US embassy cable - 05PARIS7896

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2016 
TAGS: ETRD, IZ, KPAL, PREL, SR, SY, UP, YI, FR, EUN 
SUBJECT: FRENCH ON NOVEMBER 21 GAERC - ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN, 
SYRIA 
 
REF: STATE 208899 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 
1.  (U) Poloff delivered reftel points on November 16 to MFA 
CFSP deputy Pascal LeDeunff and European Affairs 
DAS-equivalent for EU External Relations Caroline Ferrari, 
and discussed them with LeDeunff November 18.   Embassy 
Middle East watcher discussed points on November 16 with MFA 
DAS-equivalent for Egypt/Levant Herv Besancenot and Middle 
East Presidential Advisor Dominique Boche. 
 
 
Middle East Peace Process 
------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Besancenot welcomed conclusion of the November 15 
"Agreement on Movement and Access" and commended the 
recognition of the key EU role, as conveyed in reftel talking 
points.   At the same time, Besancenot observed that our 
talking points had stressed the need for momentum on the 
economic and security tracks, without mentioning the 
political track.  He repeated familiar GoF arguments on the 
need to energize the political track, and not hold it hostage 
to the security track in particular.  In this vein, the GoF 
did not agree with the perceived Israeli insistence that 
Palestinians fulfill 100 percent of their demands on security 
before progress on the political track was possible. In the 
GoF view, progress on security would not be possible unless 
PA President Abbas could demonstrate a political opening and 
show his people tangible results from Gaza withdrawal. 
Poloff questioned Besancenot's interpretation of the Israeli 
position, noting PM Sharon's earlier remarks that he was 
looking for 100 percent effort, not necessarily 100 percent 
results, from the Palestinians. Besancenot agreed that 
progress on security and the economy was important but 
reiterated that the political track could not be put on hold 
indefinitely; for this reason, the GoF remained worried about 
the continued absence of contact between PM Sharon and Abbas. 
 In the GoF view, the roadmap should not simply be a distant 
"icon," to which we refer in abstraction, but it should be 
reactivated and become a living document. 
 
3.  (C) LeDeunff of CFSP, meanwhile, addedthat France would 
push for a GAERC conclusion on East Jerusalem.  Events there, 
he said, are very worrying.  "The Israelis are doing things 
they shouldn't be doing."  The French believe that these 
measures (he cited building of the security barrier and 
demolition of houses) threaten the peace process itself and 
are "contrary to the spirit" of the road map.  He stated that 
although the conclusion would be mostly optimistic, it would 
also note the EU's concern on this front. 
 
Syria 
----- 
 
4. (C) Besancenot generally agreed with our Syria points, but 
sought to emphasize a few nuances.  While the GoF agreed with 
us that Mehlis had the authority to determine the location of 
interviews of Syrian officials, the GoF would advise Mehlis 
to be more flexible on insisting that interviews take place 
in Beirut.   With the Arab League compromise proposals for 
interviews in Cairo, Cyprus or elsewhere, the GoF didn't see 
the location of the interviews as a critical matter; the most 
important objective was for Mehlis to be able to interview 
the SARG officials, show SARG non-cooperation, and report 
that to the Security Council before sanctions could be 
implemented.   Besancenot commented that Mehlis' insistence 
on Beirut interviews was causing concern among key Arab 
governments, especially Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as 
UNSC members like Russia and Algeria, making them more 
sympathetic to the Syrian arguments.   On Bashar's November 
10 speech, Besancenot agreed it was bad, but said we should 
not overestimate its importance, or respond to one 
provocation with another.  Besancenot dismissed the speech as 
aimed at shoring up Bashar's support within Syria, and said 
that Lebanese PM Siniora had counseled against overreacting 
as well.  In a separate conversation with poloff, 
Presidential Middle East Advisor Dominique Boche reiterated 
that the GoF's overriding objective was that UNIIIC Chief 
Mehlis be able to interview the Syrian suspects; therefore, 
Mehlis should accept a compromise on interviewing SARG 
officials in Cairo, Cyprus, Geneva or elsewhere and not 
insist that interviews take place in Beirut, which was 
counterproductive and would put the GOL in a difficult 
position.   At the same time, Boche conceded that Mehlis 
should not be drawn into negotiating an MOU with the SARG on 
the location/modalities of the interviews. 
5. (C) On Syrian FM Shara's presence at the Barcelona Summit, 
Besancenot said that the GoF would not show any warmth 
towards Shara, but it remained very annoyed with the UK 
initiative to invite Iraqi FM Zebari to attend the summit as 
an observer.   Besancenot concluded that the UK approach 
suggested an attempt to cut Syria out of the Euro-Med while 
bringing Iraq in, which would only feed Syrian arguments that 
it is being unfairly targeted. Poloff advised Besancenot to 
avoid linking an Iraqi observer presence at the Barcelona 
summit, which is an internal EU matter, and the need to keep 
Syria isolated at the gathering, which is consistent with 
achieving our shared objectives on UNSCR 1559, 1595 and 1636. 
 Presidential Advisor Boche confirmed separately that the GoF 
would not have any bilaterals with Shara at Barcelona. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
6.  (C)  On Iran, LeDeunff said the ministers would discuss 
the upcoming Nov. 24 BOG meeting.  LeDeunff said the EU would 
emphasize two elements:  it is worried about the Iranian 
authorization to recommence conversion at Esfahan, but it 
continues to believe that negotiations are the way to resolve 
the situation. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
7.  (C)  On Iraq, LeDeunff said there would be no conclusions 
issued, just a general discussion.  He mentioned France's 
support for the Arab League's efforts to organize a 
conference at the beginning of 2006. 
 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
 
Stapleton