AUSTRALIA GROUP: FRENCH GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO USG

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002471

SIPDIS

FOR NP/CBM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10 YEARS
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC ETTC KSCA FR SY GR
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA GROUP: FRENCH GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO USG
PROPOSALS ON PUMPS AND REGIONAL NONPROLIFERATION

REF: A. PARIS 1708

B. STATE 41247

C. STATE 39371

Classified By: EST COUNSELOR ROBERT W. DRY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) (D) AND
(H)


1. (C) In response to 11 March 2005 Embassy EST officer
demarche regarding U.S. Government (USG) proposals in advance
of the April 2005 Australia Group (AG) Plenary, EST officer
received a 11 April call from French Ministry of Foreign
Affairs BWC desk officer, Gabriel Bernier. He informed EST
officer that France would fully support the USG proposals
regarding placing pumps and related components on the common
control list for chemical manufacturing facilities and
equipment, as well as the USG position on Regional
Nonproliferation as described reftel b.


2. (C) In regard to USG proposal to add twenty-five
biological agents to the AG core list, Bernier told EST
officer that French government experts were still reviewing
the list of proposed agents, and that the French would
provide a formal response no later than 15 April.
LEACH