US embassy cable - 05PARIS7305

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007305 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, SY, LE, FR 
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON MEHLIS REPORT: FM 
ATTENDANCE LIKELY OCTOBER 31, BUT NOT CONFIRMED 
 
REF: STATE 196400 
 
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) We briefed senior MFA officials on the U.S. demarche 
to UNSC capitals on the Mehlis report (reftel) October 25, 
urging the participation of French FM Douste-Blazy at the 
October 31 UNSC ministerial.  French MFA IO A/S-equivalent 
Jean-Maurice Ripert suggested to visiting IO A/S Kristin 
Silverberg during an October 25 meeting (septel) that FM 
Douste-Blazy would likely attend the October 31 ministerial, 
as long as it was clear that the ministerial could adopt a 
resolution.  On the proposed French-U.S.-UK draft UNSCR, 
Ripert focused on the need for "justice," unanimity, and the 
importance of keeping UNSCR's 1559 and 1595 separate.  Ripert 
emphasized that FM Douste-Blazy would offer a more definitive 
GoF response during an expected telcon with Secretary Rice 
later that afternoon. 
 
2. (C) In a separate October 25 discussion with poloff, MFA 
DAS-equivalent for Egypt/Levant Herve Besancenot welcomed 
news of the U.S. demarche to UNSC capitals and expressed 
general agreement with reftel points.  He observed that the 
U.S. approaches to Russia and Algeria would be of particular 
importance.  Besancenot noted that FM Douste-Blazy had not 
yet announced his participation at the October 31 
ministerial, though the FM had already confirmed publicly his 
readiness to attend a ministerial in principle, "at the 
opportune moment." 
 
3. (C) While the GoF supported the idea of a ministerial 
vote, Besancenot said there was a potential U.S.-GoF 
disagreement over what happened immediately after the October 
31 ministerial; he asserted that the GoF did not favor having 
UNSC ministers attend a follow-on October 31 briefing on the 
Larsen report on 1559 implementation, as some U.S. officials 
had suggested to the French embassy in Washington. 
Besancenot reiterated the importance, in the GoF view, of 
keeping UNSCR's 1595 and 1559 separate and sequenced, while 
avoiding any impression that the response to the Mehlis 
report was politically motivated against Syria.  He also 
expressed hope that the U.S. and France could also avoid 
divergence on the issue of unanimity, with the GoF remaining 
insistent on the need for a firm UNSCR which would attract 
unanimous Council support.  Besancenot noted that the GoF did 
not want to repeat the example of UNSCR 1559, which was 
adopted by the minimum nine "yes" votes. 
 
4. (U) The MFA spokesman, when asked mid-day October 25 about 
Douste-Blazy's participation in the U.S.-proposed October 31 
UNSC ministerial, did not respond directly to the question. 
The spokesman noted that the FM was open in principle to the 
idea of a ministerial, but added that no date had been 
confirmed.  The spokesman added that we will see whether 
October 31 is the "opportune moment" for such a ministerial. 
 
5. (U) A/S Silverberg departed before clearing this cable. 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
STAPLETON