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