US embassy cable - 05PARIS3401

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003401 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, IZ, FR, EUN, NATO 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: POTENTIAL PROGRESS ON FRANCE'S GENDARME 
TRAINING OFFER 
 
Classified By: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASON 
 1.4 B AND D 
 
1. C) During the course of a meeting with MOD contacts on May 
13, we learned that Iraq has responded to France's bilateral 
offer to train Iraqi security forces, which President Chirac 
had conveyed to then IIG President Yawer last January. 
According to Captain Devaux, a MOD desk officer for NATO 
issues, including the Iraq training mission, the Iraqis 
responded late April/early May with an extensive and detailed 
wishlist for training.  Iraq is seeking help in all areas, 
with criminal investigation and border controls cited as two 
examples.  While the French think the list is too long, the 
MOD said it is looking at it "favorably."  According to 
Devaux, an Iraqi delegation of technical experts is expected 
in France in June to discuss the request with the French. 
 
2. (C) MFA DAS-equivalent director for the Middle East 
Antoine Sivan confirmed to us the Iraqi response, but was 
more cautious over the next steps.  He noted that while the 
initial Iraqi response was positive, there was still a long 
way to go.  He said it was important that the Iraqi team be 
autonomous and authorized to make decisions; the GoF also 
hoped the Iraqis could narrow down their list of 20 or so 
demands to three to four priority areas.  Sivan was unaware 
of the planned travel in June of Iraqi experts.  He did note, 
however, that the GoF was still waiting for the Iraqis to 
confirm when their team would come. 
 
3. (C) France is looking to move forward on its original 
training offer at various sites in France.  This initial GoF 
proposal reportedly called for training in France of about 30 
senior Iraqi gendarmes, who would then train up to 1,800 
Iraqi police at a future training center in Qatar.  In 
discussing the Qatar training center, Devaux explained that 
it would have a regional focus.  In line with existing 
bilateral agreements with Qatar, the French and Qataris 
envision training security personnel from throughout the Gulf 
region at the future Qatari center.  The MOD does not expect 
it to be up and running until 2006, however. 
 
4. (C) The bilateral French training offer is separate from 
France's plan to train some 175 police and 30 judges in 
France in summer and fall 2005 as part of the EU's "JUSTLEX" 
program.  (Note: The French pledge to train some 200 Iraqis 
would place France near the top of the EU contributor list to 
the JUSTLEX program.) 
 
5. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
WOLFF