US embassy cable - 05PARIS5864

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005864 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 
TAGS: KPAL, PREL, IR, CH, TU, IZ, VE, CY, FR, EUN 
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE ON SEPT 1-2 GYMNICH: CHIRAC AND FM 
TO MEET AUG 31 TO DETERMINE FRENCH LINE ON TURKEY 
 
REF: A. STATE 153187 
 
     B. PARIS 5818 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt for re 
asons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: According to Pascal LeDeunff, deputy of the 
MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy unit, the French 
have tabled a paper for discussion on Turkey at the September 
1-2 EU Gymnich meeting.  LeDeunff told us Aug. 30 that FM 
Douste-Blazy will meet with President Chirac Aug. 31 to 
define the position the French will take to Wales on 
Thursday.  LeDeunff confirmed that the French will want an EU 
counterstatement to the Turkish July 29 declaration of 
non-recognition of Cyprus.  He reiterated familiar French 
arguments that the declaration constitutes a 'new element' in 
the accession process for Turkey that poses questions of both 
a juridical and political nature, and that it is contrary to 
the spirit of membership not to recognize all EU member 
states. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points Aug. 22 to MFA CFSP 
deputy Pascal Le Deunff and DAS-equivalent for enlargement 
Caroline Ferrari.  We followed up in conversation on August 
30 with LeDeunff and Claire Raulin, desk officer for 
enlargement (Ferrari is out of the office until Monday). 
 
Turkey 
------ 
 
3. (C) Both LeDeunff and Raulin told us that the French have 
not yet finalized their approach for the Thursday-Friday 
Gymnich.  LeDeunff told us that FM Douste-Blazy will meet 
with President Chirac tomorrow to determine the line France 
will take.  He also noted that France has already presented 
to the British Presidency a paper for discussion at the 
Gymnich.  Raulin referred us to President Chirac's reported 
remarks on Friday to European Commission President Barroso 
and his Monday address to France's assembled Ambassadors 
(reftel B).  In both instances, Chirac noted that France will 
seek a 'clarification' from Turkey on its declaration of 
non-recognition.  His remarks, Raulin said, show the 
direction in which France will proceed.  According to Raulin, 
the GOF seeks a "profound and precise" debate to evaluate 
Turkey's intentions and the juridical and political effect of 
its declaration (she once again told us that the MFA's 
judicial section has not/not concluded its legal analysis of 
the text).  France would also carefully study Cyprus' 
assessment, she said. 
 
4. (C) LeDeunff, meanwhile, said France seeks a strong 
counter-statement from the EU that notes that the EU-25 do 
not/not agree with the Turkish declaration.  According to Le 
Monde, France will be asking for the adoption of a 
declaration that would permit the EU to verify, as of 2006, 
that Ankara is complying fully with the customs union and 
that it will begin negotiations with the 25 in the spirit of 
recognizing Cyprus over the longer term. 
 
Croatian EU Candidacy 
--------------------- 
 
5. (C) Raulin said that while 'certain countries' wanted to 
link the beginning of negotiations for Croatia with those for 
Turkey, France maintains the 'principled position' of 
considering each candidacy on its own merits and will not 
seek to link the two. 
 
 
Middle East/Gaza Disengagement 
------------------------------ 
 
6. (C) We raised the Gaza disengagement and Iraq points with 
LeDeunff, as well as his counterparts in the MFA Middle 
East/North Africa Directorate.  MFA DAS-equivalent for 
Egypt/Levant Christian Jouret reaffirmed the GOF's support 
for the efforts of Quartet Special Envoy James Wolfensohn, 
who will meet with President Chirac and and FM Douste-Blazy 
in Paris September 1 before departing to brief Gymnich 
ministers in Wales.  While confirming that the EU was looking 
for ways in which it could support Gaza disengagement, Jouret 
questioned whether EU technical assistance in assisting with 
removal of rubble from destroyed settler homes was the most 
pressing priority, particularly for the Palestinians. 
LeDeunff meanwhile stressed French support for greater EU 
involvement in the security sector, particularly 
reorganization of the Palestinian police forces. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
7. (U)  LeDeunff stressed French insistence on maintaining 
the electoral calendar for Iraq's political process without 
specifying any support that the EU or the French would 
provide to enable that to happen.  The MFA Iraq desk, 
meanwhile, stressed to us that the EU had already pledged 
support for the three-stage political process in Iraq, 
beginning with the January ballot, October referendum, and 
December permanent elections.  In this context, the GoF would 
continue to channel support for the Independent Electoral 
Commission via its EU contributions. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
8. (C) LeDeunff noted that the EU-3 POLDIRS will meet on 
August 31 and will of course discuss the likely conclusions 
of El-Baradei's report due out on Saturday, Sept. 3. 
LeDeunff said that there are clearly 'problems' with Iran's 
positions, but he underlined that France does not/not support 
an early special BOG meeting.  France believes Iran can be 
discussed at the already-scheduled Sept. 19 BOG meeting. 
 
China 
----- 
 
9. (C)  LeDeunff noted that China will not be discussed at 
the Gymnich; he said that the French continue to believe that 
the arms embargo on China is an anachronism that must be 
lifted.  Poloff emphasized that the USG continues to believe 
that lifting the arms embargo would send the wrong message to 
the PRC and could potentially endanger U.S. troops in the 
region. 
 
Venezuela 
--------- 
 
10. (U) LeDeunff said Venezuela would not be discussed at the 
Gymnich. 
 
Other 
 
11. (U) LeDeunff noted that the ministers will also discuss 
Avian flu at the Gymnich. 
STAPLETON