PREVENTING TRAVEL TO POSSIBLE KONGRA-GEL

S E C R E T PARIS 003123 E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2014 TAGS: PTER PINS IZ TU EU SY JO FR SUBJECT: PREVENTING TRAVEL TO POSSIBLE KONGRA-GEL CONFERENCE: FRENCH RESPONSE REF: STATE 89155 CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR PAUL MAILHOT, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D (S) ON APRIL 22, WE DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE ON PREVENTING A PARTY CONGRESS IN IRAQ BY KONGRA-GEL TO JULIEN DERUFFE, THE MFA SENIOR DESK OFFICER ON TERRORISM. WE NOTED THAT TIMELY FRENCH ACTION WOULD BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, GIVEN THAT KONGRA-GEL LEADERS HAVE PUBLICLY TRANSITED FRANCE IN THE PAST, AND KONGRA-GEL-RELATED MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE DELIVERED SATELLITE BROADCASTS FROM THE PARIS AREA. DERUFFE THANKED US FOR THE INFORMATION AND SAID HE WOULD DISSEMINATE IT QUICKLY TO THE APPROPRIATE FRENCH AUTHORITIES. HE FURTHER ACKOWLEDGED THAT KONGRA-GEL HAD BEEN PRESENT ON FRENCH TERRITORY IN THE PAST, AND THAT FOLLOWING THE EU'S APRIL 3 DECISION, FRANCE WAS EXAMINING WHAT FURTHER OPTIONS EXISTED TO ACT ON A NATIONAL BASIS AGAINST KONGRA-GEL. AT FIRST GLANCE, THOUGH, IT APPEARED UNCERTAIN THAT FRANCE COULD LEGALLY INTERDICT KONGRA-GEL MEMBERS FROM LEAVING FRENCH TERRITORY, BASED SOLELY ON THE EU'S CLEARINGHOUSE DECISION. LEACH