US embassy cable - 05PARIS5942

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 005942 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TU, FR, EUN, UNSC 
SUBJECT: FM DOUSTE-BLAZY'S SPEECH TO FRENCH AMBASSADORS 
 
REF: PARIS 5818 
 
Classified By: Acting POL Bruce Turner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  FM Douste-Blazy kicked off the August 30 
second session of the annual Ambassadors' Conference with a 
more detailed elaboration or "road map" for President 
Chirac's foreign policy "grand orientation" of the previous 
day (reftel).  On relations with the U.S., Douste-Blazy said 
that the U.S. had discovered the limits of unilateralism and 
was prepared to work together with Europe, and that Europe 
for its part needed to seize the opportunity to establish a 
"true partnership" with the U.S.  Along with European Affairs 
Minister-Delegate Catherine Colonna in separate remarks, he 
outlined next steps for French EU policy following the failed 
referendum for an EU constitutional treaty.  On Turkey, he 
underscored Chirac's statement that Ankara would need to 
'clarify' its declaration on non-recognition of Cyprus.  In 
contrast to Chirac, Douste-Blazy acknowledged NATO as a major 
global actor, expressing confidence that this would not limit 
the development of a European defense identity as NATO 
evolved to adapt to the post Cold-War security environment. 
He cited the emergence of new regional actors to defend the 
'fact' of multipolarity and the need for enlargement of the 
UN Security Council.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Europe as U.S. Partner 
---------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy described the United States as having 
acted to use its immense political, economic, technological 
and cultural power "to take things in hand" in the vacuum 
left by the end of the Cold War.  Although not mentioning 
Iraq by name, he asserted that the U.S. had now realized "the 
limits of its action and the limits of unilateralism."  The 
U.S. had learned that no country alone could act and decide 
for others when it came to international peace and stability. 
 As a result, Douste-Blazy contended, the U.S. had 
rediscovered the value of a transatlantic partnership based 
on confidence and mutual respect.  He called on Europe to 
seize the occasion thus presented to play its rightful role 
in global affairs, saying, "It would be paradoxical if, at 
the moment when the U.S. appears ready to accept a real 
partnership with the EU, the EU retreats to deal with our 
internal difficulties." 
 
3.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy stressed the value of the French-U.S. 
relationship: "We work and exchange a lot with the U.S.  On 
the ground as with ideas ... the dialogue produces good 
results.  I believe this trend will continue: in any case, I 
will work with our American partners in a spirit of 
friendship."  At the same time, he saw a need for French 
firmness, given France's need to defend "its vision of the 
world and its conception of a balanced partnership." 
 
4.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy described a changing global 
environment for organizations such as NATO, the United 
Nations and the European Union in the post-Cold-War period. 
Saying that NATO was in the process of redefining its role, 
he asserted that this would not impair the necessary 
development of a European defense identity.  He said it was 
also time to take into account the appearance of new actors 
such as China, Japan, India, Brazil, South Africa and 
Nigeria.  In this context, he said, multipolarity should be 
viewed as 'a fact' rather than as a reflection of a French 
aim to counterbalance the world's only superpower. 
 
5.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy asserted that regional groupings would 
better assure world harmony over the longer term, whence the 
logic of enlarging the UN Security Council.  He outlined 
France's "delicate task" as one of moving "from the status of 
subordinate to that of partner, subject by subject, crisis by 
crisis, on a case-by-case basis" with respect to which 
institution was most appropriate to take a specific action. 
This was a question for all powers, rising or established, in 
their relations with the United States.  This dynamic would 
be present in the transatlantic relationship for some time to 
come. 
 
Next Steps on Europe 
-------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy acknowledged the existence of a crisis 
in Europe that had been "opened, in fact revealed" by the 
French and Dutch rejections of the European Constitution. 
This situation was aggravated, he said, by the EU's 
subsequent failure to come to agreement on the budget for 
2007-2013, which had plunged Europeans into a period of 
uncertainty and trepidation.  He attributed the failure of 
the referendum primarily to the French public's perception 
that the most recent enlargement had been decided over their 
heads.  "We've been put on notice," he said, and French 
leaders would have to take the referendum into account. 
Echoing Chirac's speech of the previous day, he called for 
action on economic governance (including tougher talk with 
the European Central Bank); more funds for European-wide 
research and development; more attention to security -- in 
regards to terrorism, aviation security, and health scares; 
and external action on issues such as WMD, poverty and 
natural catastrophes. 
 
Turkey and Enlargement 
---------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) Regarding Turkey,s declaration of non-recognition 
of Cyprus in connection with its signature of the protocol 
extending the EU-Turkey customs union to new EU member 
states, Douste-Blazy amplified on Chirac's more general 
statement of the previous day by noting that, "It's hardly 
conceivable that a country would ask to enter into a 
community without recognizing one of its members.... We're 
therefore within our rights to ask Turkey to clarify its 
position and to undertake to implement all its obligations, 
including those related to the access of member states to 
Turkish ports and airports."  Douste-Blazy said that France 
intended to respect its commitments vis-a-vis Turkey but 
expected Turkey -- like other candidate countries -- to do 
the same with respect to the European Union. 
 
8.  (SBU) In separate, following remarks, European Affairs 
Minister-Delegate Catherine Colonna said Bulgaria and 
Romania, whose accession treaty was signed in April, would 
join the EU soon, "inasmuch as they conform to the 
obligations they have assumed."  The requirements for 
Croatia, she said, were also known: Zagreb must cooperate 
with the ICTY.  As for Turkey, "whether it's membership or 
another solution," its future with the EU would only be 
written at the end of a long process and would still be 
subject to French veto.  "If the conditions are fulfilled, 
the negotiations can open.  At their end, if the path of 
membership still holds, the French people will have the last 
word in a referendum."  Colonna also reminded the gathered 
ambassadors that Chirac and PM de Villepin had expressed 
several times this summer France's desire for a dialogue with 
its European partners on the dynamic of future enlargements. 
 
Middle East/Iraq 
---------------- 
 
9.  (C) On the Middle East, Douste-Blazy said, "We will do 
everything in order that, after the years of drama and 
setbacks, the virtuous circle leading to peace will be 
relaunched."  He saluted Israel's withdrawal of its colonies 
from Gaza, calling it an "exemplary operation" and 
"remarkably executed."  On Iraq, he reiterated the GOF's 
absolute support for the Iraqi people in determining their 
own future, while reiterating the red-line against any French 
military presence in Iraq.  Douste-Blazy also floated the 
idea of a possible conference on Iraq, suggesting that, 
"perhaps we should reflect" on reuniting the Sharm al Sheikh 
conference participants "to reaffirm the perspective of a 
withdrawal of foreign troops" and to accompany the coming 
stages of the political process.  (Comment: MFA contacts 
tried to downplay Douste-Blazy's proposal, claiming it did 
not yet constitute a new initiative, but conceded they would 
need to seek clarification from his office, as the Foreign 
Minister reportedly inserted this language into the speech 
himself.)  Douste-Blazy briefly mentioned Lebanon, noting 
that the renascence of Lebanese democracy and sovereignty 
gave new hope to the region; he made no mention of Syria in 
his remarks. 
 
Africa 
------ 
 
10.  (SBU) Noting that Africa occupied a 'particular place' 
in the heart and conscience of France, Douste-Blazy asserted 
that there would be neither security nor economic growth in 
the Western world without stabilization and development in 
Africa, especially given Africa's geographic proximity to 
Europe -- 14 kilometers at its closest.  Security and 
development, he continued, were inseparably intertwined.  He 
emphasized that France's aim of ensuring that economic growth 
in Africa no longer would depend exclusively on development 
aid.  "We're working to defeat this unacceptable paradox," he 
said.  As for conflict regions in Africa, France would 
continue to press for the growing political engagement of 
regional mediators, especially the African Union (AU). 
 
Other 
----- 
 
11.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy only briefly addressed Asia, and 
mentioned Iran and North Korea only in passing while in 
connection with nonproliferation. 
 
12.  (SBU) Douste-Blazy also briefly addressed internal 
ministry concerns, and the tight budget the Quai faces in 
2006.  He stressed the growing importance of public diplomacy 
in foreign relations. 
STAPLETON