FRANCE RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S.-RUSSIA MANPADS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003013 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/PRA, NP/ECNP, AND PM/WRA. E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2015 TAGS: RS KHDP MARR PARM PREL PTER FR SUBJECT: FRANCE RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S.-RUSSIA MANPADS ARRANGEMENT REF: A. STATE 66823 ¶B. STATE 80382 Classified By: Acting Charge d'Affairs, Josiah Rosenblatt, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered points on U.S.-Russia MANPADS arrangement (reftel A) to French MFA Office for Disarmament's Small Arms/Light Weapons (SA/LW) action officer, Jean-Francois Guillaume on April 15 and again on April 22. Guillaume told poloff the MFA appreciated being informed on the matter adding that the French are eager to know if there is an official U.S. reaction to recent calls by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw for a legally binding international treaty controlling the sale of small arms. EconOff also delivered reftel points to Bruno Bisson of the MFA office for export controls. Bisson said that he knew of the U.S.-Russia discussions concerning Manpads from press reports, but nonetheless appreciated receiving this information directly from us. ¶2. (C) For the Department: Post noted with interest Secstate's letter to Straw (reftel B) and requests guidance on whether we could reiterate the substance of the points made therein to the GOF. ROSENBLATT