US embassy cable - 05PARIS5489

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005489 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, IS, GZ, FR 
SUBJECT: FRANCE SUPPORTS EFFORT TO ENSURE PEACEFUL GAZA 
DISENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 147192 
     B. STATE 121751 
 
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) We discussed ref (a) points on the need to ensure a 
peaceful Gaza disengagement with MFA DAS-equivalent for 
Levant/Israeli-Palestinian affairs Christian Jouret August 
10.  Jouret fully concurred with U.S. views on the critical 
importance of Gaza disengagement and the urgent need to 
ensure that terrorist organizations do not undermine the 
process.  He said he would immediately convey to the FM's 
cabinet our request that France approach the Iranian 
government on the issue, but observed that GoF relations with 
Tehran were complicated by the "cat and mouse" game Tehran 
was playing on the nuclear file. 
 
2. (C) We also took the opportunity to ask Jouret for an 
update on French assistance to the Palestinian security 
sector, recalling the urgent needs assessment provided to the 
GoF by General Ward and demarche on the issue which we 
delivered in June (ref b).  Jouret said the GoF had made no 
decisions on bilateral funding but was continuing to channel 
its support for the Palestinian security services via the EU. 
 At the moment, the GoF was focused on naming a French deputy 
to the EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support 
(EU COPPS), headed by UK Chief Superintendent Jonathan 
McIvor.  (Comment: We heard separately from UK embassy 
contacts that the French have put forth three unsuccessful 
candidates for McIvor's deputy slot, with the first candidate 
rejected for lack of English, the second withdrawing his name 
for consideration, and the third French candidate having 
shown up for his interview in Brussels drunk, after "getting 
lost" en route from Paris.  End comment.) 
Hofmann