UNCLAS PARIS 001232

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY FR IAEA
SUBJECT: FRANCE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH REVISED TERMS OF
REFERENCE FOR THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE, NOTES CONSENSUS MUST

BE MADE

REF: STATE 030313

We delivered reftel points to French MFA Office for
Disarmament and Nuclear Nonproliferation on February 22. On
February 25 poloff spoke with Hugues de Longevialle from that
office. De Longevialle said that the new terms of reference
look to be an improvement over the ones he had seen
previously. He said that while he and his colleagues have
not had adequate time to go through the points in detail, the
new terms of reference appear to be constructive and noted
with gratitude that Washington seemed tuned to their original
concerns. He added that the terms will need to be discussed
in detail in Vienna where the BOG must come to a consensus
noting that the original French concerns will remain -- they
do not want to see the Special Committee become a substitute
for effective mechanisms that are already in place. He
noted, however, that the Special Committee, as portrayed in
the new terms of reference, appear to provide a means to
improve and augment the existing system rather than displace
it.
Wolff