FRENCH ON MAY 23-24 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003491

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2015
TAGS: CH PREL SU MARR MOPS PARM KNNP MNUC FR EUN NATO
SUBJECT: FRENCH ON MAY 23-24 GAERC

REF: STATE 90085

Classified By: Acting DCM Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (C) SUMMARY: Poloff delivered reftel points on May 16
and spoke with MFA deputy chief for Common Foreign and
Security Policy Pascal LeDeunff on May 19. LeDeunff described
Sudan as "incontestably the most important" subject the GAERC
will tackle; said that the EU-3 will seek EU support for
their May 25 meeting in Geneva with Iran; told us that the
GAERC will adopt a strong conclusion on Uzbekistan; briefly
mentioned discussions to be held on Iraq; and responded to
the China points by repeating that France seeks a decision on
lifting the embargo by June in keeping with the December 2004
Council decision and noting that the PSC would take the
subject up at ambassadorial level rather than it being
discussed at the GAERC. END SUMMARY.

SUDAN


2. (C) Emphasizing the primacy of Sudan for the GAERC,
LeDeunff noted that the EU will present a "global and
coherent" support proposal on May 26 in Addis Ababa. He said
he hoped that Solana himself would present the proposal. He
divided the offers to be presented into four categories. 1)
Logistics: logistical aid for the deployment of supplementary
AU troops; 2) Strategic Assistance: The EU will aid in the
development of the AU mission, and propose officers to help
plan; 3) Training: The EU will propose to assist in training
those who want to join the AU mission from, for example,
Rwanda and Senegal, before they join the mission; 4) ESDP:
The French will propose contributing air observer capacity in
application of the UNSC resolution interdicting the
overflight of the area by the Sudanese Army -- but only with
the agreement of the government in Khartoum.

IRAN


3. (C) LeDeunff next turned to Iran, noting that Foreign
Ministers Barnier, Straw and Fischer, along with Solana, will
meet Iranian National Security Adviser Rohani in Geneva on
May 25. At the GAERC they will seek the support of the EU-25
for their mission. He said that the EU-3 will insist on four
essential elements in their talks with the Iranians: 1) Iran
must agree to the complete suspension of enrichment activity;
2) in the case of a violation, the EU-3 would have no other
option but to agree to refer the matter to the UNSC; 3) the
EU-3 must continue to show Iran that they are interested in
continuing negotiations if the Iranians are willing to
participate in good faith; 4) the EU-3 must preserve
international consensus (read U.S. support) behind their
efforts.

IRAQ


4. (C) On Iraq, LeDeunff said the foreign ministers will
discuss the June 22 Brussels conference, restate support for
the new Iraqi government, and confirm European interest in
participating in Iraqi reconstruction.

UZBEKISTAN


5. (C) LeDeunff advised that the GAERC will issue a "firm"
conclusion on Uzbekistan, condeming the brutal repression
there and asking for access for humanitarian organizations to
the region. In addition, he said, the EU will call for an
international investigation of recent events there, and call
on the regime to democratize.

CHINA


6. (C) In response to our restatement of the strong U.S.
position against lifting the China arms embargo, LeDeunff
repeated French calls for the EU to take a decision on
lifting the embargo by the end of June, as called for by the
December 2004 European Council. He noted the possibility of
"rebaptizing" the toolbox to better convince U.S. legislators
that it is "serious and legally constraining" and said France
would be favorable to authorizing the Code of Conduct and the
toolbox for a five-year period, after which the measures
could be renewed by a unanimous vote of the Council.

WOLFF