FRANCE "CAUTIOUS" ON EU-LED BMO MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001733 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 TAGS: PREL ZJ RS GG PBTS FR EUN OSCE SUBJECT: FRANCE "CAUTIOUS" ON EU-LED BMO MISSION REF: A. STATE 43096 ¶B. PARIS 1611 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS ONS 1.4 B/D (C) On March 11, we delivered reftel demarche on approaching EU member states on Georgia's Border Monitoring Organization (BMO) to Pierre Cochard, the MFA's DAS-equivalent for Russia and the former Soviet states. Cochard referred to ref B conversation, in which he said that France was not firmly opposed to a EU-led BMO in Georgia, but that it was being "cautious" based on the swirl of other options available and ESDP funding constraints. Cochard bemoaned the lack of a unified front with the Russians regarding the BMO; he thought it still possible that Russia could be convinced to acquiesce to an OSCE monitoring and training mission along the Georgian border with Russia. He said the EU was discussing three options: 1) a modest reinforcement of the EU Mission in Georgia; 2) a full-fledged EU monitoring mission; and 3) a combined EU monitoring and training mission. The EU, said Cochard, would probably decide on the first option as an interim measure, and later, if necessary, it would consider the second and third options. He reiterated that France, despite reports to the contrary, was not categorically opposed to the second option if circumstances warranted such a decision. Leach