Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS2315
2006-04-07 16:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH FULLY AGREE ON NEED TO PROTEST IRANIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO6411 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHFR #2315 0971643 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 071643Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6101 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 0085 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1737 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1583 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2267 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY 0022 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 1534 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0368 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0124 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1588 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0709
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002315
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/IR, DRL, EUR/WE, AND IRF
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SOCI IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH FULLY AGREE ON NEED TO PROTEST IRANIAN
REGIME TREATMENT OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
REF: STATE 054484
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 002315
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/IR, DRL, EUR/WE, AND IRF
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SOCI IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH FULLY AGREE ON NEED TO PROTEST IRANIAN
REGIME TREATMENT OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
REF: STATE 054484
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) MFA DAS-equivalent for Iran/Iraq/Arabian Gulf Affairs
Antoine Sivan confirmed the GoF's "full agreement" with
reftel points on Iranian government mistreatment of religious
minorities during an April 6 discussion with poloff. Sivan
added that the GoF had recently sought insertion of language
expressing concern about the Baha'i community in Iran in the
statement for the April 10 EU General Affairs/External
Relations Council (GAERC). Sivan stressed that as we move
forward on the Iran nuclear issue, the international
community should seek to speak to Iranian civil society via
greater outspokenness and vigilance on human rights abuses in
Iran. Such efforts on human rights would undermine
Ahmadenijad's efforts to rally public support for his
government via defiance on the nuclear issue. For this
reason, Sivan noted, FM Douste-Blazy met with Nobel prize
laureate Shirin Ebadi a few weeks ago, and the GoF would seek
more occasions to reaffirm, both bilaterally and within the
EU, concern on Iran's deteriorating human rights records.
2. (C) Comment: Sivan's enthusiasm was borne out by remarks
we heard from Douste-Blazy at an off-the-record press event
April 6. In addition to advocating firmness on the nuclear
issue, the French FM stressed the need to increase public
pressure on Iran on human rights and speak directly to the
Iranian public, with the aim of driving a wedge between the
public and regime on this issue. Douste-Blazy noted that the
international community could not accept the Iranian
government's record of political prisoners, executions of
minors, etc., or let Ahmadenijad boost his popularity by
appealing to Iranian nationalistic sentiment on the nuclear
issue. This new GoF firmness on human rights in Iran is a
welcome development and accompanies increased GoF toughness
on other fronts, for instance delaying the agrement of the
new Iranian ambassador-designate to France. End comment.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Stapleton
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/IR, DRL, EUR/WE, AND IRF
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SOCI IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH FULLY AGREE ON NEED TO PROTEST IRANIAN
REGIME TREATMENT OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
REF: STATE 054484
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) MFA DAS-equivalent for Iran/Iraq/Arabian Gulf Affairs
Antoine Sivan confirmed the GoF's "full agreement" with
reftel points on Iranian government mistreatment of religious
minorities during an April 6 discussion with poloff. Sivan
added that the GoF had recently sought insertion of language
expressing concern about the Baha'i community in Iran in the
statement for the April 10 EU General Affairs/External
Relations Council (GAERC). Sivan stressed that as we move
forward on the Iran nuclear issue, the international
community should seek to speak to Iranian civil society via
greater outspokenness and vigilance on human rights abuses in
Iran. Such efforts on human rights would undermine
Ahmadenijad's efforts to rally public support for his
government via defiance on the nuclear issue. For this
reason, Sivan noted, FM Douste-Blazy met with Nobel prize
laureate Shirin Ebadi a few weeks ago, and the GoF would seek
more occasions to reaffirm, both bilaterally and within the
EU, concern on Iran's deteriorating human rights records.
2. (C) Comment: Sivan's enthusiasm was borne out by remarks
we heard from Douste-Blazy at an off-the-record press event
April 6. In addition to advocating firmness on the nuclear
issue, the French FM stressed the need to increase public
pressure on Iran on human rights and speak directly to the
Iranian public, with the aim of driving a wedge between the
public and regime on this issue. Douste-Blazy noted that the
international community could not accept the Iranian
government's record of political prisoners, executions of
minors, etc., or let Ahmadenijad boost his popularity by
appealing to Iranian nationalistic sentiment on the nuclear
issue. This new GoF firmness on human rights in Iran is a
welcome development and accompanies increased GoF toughness
on other fronts, for instance delaying the agrement of the
new Iranian ambassador-designate to France. End comment.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Stapleton