US embassy cable - 05PARIS6447

UNCLAS PARIS 006447 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA; 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY, NOVELLI; 
USDA/OS/JOHANNS AND PENN; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/TERPSTRA/ROBERTS; 
ITP/SHEIKH/HENKE/MACKE/TOM POMEROY/MIKE WOOLSEY; 
FAA/SEBRANEK/BLEGGI; 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, PGOV, FR, WTRO, EUN, SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SUBJECT: FRENCH GOVERNMENT WARY OF POSSIBLE WTO PRE- 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EU AND THE U.S., READY TO OPPOSE IT. 
 
1.  (SBU) AGRICULTURAL MINISTER COUNSELOR MET WITH HERVE 
LEJEUNE, ADVISER FOR AGRICULTURE TO FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES 
CHIRAC ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20.  DURING THAT MEETING, 
LEJEUNE EXPRESSED FRENCH CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE PRE- 
AGREEMENT ON WTO PARAMETERS FOR AGRICULTURE BETWEEN THE U.S. 
AND THE EU.  LEJEUNE SAID THAT FRANCE WAS AWARE OF 
DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN EU COMMISSIONERS MANDELSON AND FISCHER- 
BOEL, USTR PORTMAN AND USDA SECRETARY JOHANNS. 
 
2. (SBU) LEJEUNE SAID THAT FRANCE WOULD REMIND COMMISSIONER 
MANDELSON THAT HE MUST REMAIN WITHIN HIS NEGOTIATING 
MANDATE.  AGREEING TO A TEXT THAT GOES BEYOND THAT MANDATE, 
WOULD MEAN CROSSING THE "RED LINE" FOR FRANCE.  HE 
EXPLICITLY STATED THAT TO BE APPROVED BY FRANCE, ANY PRE- 
AGREEMENT SHOULD INCLUDE ACCEPTABLE TERMS REGARDING EXPORT 
SUBSIDIES, EXPORT CREDITS, FOOD AID, AND STATE TRADING 
ENTERPRISES.  HE SAID THAT FRANCE FEARS THAT THE UNITED 
STATES WILL RENEGE ON ITS PROMISES OF THE SUMMER 2004, AND 
THAT THE EU WILL BE ALONE IN BEARING THE MAJOR CUTS IN 
AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT. 
 
3. (SBU) LEJEUNE SAID THAT FRANCE STILL WANTS TO LINK THE 
AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS TO THE OTHER NEGOTIATIONS 
INCLUDING SERVICES AND THAT FRANCE WILL NEVER ACCEPT AN 
AGREEMENT THAT ONLY ADDRESSES AGRICULTURAL ISSUES WITHOUT 
ADDRESSING OTHER MATTERS.  AS AN EXAMPLE, LEJEUNE SAID THAT 
FRANCE WOULD NOT ACCEPT AN AGREEMENT WHICH LOWERED TRADE 
BARRIERS TO BRAZILIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IF BRAZIL DOES 
NOT OPEN ITS MARKET TO FRENCH SERVICE AND FINANCE COMPANIES. 
 
4. (SBU) SHOULD THE EU COMMISSIONERS COME TO A PRE-AGREEMENT 
WITH THE U.S. THAT DISPLEASES FRANCE, FRANCE IS READY TO 
REFUSE TO SIGN IT.  THIS WOULD INVALIDATE IT SINCE SUCH 
AGREEMENT MUST BE APPROVED BY ALL 25 MEMBER STATES.  LEJEUNE 
STATED THAT FRANCE IS NOT AFRAID OF A CRISIS WITH ITS EU 
COUNTERPARTS IN ORDER TO DEFEND EU AGRICULTURE. 
 
5. (SBU) LEJEUNE'S HARDLINE STANCE IS CONSISTENT WITH 
PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S AND PRIME MINISTER DE VILLEPIN'S 
POSITIONS.  BOTH DE VILLEPIN AND AG MINISTER BUSSEREAU HAVE 
RECENTLY SAID THAT THE EU HAS DONE MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF 
LOWERING ITS AGRICULTURAL SUPPORTS, AND OTHER COUNTRIES, 
PARTICULARLY THE UNITED STATES, SHOULD COME FORWARD WITH ITS 
OWN REFORM PROPOSALS. 
 
STAPLETON