US embassy cable - 05PARIS6530

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006530 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MNUC, KNNP, FR, EUN 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO FRENCH GOVERNMENT ON NORTH 
KOREAN ARMS TRADE 
 
REF: STATE 173768 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel nonpaper to MFA desk officer 
for North Korea, Clea LeCardeur, on September 21 and to MFA 
action officer for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) 
David Bertolotti and MFA Conventional Weapons action officer 
Jean-Francois Guillaume on September 22.  Bertolotti said 
that France has for years been active in preventing North 
Korean transfer of weapons and weapons technology to third 
countries.  In 2004, he recalled, the French participated in 
a multilateral push to prevent Nigeria from acquiring North 
Korean weapons technology.  Bilaterally, he emphasized, 
France has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, adding 
that North Korea's only commercial airline was no longer 
allowed to fly in French airspace as it was recently 
'blacklisted' in France.  Furthermore, he said, the North 
Koreans -- notorious for striking weapons deals through 
diplomatic assets in country -- have only a small delegation 
at UNESCO and would "find it extremely difficult" to 
undertake such dealings in France.  The French commitment to 
limiting North Korea's ability to engage in arms sales, he 
assured, would remain strong. 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
STAPLETON