COUNSELOR ZELIKOW'S CONSULTATIONS WITH PRIME

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004713 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER FR SUBJECT: COUNSELOR ZELIKOW'S CONSULTATIONS WITH PRIME MINISTER'S ACTING DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS ONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (C) Summary: Counselor Philip Zelikow met June 27 with Christophe Farnaud, PM de Villepin's acting diplomatic advisor, to discuss a range of issues, including ways to further US-French C/T cooperation and the importance of strengthening US-French strategic and political dialogue. Farnaud said the US would find France willing to engage in such discussions. He also stated that France attached great importance to two themes: multilateralism and the rule of law. Farnaud, a long-time advisor to Villepin, said the Prime Minister could be expected, given his background as a Foreign Minister, to engage in certain, as yet undefined, areas of foreign policy. End summary. ¶2. (U) Zelikow was accompanied by Polmincouns Josiah Rosenblatt, David Aidekman, C staff, and Poloff Peter Kujawinski (note taker). Farnaud was accompanied by Frederic Mondolini, Farnaud's technical advisor on strategic and nonproliferation issues. THE POTENTIAL OF US-FRENCH RELATIONS ¶3. (C) Farnaud, who had only recently assumed his role as acting diplomatic advisor to the Prime Minister, said portfolios were still in flux, but that the basic role of the Prime Minister in foreign affairs was the same: work towards consensus among the ministries, and even, where necessary, impose consensus. Although Villepin's priority focus would be on reducing the unemployment rate and strengthening the EU, Farnaud said the Prime Minister would probably maintain an engagement in international affairs. In comparison to ex-PM Raffarin, who never visited the United States, Villepin, said Farnaud, would probably be more interested in foreign travel. Farnaud noted that Villepin had attended school in the United States, and was "pro-American." The Prime Minister, said Farnaud, would be "ready to (visit the U.S.) when the time comes." ¶4. (C) Zelikow characterized US-French relations as excellent in certain areas; for example, Lebanon/Syria and counter-terrorism. Still, he said there was great potential for further improvement in the relationship. Cooperation over the past months demonstrated that when working together, the US and France were a very powerful team. He said the EU-3's approach on Iran had been handled with great skill because of the leadership of the UK and France. The US and France faced significant challenges over the next 2-3 years, said Zelikow, and both countries needed to address these problems together. Farnaud said that there was no will in France to show that "we are against the Americans," and that France was certainly open to opportunities for further cooperation. ¶5. (C) France focused on two themes in foreign affairs, said Farnaud: first, the importance of working multilaterally to solve problems and second, the importance of the rule of law to support and give legitimacy to international actions. Zelikow replied that, despite the U.S.'s reputation, we are committed to working with multilateral institutions. However, there are more demands on these institutions since the end of the Cold War, and they need reform to make them more effective. Regarding the rule of law, Zelikow said international law is fragmentary and evolving, and therefore, at times, insufficient to the demands of a post 9/11 world. Nevertheless, Zelikow said the U.S. would approach these issues with pragmatism. As an example, he pointed to the UN resolution on Sudan, which was very difficult because of different theologies, but ultimately, the resolution passed with consensus. COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY CONSULTATIONS ¶6. (C) Zelikow described his visit to Paris as an opportunity to start a different path in US-French relations, adding a strategic and political dimension to our already-excellent intelligence and tactical cooperation. The U.S. wanted to discuss key problem areas in the world and compare strategies. This was an important step for the U.S., said Zelikow, as we analyze how to respond to the threat of terrorism in the long-term. Zelikow said the U.S. was reconceptualizing its strategy regarding terrorism, and was beginning to move away from a focus on the term "war" to a focus on a long-term strategy against "violent extremism." Farnaud said this reconceptualization was very useful and that France was very open to this idea: "It puts you and us closer together." Everyone agreed, said Farnaud, that the 9/11 attacks were a watershed, and that terrorism was a long-term issue that would take many years to address. ¶7. (C) Zelikow said he wanted to refocus attention on US-French strategic talks because the quality of current strategic discussions was too thin and fragmentary. He said that too often US-French discussions were very issue-oriented and reactive, and never went further than the "daily inbox." Farnaud said that France was "very open" to a dialogue on strategy, and that France was ready to do more where necessary. As an example, he said France was very active in the Euro-Med process to support reform in the Middle East, especially because Mediterranean countries were "direct neighbors" to the European Union. He added that France considered it essential to support reform, but not to impose it. France was interested in discussing how best to push democratic reform from the inside. ¶8. (U) Counselor Zelikow's staff cleared this cable. STAPLETON