US embassy cable - 05PARIS4916

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004916 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, UZ, KG, FR, UNSC 
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: FRANCE WORKING THROUGH EU, OSCE 
 
REF: A. STATE 124041 
     B. PARIS 4801 
     C. STATE 131485 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) MFA IO action officer Nicolas Kassianides called 
poloff July 15 to provide further details on the GoF response 
to our demarche (Refs A and B) regarding action by the UNSC 
and the UNSYG on the situation in Uzbekistan and of Uzbek 
refugees in Kyrgyzstan.  Kassianides said that while the GoF 
was concerned about the plight of the refugees, they had 
reservations about raising the matter in the UNSC.  He 
quickly added that the GoF would have no difficulty with the 
USG doing so.  France, he said, was currently working the 
issue in the EU and the OSCE with a view to initiating the 
Moscow mechanism, depending on the results of OSCE SG 
Brichambaut's upcoming visit to the region.  However, there 
would be no initiative before the GAERC meeting on July 18. 
 
2. (C) Asked about our most recent demarche (Ref C), 
Kassianides repeated French concern over the refugees and 
said that France was ready to assist the UNHCR.  Asked 
whether France was considering accepting any Uzbek refugees 
to facilitate the resettlement processing, Kassianides said 
he had no specifics beyond that France would do what it could 
to assist the refugees.  In a separate conversation July 15, 
MFA Central Asia desk officer Bertrand Buchwalter said the 
GoF had been in contact with UNHCR and that elements of the 
GoF would be meeting to discuss how to respond to the refugee 
issue. 
STAPLETON