MDA: FRANCE REITERATES SUPPORT FOR DRAFT GENEVA

UNCLAS PARIS 008314 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PHUM PREF PREL ICRC SUBJECT: MDA: FRANCE REITERATES SUPPORT FOR DRAFT GENEVA PROTOCOL REF: SECSTATE 220751 (SBU) If the draft Geneva protocol comes up for an urgent vote, France will "support its friends" and hold to its commitments by voting in favor, according to French MFA IO Desk Officer for Social and Labor Issues Sonia Dona Perez. She expressed concern about possible delays due to the reported protocolary inflexibility of Geneva authorities, which may prevent delegations from voting without their first presenting formal diplomatic notes (rather than telgraphic authorization). Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton