US embassy cable - 05PARIS7225

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007225 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KDEM, EAID, PGOV, BO, FR, EUN 
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPOND TO U.S. BELARUS POLICY DEMARCHE, 
COMMENT ON BILATERAL SECURITY TALKS WITH RUSSIA 
 
REF: STATE 188900 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS 
ONS 1.4 B/D 
 
1. (C) On October 20, Poloff spoke with Aurelia Bouchez, 
DAS-equivalent for Russia and the former Soviet space, to 
discuss reftel demarche on U.S. policy toward Belarus. 
Bouchez said France was pleased with U.S./EU cooperation 
regarding Belarus, and called for further in-depth 
consultations during the pre-election period.  Although it 
had some bilateral programs, France addressed Belarus issues 
largely within the EU, said Bouchez.  France is pushing for 
an EU focus on Belarus civil society, believing this is the 
best long-term solution to encourage the growth of democracy. 
 In this, said Bouchez, the EU and the U.S. have 
complementary approaches.  Bouchez added that the EU needed 
to engage Belarus civil society and push for democratization 
in a spirit of complete openness, so that neither Belarus nor 
Russia could accuse Western countries of encouraging 
insurrection.  As an aside, Bouchez intimated that France was 
worried certain EU countries "in the region" were covertly 
supporting opposition parties.  This, she said, was "very 
dangerous."  (Note: From the context and examples Bouchez 
gave, it appeared she was referring to Poland.  End note) 
 
2. (C) Turning to recent bilateral talks between France and 
Russia on security issues, Bouchez said FM Douste-Blazy had 
raised French concerns regarding Belarus, to which Russian FM 
Lavrov replied that Polish minorities in Belarus were better 
treated than Russian minorities in the EU Baltic states. 
Despite this and several other "heavy" exchanges, Bouchez 
said the talks went well and covered the full range of 
current international issues, including Iran, Iraq, North 
Korea and Russian cooperation with the EU.  Russia complained 
again, said Bouchez, that the EU-Russia relationship was not 
as strong as the NATO-Russia relationship.  Both countries 
agreed on the need to conduct negotiations that would focus 
on improving EU-Russian cooperation by 2007, although no 
format was agreed upon. 
3. (C) Regarding the "frozen conflicts," Lavrov again clearly 
warned that Kosovo independence could lead to similar results 
in the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and 
Abhkazia.  According to Bouchez, FM Lavrov also commented on 
Uzbekistan, saying that Russia didn't approve of Karimov's 
regime but expected that Uzbekistan's increased involvement 
in the CIS would give Russia greater influence to help 
further democracy in Uzbekistan.  Greater Uzbek ties to the 
CIS and Russia are exactly what France fears, said Bouchez. 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
STAPLETON