Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS993
2005-02-16 15:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRANCE ON U.S. VENEZUELAN CONCERNS
how-toThis 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 000993
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND, EUR/ERA, AND S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL FR VE CO
SUBJECT: FRANCE ON U.S. VENEZUELAN CONCERNS
REF: STATE 25063
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 000993
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND, EUR/ERA, AND S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL FR VE CO
SUBJECT: FRANCE ON U.S. VENEZUELAN CONCERNS
REF: STATE 25063
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Venezuelan Desk
Officer Hedi Picquart on February 16. Picquart did not have
an immediate formal response to U.S. concerns about Russian
weapons sales to Venezuela, but indicated that he would pass
our points to French embassies in Moscow, Caracas, and Bogota
and elicit their views. However, he posited that FARC had no
need for Venezuelan weapons, stating the they were already
sufficiently well armed and questioning why 100,000 weapons
would be needed for the approximately 17,000 FARC insurgents.
Notwithstanding these considerations, Picquart assured us
that the GOF would remain vigilant.
2. (C) In other Venezuela matters, Picquart noted that
France was pleased with the resumption of dialogue and
cooperation between Caracas and Bogota. Picquart underlined
that it was Castro, at the Colombians' request, who had
calmed Chavez. As to allegations of Chavez's influence in
regional political affairs, Picquart said that France had not
seen evidence to indicate Caracas was funding Evo Morales in
Bolivia, whom he characterized as trying to "civilize
himself" and dismissed as a real threat to Bolivian politics.
Franco-Venezuelan cultural relations and technical
cooperation continued well following Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs Renaud Muselier's mid-December visit to
Caracas, during which he met with the Vice President and
Minister for Foreign Affairs ( Chavez was in Cuba at the
time). Chavez, whom Picquart described as being on an EU
charm offensive, currently has no official visit scheduled to
France, but may stop by unofficially in early March while in
Europe. Finally, Picquart indicated that the GOF would
continue to monitor the human rights situation in Venezuela,
and that the GOF would remain watchful as to how Venezuela
applies the recently passed press law.
Leach
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND, EUR/ERA, AND S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL FR VE CO
SUBJECT: FRANCE ON U.S. VENEZUELAN CONCERNS
REF: STATE 25063
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Venezuelan Desk
Officer Hedi Picquart on February 16. Picquart did not have
an immediate formal response to U.S. concerns about Russian
weapons sales to Venezuela, but indicated that he would pass
our points to French embassies in Moscow, Caracas, and Bogota
and elicit their views. However, he posited that FARC had no
need for Venezuelan weapons, stating the they were already
sufficiently well armed and questioning why 100,000 weapons
would be needed for the approximately 17,000 FARC insurgents.
Notwithstanding these considerations, Picquart assured us
that the GOF would remain vigilant.
2. (C) In other Venezuela matters, Picquart noted that
France was pleased with the resumption of dialogue and
cooperation between Caracas and Bogota. Picquart underlined
that it was Castro, at the Colombians' request, who had
calmed Chavez. As to allegations of Chavez's influence in
regional political affairs, Picquart said that France had not
seen evidence to indicate Caracas was funding Evo Morales in
Bolivia, whom he characterized as trying to "civilize
himself" and dismissed as a real threat to Bolivian politics.
Franco-Venezuelan cultural relations and technical
cooperation continued well following Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs Renaud Muselier's mid-December visit to
Caracas, during which he met with the Vice President and
Minister for Foreign Affairs ( Chavez was in Cuba at the
time). Chavez, whom Picquart described as being on an EU
charm offensive, currently has no official visit scheduled to
France, but may stop by unofficially in early March while in
Europe. Finally, Picquart indicated that the GOF would
continue to monitor the human rights situation in Venezuela,
and that the GOF would remain watchful as to how Venezuela
applies the recently passed press law.
Leach