Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS3591
2005-05-24 16:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

UNSC: ISSUES FOR FRENCH PRESIDENCY IN JUNE

Tags:  PREL KPKO FR UNSC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003591 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2015
TAGS: PREL KPKO FR UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSC: ISSUES FOR FRENCH PRESIDENCY IN JUNE


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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003591

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2015
TAGS: PREL KPKO FR UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSC: ISSUES FOR FRENCH PRESIDENCY IN JUNE


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA IO DAS-equivalent for political affairs
Jean-Pierre Lacroix reviewed with poloff May 23 issues likely
to be raised during France's June presidency of the U.N.
Security Council.

IRAN


2. (C) Lacroix said that the big question for the UNSC in
June would be the terms of debate should Iran proceed with
its stated intention to resume nuclear activity (conversion).
If they did so, Lacroix stated, the matter would be referred
to the UNSC, which would have to decide how to proceed on
Iran's violations, especially what the first step would be.

IRAQ


3. (C) When Lacroix noted that the MNF mandate was due for
renewal by June 8, poloff responded that Iraqi FM Zebari
would be in New York on May 31 or May 27 and that the USG
preferred to take advantage of his visit to the UNSC to
address all issues related to UNSCR 1546 together in one day
in a low-key manner. Lacroix offered that at some point,
there would be a need to address the "extraordinary" status
of UNMOVIC so that Iraq's status could be normalized, but
said there would be no initiatives on UNMOVIC in June.

LEBANON


4. (C) Lacroix commented that the UN mission to Lebanon had
returned to New York and would shortly report on the issue of
Syrian withdrawal. He said that the GoF planned to deal with
the report with maximum discretion, as it was likely to
contain elements which were positive for Damascus. Some in
the UNSC, he said, would seize on these elements in the
report to portray the Syrians as being in full compliance
with UNSCR 1559. Accordingly he said, an open debate on the
report should be avoided, limiting discussions to informal
consultations to avoid sending any false signals to Damascus.
Lacroix said that the UNSC should also address the
post-election scenario in Lebanon in a prudent manner to
avoid giving the impression that the situation was resolved
when there was still a great deal of work to do. Lacroix
added that the commission of inquiry into the assassination
of former PM Hariri was still conducting its work and was
unlikely to report any time soon.


ISRAEL/PALESTINE


5. (C) Lacroix said that while Israel/Palestine issues arose
in the Council "every month," there were no major issues to
be addressed in June.

WESTERN SAHARA


6. (C) According to Lacroix, the GoF was seeking to promote
discussion between Algeria and Morocco on Western Sahara.
With Algeria apparently inflexible at present, he said, it
made no sense for the SYG or the Council to raise the profile
of Western Sahara by, for example, seeking to appoint a
successor to James Baker as personal envoy.

COTE D'IVOIRE


7. (C) Lacroix said that the French text of the draft
resolution on Cote d'Ivoire was largely completed. The
remaining issue was that of the extent of the reinforcement
of UNOCI.

DRC


8. (C) Lacroix noted the positive developments in DRC,
including the adoption of the constitution, saying that the
worst was over. In response to poloff's question, Lacroix
said that France had never lost confidence in SRSG Swing who,
he said, had been made a scapegoat for MONUC's problems,
notably sexual abuse by some MONUC forces. Swing he said,
had taken steps to address the abuse problem and the
questions over his tenure were now in the past.

BURUNDI


9. (C) Lacroix said that ONUB was due for renewal before the
French presidency of the Council, but gave no indication that
there was any difficulty on this issue


SUDAN


10. (C) Lacroix said that discussion on Sudan had been moved
elsewhere (read: to Brussels) regarding how the AU should be
supported, and by whom (read: by NATO and/or the EU).
HAITI


11. (C) Lacroix noted that there was a debate under way in
New York following the UNSYG's request for civilian police to
reinforce MINUSTAH in order to address the difficult security
situation in Haiti. He offered no indication of the French
position on the SYG's request.

KOSOVO


12. (C) Lacroix said that the Council would receive the
report on UN-endorsed standards for Kosovo and have to
address the sequence of events concerning the nomination of
the SYG's envoy and the degree of application of the
standards. Lacroix expected that the SYG's representative
would be Norway's NATO Permrep Kai Eide, who would conduct
the final status discussions. Noting Russian reservations on
Kosovo, Lacroix said that the UNSC was not bound to pronounce
itself on the nomination of the envoy or the evaluation of
standards, and could bypass formal discussions on these
issues.
WOLFF