DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO FRENCH GOVERNMENT ON NORTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006530

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2015
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KNNP FR EUN
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO FRENCH GOVERNMENT ON NORTH
KOREAN ARMS TRADE

REF: STATE 173768

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel nonpaper to MFA desk officer
for North Korea, Clea LeCardeur, on September 21 and to MFA
action officer for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
David Bertolotti and MFA Conventional Weapons action officer
Jean-Francois Guillaume on September 22. Bertolotti said
that France has for years been active in preventing North
Korean transfer of weapons and weapons technology to third
countries. In 2004, he recalled, the French participated in
a multilateral push to prevent Nigeria from acquiring North
Korean weapons technology. Bilaterally, he emphasized,
France has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, adding
that North Korea's only commercial airline was no longer
allowed to fly in French airspace as it was recently
'blacklisted' in France. Furthermore, he said, the North
Koreans -- notorious for striking weapons deals through
diplomatic assets in country -- have only a small delegation
at UNESCO and would "find it extremely difficult" to
undertake such dealings in France. The French commitment to
limiting North Korea's ability to engage in arms sales, he
assured, would remain strong.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
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