FRANCE WILL SUPPORT BELARUS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001922

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM CVIS BO FR EUN
SUBJECT: FRANCE WILL SUPPORT BELARUS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

REF: STATE 46976

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS
ONS 1.4 B/D


1. (C) On March 24, Poloff delivered reftel demarche on
expanding a visa ban against Belarusian officials to Antoine
Gosset, the MFA's Belarus desk officer. Gosset said the MFA
was examining the legal implications of extending the visa
ban to include Aleksandr Lukashenka, given the lack of
precedent for banning a head of state. He said that France
would likely not propose adding Lukashenka to a visa ban, but
would support such a ban if another EU member took the lead
in proposing it. When asked if there were any recalcitrant
EU members on extending a visa ban to include Lukashenka,
Gosset said Italy's position was "ambiguous." Gosset, who
had been in Belarus as an election observer, said the Italian
Ambassador had been photographed with Lukashenka on election
day; this had been a propaganda victory for Lukashenka.
Italy's position "needed to be clarified," said Gosset.


2. (C) Following announcement later on March 24 of a EU visa
ban that included Lukashenka, Gosset said France would push
for the asset freezing of top Belarusian officials.
Significant holdings were concentrated in Austria, said
Gosset. Furthermore, Gosset said the EU would raise Belarus
during the EU-Russia summit on May 25 and during Russia's
upcoming presidency of the Council of Europe. (Comment: In
contrast to virtually every other former Soviet space foreign
policy issue, France appears unconcerned about the Russian
reaction to their tough line on Belarus. This is probably
due to the EU's leading role, which lowers the profile of
French involvement. End comment)
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton