NATO-AFGHANISTAN: FRANCE OPPOSED TO CAVEATS, BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002444

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2015
TAGS: PREL MARR AF FR NATO
SUBJECT: NATO-AFGHANISTAN: FRANCE OPPOSED TO CAVEATS, BUT
MAINTAINS KABUL RESTRICTIONS

REF: STATE 60862

Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Paul Mailhot, Reason
1.4 B and D


1. (C) We conveyed on April 4 reftel points requesting that
France lift its ISAF caveats to Camille Grand, Diplomatic
Advisor in the MOD Cabinet, and to Xavier Chatel, NATO-ISAF
desk officer at the MFA. They both observed that France is
in principle opposed to caveats and pointed to French NATO
operations in Kosovo as an example. Pressed further, they
acknowledged that the French battalion in Kabul is not
authorized to effect crowd control. Grand admitted that the
French restriction is technically a caveat, but sought to
explain that it is based on an operational rather than a
political restriction. The French have assessed the
likelihood of street demonstrations in Kabul as low. The
French battalion has therefore not been equipped to take on
crowd control duties. Asked if French forces would control a
crowd were a situation to deteriorate, Grand was less certain
and promised to get back to us with a more definitive
response.


2. (U) Kabul minimized considered.
LEACH