Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS6335
2005-09-16 15:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

EUR/RPM DIRECTOR CONSULTATIONS -- FRENCH CONCERNS

Tags:  MARR PREL MOPS FR NATO OSCE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006335 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2015
TAGS: MARR PREL MOPS FR NATO OSCE
SUBJECT: EUR/RPM DIRECTOR CONSULTATIONS -- FRENCH CONCERNS
RE NATO RESPONSE FORCE AND NATO FUNDING; AGREEMENT ON OSCE

REF: PARIS 6125

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, Reason 1
.4 B/D

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006335

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2015
TAGS: MARR PREL MOPS FR NATO OSCE
SUBJECT: EUR/RPM DIRECTOR CONSULTATIONS -- FRENCH CONCERNS
RE NATO RESPONSE FORCE AND NATO FUNDING; AGREEMENT ON OSCE

REF: PARIS 6125

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, Reason 1
.4 B/D


1. (C) Summary: French MFA and MOD NATO experts told EUR/RPM
Director Jim Warlick that closer cooperation with the U.S.
was needed in order to resolve issues at NATO before they
were turned over to the Military Committee. The French
welcomed U.S. efforts to expand our transatlantic dialog, as
expanded on by the EUR/RPM Director. They expressed
understanding that NATO was the instrument of choice for the
U.S., but cautioned that the EU should be viewed as an
important partner in its own right by the U.S. and not just
another framework, among others, for discussion. For better
or worse, the EU was the framework for its members to reach
unified decisions. On NATO transformation goals, the French
emphasized their continued support for interoperability of
forces and NATO's crisis response capabilities. They stated
that the NATO Response Force (NRF) should handle "high-end"
operations rather than stabilization and reconstruction.
Additionally, NATO must not lose sight of the NRF's intended
purpose and not use it to cover force planning gaps. The
Alliance also needs to better integrate costs of operations
in NATO planning.


2. (C) On OSCE issues, the discussion centered on ways to
address Russia's role within the organization, with France in
favor of giving Russia appropriate political gestures in
recognition of its concerns as a means of increasing Russian
engagement. On the potential OSCE chairmanship of
Kazakhstan, the French shared USG concerns, but said no
unified position existed among EU members. End Summary.

The EU and Transatlantic Dialog
--------------


3. (C) On September 14, EUR/RPM Director Warlick called on
MFA DAS-equivalent director for NATO issues Francois
Carrel-Billiard and his MOD counterpart Colonel Antoine
Creux. At the beginning of the meeting, A/S-equivalent
Director for Strategic Affairs Philippe Carre dropped by

briefly to reiterate his request (made reftel to EUR A/S Dan
Fried) for closer consultations with the U.S., especially at
NATO. Carre noted both sides are not always in agreement,
but that he looked forward to discussion and resolution of
issues through early and informal consultations in order to
avoid difficult debates at the Military Committee. Carre
again expressed appreciation for A/S Fried's presentation on
U.S. efforts to promote a better transatlantic dialog
(reftel).


4. (C) Carrel-Billiard expressed support for closer
consultations with the U.S. and noted that all sides needed
to define issues and priorities before turning to discussions
on institutional roles. He cautioned, however, that the EU
should not be seen as just another optional framework for
dialog. France understood that NATO was the instrument of
choice for the U.S., given our common membership in the
organization, but we should not lose sight of the EU as a
major partner. The EU, he added, provides the single
framework for sovereign states to share competencies, take
decisions affecting the internal affairs of member states,
and reach decisions on Europe.

NATO Transformation and the NRF
--------------


5. (C) On specific issues, Creux turned to upcoming NATO
summit planning and transformation goals. He expressed
concern over the inadequate state of readiness of some NATO
members, adding that all members should be prepared to act
when necessary and ought to develop a full range of
capabilities. NATO members need to focus on preparing for
future crises and not to count on others to operate as ad hoc
coalitions. The question is how to help new members to do
more, he mused. Carrel-Billiard expanded on Creux's comments
by saying that, for France, one of NATO's major functions was
to deploy forces, hence, the importance of interoperability
efforts. The NATO Response Force (NRF),he recalled, allowed
NATO members to act together; it is a means for members to
cooperate on specific missions. Carrel-Billiard then
expressed a French concern that NATO is losing its ability to
take on "high-end jobs," and that it risks diluting its focus
through stabilization operations, such as the past proposal
to use the NRF for election monitoring in Afghanistan.
Additionally, NATO must not be misperceived as a tool for the
ready disposition of SACEUR, but rather the latter should be
prepared to request the NRF only when it is truly needed. To
further explain French sensitivities, Carrel-Billiard
recounted that initial French support for the NRF had been
achieved with difficulty, as the French feel strongly that
France must retain national control of its forces. The
French President, however, had made the political decision to
support the NRF. Any agreement to join a NATO decision to
use the NRF would require explicit GOF approval. NATO must
take care to avoid using the NRF inappropriately to meet
political agendas not collectively shared, Creux added.

Concerns re Rising Costs, Afghanistan and Iraq
-------------- -


6. (C) Carrel-Billiard said France is also worried about the
potential for growth in the number of NATO operations and the
adverse impact that their higher costs would have on funding
for transformation and modernization goals. Additionally, he
expressed concern that common funding could be viewed as a
technical fix in cases where there was insufficient force
generation. France accepts common funding for support
functions in Afghanistan, for instance, but cannot readily
accept major increases in common funds, as this would impose
an additional financial hardship on those members already
financing national deployments (France has a significant
number of such deployments overseas). NATO must take care to
better assess the financial implications of common decisions,
Creux noted. Carrel-Billiard stated that these French
comments were only intended to highlight the necessity of
formulating "realistic agendas." In a related vein, he said
NATO must be mindful of the potential costs of NATO
partnerships. Citing Afghanistan as an example, he said the
alliance must avoid turning NATO commitments into expensive
assistance/development programs beyond its scope. Warlick
took the opportunity to explain the importance of an expanded
NATO role in Iraq for our coalition members. A NATO umbrella
would prove useful to some as they seek to maintain a
contribution to coalition efforts in Iraq, he noted. Neither
Carrel-Billiard nor Creux voiced any specific reaction.

OSCE and Russia
--------------


7. (C) Warlick met separately with the MFA,s Deputy
Director for Strategic Affairs Paul Dahan to discuss OSCE
issues. The discussion centered on ways to address Russia's
involvement within the organization. Dahan said France was
in favor of giving Russia appropriate political "gestures" in
recognition of Russian concerns, for instance on election
monitoring and scales of assessment, but that anything else
was a nonstarter, given the GOF belief that the OSCE was
functioning well and that Russian proposals would serve only
to weaken the organization. Dahan added that France and
Russia met twice yearly in working groups to address the OSCE
under the auspices of the twice-yearly meetings of foreign
and defense ministers. On the potential chairmanship of
Kazakhstan, Dahan said the GOF shared USG concerns, but that
no unified position existed yet among EU members. President
Chirac's planned visit to Kazakhstan in the fall had been
cancelled as a result of his recent illness. Dahan expressed
a hope that the USG would not insist on a highly critical
reference to Russia's Istanbul commitments during the
December OSCE ministerial. The GOF believes it necessary to
moderate any reference to Istanbul commitments with an
acknowledgment of progress made.


8. (U) EUR/RPM Director James Warlick did not have the
opportunity to clear this message.


STAPLETON