Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS1186
2006-02-24 17:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRENCH ON FEBRUARY 27 GAERC

Tags:  PREL YI MW SR BK BO IR IZ KPAL CG FR EUN 
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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 001186 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2014
TAGS: PREL YI MW SR BK BO IR IZ KPAL CG FR EUN
SUBJECT: FRENCH ON FEBRUARY 27 GAERC

REF: STATE 25937

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001186

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2014
TAGS: PREL YI MW SR BK BO IR IZ KPAL CG FR EUN
SUBJECT: FRENCH ON FEBRUARY 27 GAERC

REF: STATE 25937

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Pol Deputy delivered points to Pascal
LeDeunff, deputy chief of the MFA's CFSP unit, on February
17; poloff followed up with LeDeunff on February 24.
According to LeDeunff, the GAERC will issue strong
conclusions on Iran, but none on Iraq or the
Israeli-Palestinian situation. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Iraq: LeDeunff noted that when he had given his boss
the draft French position paper on Iraq for the GAERC to
present to French FM Douste-Blazy, his boss had complained
that it was identical to the Iraq paper they had drafted for
the January GAERC. That, said LeDeunff, is exactly the point
-- there is nothing new in Iraq right now except for more
violence: the parliament is not yet sitting, and the new
constitution is not yet in force. He spoke of the "paradox"
the French find in the current situation. While the
political process has never been more inclusive, he said,
Iraq has never been "closer to civil war." He said that the
U.S. and EU must pursue the inclusivity of the political
process, and should support the Arab League proposal for a
national reconciliation conference and push for a pluralist
government. He repeated the French call for fixing a
"perspective for the withdrawal of foreign troops" from Iraq,
charging that the Iraqi people would not feel they were fully
in charge until foreign troops had withdrawn.


3. (C) Iran: On Iran, LeDeunff said that the Council would be
issuing "firm" conclusions, while staying away from
ultimatums. He indicated that the European Union will
continue to say, and French FM Douste-Blazy will insist, that
if Iran refuses to respond to the IAEA BOG's appeals before
the next BOG meeting on March 6, there will be no other
solution than to reinforce the board's authority through the
UNSC. LeDeunff said we should also focus on the Russian
proposal to Iran, as it could still lead to a possible
solution. He noted, in any case, that the French and the
Europeans will continue to insist on the necessity of Iran
suspending all enrichment activity.


4. (C) On the Israeli-Palestinian issue, LeDeunff said that
not much has materially changed since the Quartet statement
naming the three requirements for the new Palestinian
government. While the PM has been selected, he is not yet in
power. "We don't want to lay down new rules before knowing
how the new government will look, and what it will say,"
LeDeunff said. He said the ministers will discuss the
disbursal of the European contribution to the World Bank
Trust Fund for the Palestinian Authority, and that External
Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner would find
strong French support for that disbursement.

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

Hofmann