US embassy cable - 05PARIS4042

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004042 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 
TAGS: AORC, PHUM, PREF, PREL, IS, SZ, FR, ICRC 
SUBJECT: MDA: FRENCH RESPONSE TO SWISS CIRCULAR NOTE ON 
CONFERENCE FOR THIRD ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL 
 
REF: STATE 104272 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Poloff raised the issue of support for convening a 
diplomatic conference in October to adopt a Third Additional 
Protocol to the Geneva Conventions June 7 with Beatrice le 
Fraper du Hellen, MFA IO DAS-equivalent for human rights and 
humanitarian issues.  After consulting with MFA IO Director 
Ripert, Fraper replied that the GoF had no difficulty on the 
suggested approach on the new, additional emblem for the Red 
Cross/Red Crescent movement. 
 
2. (C) Pressed on France's response to the Swiss circular 
note, Fraper said that the GoF had responded orally to the 
Swiss, telling them that a formal response would follow as 
the GoF was still studying the rules of procedure.  She added 
that the GoF had a specific problem on the proposed protocol, 
not related to the issue of the emblem, on article 5.  She 
said that the proposed language on "operations under the 
auspices of the UN" should be more specific, suggesting 
"operations established by the UN."  She closed by indicating 
that was France's only difficulty with the proposed protocol. 
WOLFF