Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS8512
2005-12-16 18:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRANCE WELCOMES IRAQI ELECTIONS, BUT SUGGESTS IRAQ

Tags:  PREL IZ FR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008512 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2015
TAGS: PREL IZ FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE WELCOMES IRAQI ELECTIONS, BUT SUGGESTS IRAQ
HAS NOT ACHIEVED FULL SOVEREIGNTY

REF: A. STATE 225860


B. PARIS 8561

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008512

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2015
TAGS: PREL IZ FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE WELCOMES IRAQI ELECTIONS, BUT SUGGESTS IRAQ
HAS NOT ACHIEVED FULL SOVEREIGNTY

REF: A. STATE 225860


B. PARIS 8561

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The following is an informal translation of the French
MFA spokesman's December 16 statement on Iraq's elections:

Begin text.

France welcomes the important mobilization of all the
components of Iraqi society during the December 15 election
for the National Assembly and marks its satisfaction with the
conditions under which voting took place. This vote
constitutes a major milestone in the transition process
engaged in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution
1546 and a supplementary stage in the progressive restoration
of Iraqi sovereignty.

End text.


2. (C) MFA Iraq desk officer David Cvach told us the
spokesman's statement was shorter than expected, in order to
give FM Douste-Blazy and other French officials the chance to
pronounce in greater detail on the December 15 vote. Cvach
stressed that the MFA statement was intended to be positive
and stress French satisfaction with the high participation
rate in the elections, while making clear that Iraq's
political process is not over. Important future steps, in
the GoF view, include consideration of amendments to the
constitution and continued Arab League-initiated efforts at
national reconciliation. Pressed to explain whether the GoF
statement was intended to question Iraq's sovereignty, Cvach
stressed that the GoF recognizes Iraqi sovereignty and for
that reason re-established diplomatic relations with Iraq in
July 2004. At the same time, he explained, it is an
established GoF position that Iraq will not achieve "full
sovereignty" until it is in full control of its security, and
foreign troops have withdrawn.


3. (C) Comment: The MFA statement is typical of GoF responses
to other milestones in Iraq's democratic transition: positive
but not effusive, and somehow incapable of offering
unreserved support for the first constitutional democracy
taking root in the Arab world. End comment.


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

Stapleton