FRENCH ON HAMAS/COE: GIVE US UNTIL THE 4/10 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002313 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2016 TAGS: PREL KPAL IS FR KHUM KTER COE EUN SUBJECT: FRENCH ON HAMAS/COE: GIVE US UNTIL THE 4/10 GAERC REF: A. STATE 55459 ¶B. PARIS 2272 ¶C. STATE 53022 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso ns 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 7, post further discussed possible Hamas participation in upcoming Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meetings with MFA DAS-equivalent for Strategic Affairs Nicolas Niemtchinow (responsible for CoE political affairs) and shared ref A points with DAS-equivalent for CFSP Jean-Louis Falconi. Post also reviewed the issue with UK and Israeli embassies here. GoF interlocutors made clear France is aware of the scope of the problem and is considering how to respond, while asking for U.S. forbearance pending the outcome of a discussion among EU foreign ministers at Monday's GAERC meeting. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Polmiloff spoke to Nicolas Niemtchinow, DAS-equivalent in the MFA's Strategic Affairs directorate for NATO and Council of Europe. Niemtshinow initially repeated many of the previous day's arguments (ref B) with respect to problem GoF obligations, in accordance with its 1949 CoE host-country agreement, not to bar participants in COE Parliamentary Assembly meetings. However, taking the last discussion April 6 with MFA DAS-equivalent for CFSP Jean-Louis Falconi one step further, Niemtchinow said the GOF was actively exploring with its EU partners possible solutions in advance of the April 10 EU GAERC meeting. For that reason, the GOF was requesting that the USG avoid public discussion of the issue until April 10, so as to give the EU time to formulate a response at the GAERC. According to Niemtchinow, there is a risk that a high-profile U.S. public stance could complicate France's efforts, as host nation, as well as those of the EU, to find a solution. ¶3. (C) Ella Aphek, Political Counselor at the Israeli Embassy, refuted Israeli Consul General Gilbert Roos' ref B statement that al Ramahi had attended a March 14 PACE political committee meeting in Paris; she asserted that it was in fact independent PLC member Hassan Kreishe, not Ramahi, who had recently traveled to France (NFI). Aphek told us that the GoF, in fact, had been helpful in weighing in with Brussels against issuance of a visa for al Ramahi to attend a European Parliament session. Aphek emphasized that the Israel Embassy here is also pressing the French on the CoE issue. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton