IRAQ: GOF REACTION TO CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007397 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2015 TAGS: KDEM KPAO PREL PGOV IZ FR SUBJECT: IRAQ: GOF REACTION TO CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM REF: A. STATE 199224 ¶B. CAIRO 8244 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS ONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (C) We delivered ref A statement October 28 to Bernard Chappedelaine, the MFA's Iraq desk officer, and also asked him if France would not consider any additional bilateral programs for Iraq, given the approval of the referendum on the constitution. Chappedelaine raised the long-standing French gendarme offer, but did not offer any additional suggestions. He said France was interested in the new Arab League initiative (ref B) and had heard that Secretary General Amr Moussa's recent trip to Iraq was positive. An informal translation of the MFA's press statement is at para ¶2. ¶2. (U) Informal translation of MFA Press Statement (October 26, 2005): "Following the publication of the October 15 referendum results by the Iraqi independent electoral commission, we applaud the active participation of Iraqis in this vote, which led to the approval of the constitution. The Iraqi political process should continue, in accordance with resolution 1546, with the holding of legislative elections on December 15. It is essential that the mobilization of the electorate, which occurred for the referendum, lead to a true national dialogue that includes all members of Iraqi society. The next steps will necessitate more than ever the gathering together of all efforts, inside and outside Iraq, in order to bring peace and stability to this country and to guarantee its sovereignty and unity." Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Hofmann