FRANCE SUPPORTS EFFORT TO ENSURE PEACEFUL GAZA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005489 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2015 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV IS GZ FR SUBJECT: FRANCE SUPPORTS EFFORT TO ENSURE PEACEFUL GAZA DISENGAGEMENT REF: A. STATE 147192 ¶B. STATE 121751 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We discussed ref (a) points on the need to ensure a peaceful Gaza disengagement with MFA DAS-equivalent for Levant/Israeli-Palestinian affairs Christian Jouret August ¶10. Jouret fully concurred with U.S. views on the critical importance of Gaza disengagement and the urgent need to ensure that terrorist organizations do not undermine the process. He said he would immediately convey to the FM's cabinet our request that France approach the Iranian government on the issue, but observed that GoF relations with Tehran were complicated by the "cat and mouse" game Tehran was playing on the nuclear file. ¶2. (C) We also took the opportunity to ask Jouret for an update on French assistance to the Palestinian security sector, recalling the urgent needs assessment provided to the GoF by General Ward and demarche on the issue which we delivered in June (ref b). Jouret said the GoF had made no decisions on bilateral funding but was continuing to channel its support for the Palestinian security services via the EU. At the moment, the GoF was focused on naming a French deputy to the EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EU COPPS),headed by UK Chief Superintendent Jonathan McIvor. (Comment: We heard separately from UK embassy contacts that the French have put forth three unsuccessful candidates for McIvor's deputy slot, with the first candidate rejected for lack of English, the second withdrawing his name for consideration, and the third French candidate having shown up for his interview in Brussels drunk, after "getting lost" en route from Paris. End comment.) Hofmann