US embassy cable - 05PARIS4152

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 PARIS 004152 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, AORC, PHUM, FR, UNSC 
SUBJECT: FRENCH DISCUSS UN REFORM ISSUES WITH NEWT GINGRICH 
 
REF: STATE 85180 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alex Wolff for reason 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  Former House Speaker Gingrich's May 
31-June 1 visit to France, in his capacity as Co-Chair of the 
U.S. Institute for Peace's Task Force on the UN, offered an 
opportunity for GOF officials to provide views on UN reform 
issues.  On the issue of Security Council enlargement, the 
French indicated clear support for the G4 countries along 
with additional increases in both the Council's permanent 
(including a seat for Africa) and non-permanent membership. 
The French expressed general support for other necessary UN 
reforms and emphasized the importance of development 
assistance as a UN activity.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U)  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited Paris May 
31-June 1 as Co-Chair of the United States Institute for 
Peace's (USIP) Task Force on the United Nations (reftel), 
meeting with Foreign Minister Barnier, MFA A/S-equivalent for 
IO Affairs Jean-Maurice Ripert, and members of the National 
Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee (chaired by former PM 
Edouard Balladur).  USIP Staff Member Heather Sensibaugh and 
Embassy notetakers attended the three meetings, with Callista 
Gingrich attending the Ripert and National Assembly sessions 
and Charge Wolff participating in the Barnier meeting. 
 
Meeting with FM Barnier (June 1) 
-------------------------------- 
3.  (C)  FM Barnier opened the meeting by noting that the 
government was in a state of suspension while awaiting news 
of the cabinet reshuffle.  (NOTE:  Barnier himself was 
subsequently replaced soon after the meeting with Gingrich by 
new FM Douste-Blazy.  END NOTE.)  The May 29 French rejection 
of the EU Constitution was detrimental to both the capacity 
of the EU and the credibility of France, he said.  Barnier 
predicted that the satisfaction of the "no" camp would be 
short-lived.  Gingrich noted that the Bush administration's 
reaction to the "no" vote had been subdued.  He predicted 
that it would be more difficult and time-consuming to work 
with a divided EU. 
 
4.  (C)  Addressing the Secretary-General's report on UN 
reform, Barnier praised the effort.  He expressed his belief 
that the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was useful but not 
strong enough, and suggested strengthening UNEP along the 
lines of the WHO. 
 
5.  (C)  On enlarging the Security Council, Gingrich remarked 
that the U.S. was passionate about Japan's receiving a seat, 
noting that the USG would likely oppose any enlargement plan 
that did not include Japan.  He expressed his personal view 
that including India in an enlarged Security Council would 
also be necessary.  Gingrich explained that the USG would be 
comfortable with a larger Council able to exert greater 
influence when it was able to reach a decision, but was 
concerned that decision-making would be more difficult. 
Gingrich said that, although the administration might not say 
so, the USG was not excited about Germany's candidacy and 
could not see the EU, especially after the rejection of the 
Constitution in France and perhaps elsewhere in the future, 
with its own seat and veto power. 
 
6.  (C)  Barnier responded that the EU needed a to develop a 
common policy first.  He used Yugoslavia as an example from 
the recent past of Europe's inability to agree on common 
action and the consequent need for U.S. engagement.  Barnier 
acknowledged that Japan and India likely merited permanent 
seats, and suggested that an African country and Brazil were 
worthy additions as well.  (NOTE:  Barnier did not/not 
mention Germany when listing countries worthy of 
consideration.  END NOTE.)  Gingrich expressed concern that 
the Spanish-speaking majority of Latin America might resent a 
seat accorded to a Portuguese-speaking country (Brazil). 
 
7.  (C)  On the European Union, Gingrich stated that the USG 
should pay more attention to Brussels.  He had advised 
Secretary Rice that high-level U.S. officials should visit 
 
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Europe more frequently to meet with EU counterparts.  Barnier 
agreed, and said that EU Commissioners should likewise travel 
to the U.S.  Brussels was vital as a place to pool European 
resources, Barnier noted, and the USG should better 
understand it. 
 
8.  (C)  Barnier stated the need to increase support to 
developing nations, noting that poverty produced frustration, 
that in turn fueled terrorism.  Gingrich responded that 
terrorists were often well-educated and that the problem did 
not seem directly linked to development.  He further 
commented that in many areas, establishing stability and 
security was necessary before development could take place, 
citing Haiti as an example.  A government's behavior should 
also be taken into account in deciding on development 
assistance.  Gingrich stated that the USG had increased its 
development assistance but had received little recognition 
for doing so.  He said that the USG would accept the 0.7 
percent target figure if both private and government funds 
were considered as a whole, but would not be favorable to a 
formula that included only government contributions. 
Gingrich emphasized that the notion of an "international 
development tax" would likewise meet with little favor in the 
U.S. 
 
Meeting with MFA IO Bureau (May 31) 
----------------------------------- 
9.  (C)  Gingrich told A/S-equivalent Ripert that USIP had 
been tasked by Congress to create a Task Force, which he 
co-chaired, on UN reform.  He regretted that former Senator 
and Task Force Co-Chair George Mitchell had been unable to 
travel after sustaining an injury to his arm.  Gingrich said 
that he had come to listen and asked how France saw the issue 
of UN reform. 
 
10.  (C)  Ripert replied that there had been several recent 
reports on UN reform, including by a number of experts, by 
Jeffrey Sachs, and by UNSYG Annan himself in preparation for 
the High Level Event in September which, he hoped, would lead 
to a declaration adopted by consensus.  Ripert described the 
process as complicated, with drafting being done on the basis 
of work by current UNGA President Jean Ping and 
representatives of the SYG touring the world to solicit 
views.  "We are in the middle of the process," Ripert said, 
adding that the final outcome was unknown. 
 
11.  (C)  For France, Ripert continued, UN reform was very 
important.  France believed in the need for a strong UN, 
especially to address peace and security issues.  Ripert 
noted that despite problems, the UNSC had not failed. 
However, there was a need for reform in order to transform UN 
institutions.  Some work had begun on reform of DPKO, the UN 
Secretariat, and revitalization of UNGA.  There was agreement 
 
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among the Geneva group to streamline UN bodies to create 
efficiency and savings and to better implement their mandates. 
 
12.  (C)  On Security Council reform, Ripert said that the 
Council should be enlarged with respect to both permanent and 
non-permanent members.  The Council had to be efficient and 
able to respond to international crises, but also needed more 
legitimacy by adding countries representing other regions and 
emerging powers.  France was committed to supporting the G4 
(Japan, Germany, India and Brazil) as well as one or two 
African countries, probably including South Africa, for 
permanent membership.  France also supported adding 
additional non-permanent members.  Ripert said that France 
wanted the enlargement to respect the existing P5 
prerogatives, adding that P5 veto rights would not be 
questioned. 
 
13.  (C)  Ripert acknowledged that an increase from 15 to 25 
UNSC members was "too much" for the USG, but stressed that a 
group of 25, with 11 permanent members, would have a 
legitimacy that could not be questioned.  Ripert continued 
that enlargement was not enough; the Council would also have 
to change its practices and reach out to non-members.  The 
difference between permanent and non-permanent members was 
too great, he said. 
 
14.  (C)  Ripert said that France favored the establishment 
of a peacebuilding commission to enable the UN to deal with 
crises as they arose and to avoid having to return to 
countries, as had been done in Liberia and Haiti.  Ripert 
addressed the emerging importance of human rights and 
humanitarian issues.  Citing the example of Darfur, Ripert 
stated that the crisis there was humanitarian rather than a 
peace and security issue.  These types of crises, he said, 
were very difficult.  Clearly the UN could not intervene 
"every five minutes."  Action against states committing human 
rights or humanitarian abuses might also be vetoed by some 
UNSC members.  Ripert said that on a voluntary basis, France 
was prepared not to veto resolutions on genocide and war 
crimes, something which would be difficult for some (e.g., 
Russia with respect to Kosovo). 
 
15.  (C)  Ripert said that the September High Level Event 
should focus on the Millennium Development Goals and not be 
overshadowed by reform issues.  He acknowledged the 
difference with the USG over the 0.7 per cent of GDP target 
for development assistance and the proposal for a small tax 
on air tickets.  Gingrich interjected that the proposed air 
ticket levy would provoke an extremely negative reaction in 
the U.S. 
 
16.  (C)  Ripert concluded that the basis of UN reform should 
be to create order and common rules.  ECOSOC, he said was not 
functioning well, describing it as a "joke." Ripert 
envisioned a grouping, including the G8, WTO, UN, IFIs, OECD, 
and about 20 emerging and less developed nations, meeting in 
a group of about 35 at the political director level. 
Gingrich replied that there were three parts of the world 
which were not developing:  the Middle East, sub-Saharan 
Africa, and Latin America (which had spells of growth, 
followed by decline).  He said that Ripert's vision was fine, 
but that the group would have to be tough minded in 
addressing why these regions were failing.  Otherwise, it 
would become a talking shop demanding the transfer of wealth. 
 
17.  (C)  Ripert said that France also favored a universal UN 
environmental organization to address issues currently dealt 
with by 500 conventions and autonomous secretariats all over 
the world.  He envisioned an environmental body similar to 
WIPO, having a small secretariat.  Gingrich said that this 
was a good idea and that he would be interested in hearing 
more on France's thoughts in this regard. 
 
18.  (C)  On the CHR, Ripert said that human rights was the 
core business of the UN.  Human rights violations had an 
effect on peace and security.  While France agreed with the 
U.S. that the CHR was not working, France did not share our 
view on the solution.  Ripert said that there were no 
universally shared values, and thus there should be an 
inclusive approach which did not exclude those who did not 
completely share western values.  Ripert said that a UN human 
rights body should be linked to the UNGA. 
 
19.  (C)  MFA Strategic Affairs Director Carre stated that 
the UN remained relevant, and that he was encouraged that the 
UN was addressing the challenges of proliferation and 
terrorism.  He noted that on proliferation issues, the debate 
had taken on a North/South flavor with some viewing the arms 
control conventions as being imposed by the North on the 
South.  While there was a growing awareness that WMD were not 
legitimate for defensive purposes, he anticipated a long 
fight on this issue.  On terrorism, he was encouraged by a 
recent UN panel report.  Noting the desire by some, 
specifically the Palestinians, to exclude "freedom fighters," 
Carre said that he hoped that the principle that violence was 
not legitimate in any circumstances would be extended beyond 
states to non-state actors.  It would be very important, he 
said, if the High Level Event could agree that the use of 
force against civilians was not condoned. 
 
20.  (C)  On UNSC reform, Gingrich said that his personal 
view was that, in addition to Japan, India should become a 
permanent member.  He was dubious about Germany and Brazil. 
Gingrich said that the Oil-For-Food program, sexual 
misconduct by peacekeepers, and the failure to protect 
civilians in Srebrenica had contributed to the climate of 
outrage regarding the UN in some quarters in the U.S., 
including among those who were not habitually anti-UN, but 
who were outraged at the UN's poor performance.  On OFF, 
Ripert noted that France had opened its files to the Volcker 
commission, which had extended its stay in Paris from two 
days to a week.  No other P5 country had done so, he 
commented. 
 
Meeting at National Assembly (June 1) 
------------------------------------- 
21.  (C)  Former PM Balladur, chairman of the National 
Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, led a group of 
Committee members in the discussion with Gingrich.  After 
explaining the composition and mandate of the USIP Task 
Force, Gingrich noted that the UN played an important global 
role, but required important and major reforms.  He 
acknowledged that some changes in the Security Council were 
probably necessary, but that it was essential that the 
Council become more effective and avoid the kinds of problems 
plaguing the General Assembly.  Gingrich emphasized that it 
was essential that the UN be able to respond quickly when 
criminal regimes violated rights and killed people.  When 
possible, the Security Council should act against these 
regimes, but when not possible, regional or ad hoc coalitions 
should be formed and allowed to operate so as to avoid 
situations where "innocents die as the Council talks." 
Balladur stressed that the main question was the UN,s role 
in peacekeeping.  If this role were acknowledged, he 
continued, then it was clear that this was an issue for the 
Security Council, not the General Assembly.  Balladur 
believed that problems arose when the UNSC could not or would 
not get involved in a crisis.  He questioned the 
circumstances in which states or regional coalitions could 
intervene independently, citing the 2003 invasion of Iraq. 
 
22.  (C)  Gingrich indicated that the Monterrey agreement on 
development issues had moved towards recognizing that poor 
countries must meet certain conditions before receiving 
assistance.  He also stressed that the 0.7 per cent target 
figure for development assistance should include 
non-government contributions, as voluntary resources in 
addition to those given by a government were a better measure 
of a country's actual contribution. 
 
23.  (C)  Further explaining the Task Force,s position on 
Security Council enlargement, Gingrich noted that France's 
rejection of the EU Constitution rendered moot any talk of an 
EU seat in the near term and might also weaken Germany's case 
for a seat.  As the UN's second largest contributor and the 
world's second largest economy, Japan must have 
representation in some form, Gingrich noted, stressing that 
the USG would likely not accept enlargement that excluded 
Japan.  Gingrich questioned whether a third European country 
merited a permanent seat, and whether it was appropriate for 
Brazil, as a Portuguese-speaking country, to represent 
largely Spanish-speaking Latin America.  He commented that 
countries possessing vetoes were hesitant to share this 
power, and asked if the French supported veto power for new 
permanent members.  Balladur emphasized that France supported 
enlarging the Security Council to reflect the realities of 
the modern world, and stated that the issue was whether new 
permanent members could be viewed as true permanent members 
if they did not have veto power.  Expressing his personal, 
Balladur believed that new members should have the veto, 
which would validate their status as real "permanent members." 
 
24.  (U)  The USIP delegation has not had an opportunity to 
clear this message. 
WOLFF