Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS1347
2006-03-03 13:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

2/27 STRAW - DOUSTE-BLAZY MEETING: MAINLY MIDDLE

Tags:  PREL KPAL IS IR PARM ECON PINR UK AF 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 SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001347 

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NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IR PARM ECON PINR UK AF FR
SUBJECT: 2/27 STRAW - DOUSTE-BLAZY MEETING: MAINLY MIDDLE
EAST

REF: PARIS 1304

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Karl Hofmann, reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001347

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IR PARM ECON PINR UK AF FR
SUBJECT: 2/27 STRAW - DOUSTE-BLAZY MEETING: MAINLY MIDDLE
EAST

REF: PARIS 1304

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Karl Hofmann, reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).


1. (C/NF) Summary: UK embassy contacts described the February
27 Straw-Douste-Blazy working dinner as focused primarily on
the two ministers' planned joint trip to Israel and the
Palestinian territories, with no agreement on timing.
Douste-Blazy wants the trip to take place before Israeli
elections, reportedly against the advice of MFA advisors,
while the UK prefers an April/May timeframe. UK contacts
confirmed UK-French agreement on the need to insist on the
Quartet conditions for the new PA government, while being
"creative" on how the EU implements this policy. Other
topics of discussion included Iran, with both Straw and
Douste-Blazy voicing skepticism on Russian negotiating
efforts, and Afghanistan, with the UK side pressing for a
greater French contribution. UK contacts offered interesting
tidbits on the atmospherics of the visit, describing tensions
between Douste-Blazy and his MFA staff, logistical problems
in finalizing the visit, and GoF pique over UK representation
at a Chirac-hosted development conference. End Summary.

JOINT TRIP TIMING TBD
--------------


2. (C/NF) UK Embassy First Secretary Tom Fletcher (strictly
protect throughout),in a March 1 discussion with poloff,
described the February 27 working dinner between FS Straw and
FM Douste-Blazy as a success, but not quite the bonding
session his embassy had hoped for. Fletcher commented that
the dinner was shorter than expected, lasting just over one
hour, and not allowing time to cover a wide range of topics.
Discussion focused almost entirely on the Middle East, mainly
a proposed joint Straw/Douste-Blazy trip to Israel and the
Palestinian territories. Douste-Blazy was insistent that the
trip should take place before the Israeli elections, while
Straw advocated a late April/May timeframe, a position

Fletcher said is supported by FM Douste-Blazy's MFA advisors.
Fletcher reported that his ambassador (sole embassy
participant in the dinner) described Douste-Blazy's senior
advisors -- including MFA Political Director Stanislas de
Laboulaye, MFA NEA A/S-equivalent Jean-Francois Thibault and
Cabinet Middle East/UN advisor Christophe Guilhou -- as
appearing visibly dismayed as Douste-Blazy spoke, in contrast
to their attentive nodding in response to points by FS Straw.
Fletcher concluded that though both sides agreed to leave
the trip timing open, the UK will inform the GoF in a few
days that the joint trip will have to take place after the
March 28 Israeli vote. Fletcher speculated that it remained
possible Douste-Blazy may decide to do the trip on his own
before the Israeli election; in that case, Straw and
Douste-Blazy would likely pick another destination for a
joint visit, possibly Afghanistan. Fletcher concluded that
the HMG viewed Douste-Blazy's desire to go before Israeli
elections as mainly public relations-driven.

COMMON APPROACH ON HAMAS
--------------


3. (C/NF) According to Fletcher, Straw and Douste-Blazy
reviewed the EU General Affairs Council (GAERC) discussion of
Hamas which had taken place earlier that day, at which the
GoF and UK took similar positions. Both sides agreed that
the GAERC should have considered a full release of pending
assistance to the interim PA, rather than a partial release
of funds. On EU funding for Palestinians after formation of
Hamas-led government, Fletcher commented that specific
options weren't discussed in detail. Both sides agreed on
the need to be "relentless" in insisting on the three Quartet
conditions, while being "creative" in deciding on how the EU
should implement this policy. Straw and Douste-Blazy agreed
on the need to be creative on Hamas contacts, with Straw
floating the idea of having eventual contact with
Hamas-affiliated ministers who are not Hamas members (similar
to Hizballah-affiliated, Lebanese FM Salloukh). UK
Ambassador Holmes, at FS Straw's request, briefed the group
on how the UK had sustained contact with parties in the
Northern Ireland peace process. (In an aside, Fletcher
commented that, based on his participation in a pre-brief for
Straw prior to the Douste-Blazy dinner, he viewed his Foreign
Secretary as more forward leaning on the Hamas contact issue

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than 10 Downing Street.) Fletcher concluded that neither the
UK nor the GoF was contemplating contact with Hamas, though
they agreed on the utility of others (especially Egypt) doing
so; Straw and Douste-Blazy agreed on the need to avoid any
gestures which might impact Israeli elections. (Note: In a
separate discussion with Pol M/C after the Straw visit,
French MFA NEA A/S-equivalent Jean-Francois Thibault
described France and the UK as "on the same line" on Hamas.
End note.)

IRAN
--------------


4. (C/NF) In a brief exchange on Iran, Fletcher reported that
Douste-Blazy and Straw focused on how to work the issue in
the Security Council, specifically how to garner Russian and
Chinese support. No specific sanctions options were
discussed. According to Fletcher, Douste-Blazy and Straw
expressed skepticism on Russian intentions, but agreed that
the certain failure of the Russian negotiating effort would
be a good prelude to moving to the SC.

AFGHANISTAN
--------------


5. (C/NF) On Afghanistan, Straw urged France to contribute
more to ISAF and reconstruction efforts. Fletcher reported
that Douste-Blazy responded in a cursory fashion, by citing a
GoF hospital project with the Aga Khan Foundation. In an
aside, Fletcher commented that Douste-Blazy had departed the
January London conference on Afghanistan early for
unexplained reasons, making it necessary for the French MFA
spokesman to deliver the minister's speech and for the MFA
political director to represent France in the group picture
with Karzai, PM Blair and others. Fletcher added that it was
rumored that Douste-Blazy left the meeting because he had
wanted to announce the Aga Khan initiative in a press
conference, but the initiative was not ready yet, so the
press conference was scrapped. Working-level MFA officers
were later unable to give Fletcher an explanation for
Douste-Blazy's early departure from the London conference,
and suggested it was a bad decision on the part of the FM.

ATMOSPHERICS, DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
-------------- --------------


6. (C/NF) Fletcher conceded that logistics for the Straw
visit were last-minute and not easy. The UK embassy had
hoped for a PM Villepin meeting, which was canceled due to
the PM's visit to Reunion to deal with the chikungunya
epidemic. The UK side had also sought to arrange a
principals plus spouses dinner with Douste-Blazy, which was
discouraged by the MFA cabinet. Another complicating factor
in the backdrop of the Straw visit was GoF pique over UK
representation at the Chirac-hosted "Conference on Innovative
Financing for Development" February 28 (reftel),for which
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown did not confirm his
participation until late February 27, after the Straw dinner.
According to Fletcher, the French Ambassador in London had
warned the FCO that Blair's non-attendance would be a serious
blow to bilateral relations. Fletcher noted that Brown
attended in the end, but was stood up for an expected
February 28 meeting with French Economy/Finance Minister
Thierry Breton, who left him waiting and went to a
last-minute parliamentary engagement, without sending anyone
to receive him.


7. (C/NF) Comment: The conventional wisdom here is that there
is a disconnect between Douste-Blazy and his career MFA
staff, but nevertheless, the Elysee views Douste-Blazy as a
loyal supporter and will keep him on board through the end of
Chirac's term in 2007. End comment.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton