIS 
MFA contact also stated that NATO and the EU should be aware 
of historical sensitivities in the region against foreign or 
a Western presence.  France therefore reiterates the 
importance of the AU retaining ownership of assistance 
efforts in Darfur.  The French also believe that NATO and EU 
efforts should be complementary, i.e., France would support 
NATO efforts as long as they bring "value added."  End 
Summary. 
 
France keen on EU assistance 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (C) In a May 9 meeting with Francois Carrel-Billiard, MFA 
DAS-equivalent director for NATO/ESDP issues, he confirmed to 
poloff France's preference for EU versus NATO assistance for 
the African Union mission in Darfur.  By way of background, 
he noted that working in the region has not been easy, 
especially given historical sensitivities opposed to the 
presence of non-Africans, i.e. Westerners.  Those 
reservations have been mostly overcome.  Nonetheless, for 
this and other reasons, it is important that the AU continue 
to lead relief efforts.  He cited key French bilateral 
assistance to date: deliverance of some 700 tons of 
humanitarian assistance via French forces in neighboring 
Chad, patrols on the border with Chad and Darfur, and 
assurance of security for some refugee camps in Chad.  France 
also has contributed to the EU's assistance to the AU's Peace 
Facility, which includes a total EU commitment of some 92 
million euros. 
 
3. (C) Carrel-Billiard confirmed that France and Germany have 
produced a non-paper with specific proposals for further EU 
assistance reinforcing the AU's efforts.  By way of examples, 
he noted that France could assist with the training and 
rotation of a Senegalese battalion to Darfur, help provide 
planning assistance to the AU, and reinforce the EU team 
already in Addis.  France could also help EU efforts by 
providing observation flights over Darfur.  The flights would 
help the AU to get a lay of the land in order to better 
target its assistance.  Carrel-Billiard emphasized that 
French observation flights would not seek to create a "no-fly 
zone," but rather to provide visibility for the AU's 
stabilization efforts.  He said that currently France is 
flying planes along the Chad side of the border (Operation 
DORCA) and is prepared to extend the flights over Darfur with 
AU and regional concurrence.  Carrel-Billiard volunteered 
that Sudan may oppose the operation, but such a refusal would 
raise questions about Sudan's ultimate aims for Darfur. 
 
4. (C) In response to our queries, Carrel-Billiard stated 
that EU member states had not yet commented on the 
Franco-German proposal, but some could do so for or by the 
May 13 PSC.  He could not share details on planning for the 
PSC, noting that the French mission at NATO had the lead.  In 
terms of a NATO or EU response to the recent assistance 
request from AU Chairman Konare, he speculated that many EU 
and NATO members likely would come to a decision on their 
responses based on what the United States decides "to bring 
to the table."  He ventured that this would be especially 
true of the British. 
 
Pragmatic on a NATO role 
------------------------ 
 
5. (C) We stressed the USG position that NATO and the EU 
should have roles to play in assisting the AU and that 
assistance should be complementary -- no need for NATO-EU 
conflict.  Carrel-Billiard in turn reiterated FonMin 
Barnier's May 2 comment to the Secretary that France would 
take a "pragmatic approach" towards a NATO role (refs A and 
B).  He observed how France and the U.S. have worked well in 
the region (transport of Rwandan troops) and was optimistic 
that agreement could be reached between NATO and the EU. 
France was not opposed to a NATO mission, but it is 
predisposed towards building on the existing EU mission, he 
added.  Separately, MFA PDAS-equivalent for Africa Elisabeth 
Barbier told Embassy Africa watcher that an EU mission did 
not preclude a NATO role, if that is what the AU wanted.  MFA 
IO DAS-equivalent Jean-Pierre Lacroix similarly emphasized 
that there was enough work in Darfur for NATO and the EU. 
Carrel-Billiard cautioned that for NATO-EU cooperation to 
work, NATO would need to bring "value added" to relief 
efforts, but provided no details.  In response to our query 
on French resistance to a NATO meeting with Konare at the 
NAC, Carrel-Billiard would only comment that it would be more 
useful to hear out Konare at the secretariat level before 
moving on the larger NAC forum.  Obviously, his consultations 
with the NATO SecGen would also provide insights into AU 
thinking, he noted.  Despite Carrel-Billiard's generally 
positive comments, he cautioned that France was uncertain 
whether Chad, Sudan, and other countries in the region would 
be open to a NATO presence in Darfur. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
6. (C) Making clear France's preference for an EU mission, 
Carrel-Billiard nonetheless presented us with a cautiously 
positive view of a NATO role in Darfur.  We note that the 
French position on support for NATO and EU missions is still 
evolving, which likely explains Carrel-Billiard's avoidance 
of any comment on the MFA strategy for the May 13 PSC.  We 
also expect the MOD and the President's office to shape 
France's final approach to a NATO mission and will provide 
further information as received.  Separately, as is the case 
with many issues in France these days, the upcoming May 29 
referendum on the European Constitution may color the debate, 
as well.  We understand from the MFA that while FonMin 
Barnier is open to a NATO role, Defense Minister Alliot-Marie 
and others at MOD feel more strongly about the primacy of an 
EU mission.  This preference is linked to accusations by some 
French opponents of the Constitution that the EU is 
subordinating EU security and defense issues to NATO.  We are 
pursuing this discussion with our MOD interlocutors, given 
that it has generally been the MOD that has been more 
supportive than the MFA of U.S. views.  We add that the local 
German Political Counselor (protect) conveyed the same 
message to us that President Chirac favors an EU mission in 
Darfur in order to provide French voters with a visible sign 
of the EU's security and defense policy (ref C).  End comment. 
 
7. (U) Khartoum minimize considered. 
 
WOLFF