FRENCH SUPPORT BRINGING BURMA BEFORE THE UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007953

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM BN BM FR UNSC
SUBJECT: FRENCH SUPPORT BRINGING BURMA BEFORE THE UNSC

REF: A. STATE 211115 B. PARIS 7506

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d

Poloff informed French MFA on November 21 about USG
assessment that the necessary nine votes were in hand to move
for a UNSC briefing on the situation in Burma (Ref A). IO
desk officer Benoit Guidee reiterated French support for the
initiative. Guidee repeated the French lacked certainty
about how Benin would vote, given previously reported
pressure from Algeria and Tanzania to adopt a common African
position in opposition (Ref B). However, if Tanzania was now
on board, as the USG calculated, then Benin could join,
without reservation, in calling for the briefing.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton