FRANCE SUPPORTIVE ON ADDITIONAL GENEVA PROTOCOL,

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007954

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM AORC PREF IS SZ FR ICRC
SUBJECT: FRANCE SUPPORTIVE ON ADDITIONAL GENEVA PROTOCOL,
DESPITE FLAWS

REF: STATE 206948

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


1. (C) Poloff met November 21 with MFA DAS-Equivalent
Beatrice Le Fraper du Hellen to encourage more vocal French
engagement on behalf of the draft Third Additional Protocol,
particularly with Francophone African states. Le Fraper
responded that France had been working closely with the Swiss
in support of the 5-6 December 2005 conference. Moreover, to
facilitate swift adoption of the protocol, France had stifled
its own legal objections to Article 5 of the draft, which
authorizes persons participating "in operations under the
auspices of the UN" to wear "distinctive symbols."


2. (C) Sonia Dona Perez, IO Desk Officer for Social and
Labor Issues, explained that Quai d'Orsay lawyers objected to
the imprecision of Article 5 as now drafted. The language on
participating in "operations under the auspices of the UN"
was vague and open to interpretation. Additionally, the
authorization of "distinctive symbols" opened the door for
states to adopt a wide range of religious paraphernalia
within these operations. France instead preferred a direct
reference to use of a neutral red diamond emblem, an option
discounted during the 2000 negotiations. Should the draft be
reopened, Le Fraper alerted poloff that MFA lawyers would
again advance these objections.


3. (C) Etienne Chapon, "Israel/Peace Process" MFA Desk
Officer, asked, with regard to Magen David Adom (MDA)
activities, whether the Government of Israel and the
Palestinian Authority had reached an accord on services for
East Jerusalem. Le Fraper chimed in to ask USG views about
reported disagreements between MDA and the Government of
Israel. Le Fraper declined to predict passage of the draft
Third Additional Protocol, stating developments on the ground
could yet have a decisive impact.

Guantanamo
--------------


4. (C) Turning to Guantanamo, Le Fraper asked, "as a good
European," whether the USG would try to resolve the deadlock
with the UN over the proposed visits by human rights
monitors. Le Fraper said that the anticipated visits had
provided necessary cover for the EU to turn back more
virulent criticisms in Geneva.


Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton