MFA PERPLEXED AT CONTINUED SNAGS ON UNOCI

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002750 SIPDIS SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- CORRECTION OF PARAGRAPH NUMBERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM FR SUBJECT: MFA PERPLEXED AT CONTINUED SNAGS ON UNOCI REINFORCEMENT REF: STATE 6471 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner. Reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (SBU) Summary: French MFA officials reacted with consternation at the formal U.S. request to revisit the French draft resolution to authorize additional UNOCI reinforcements (reftel). IO DAS-Equivalent Simon-Michel and AF DAS-Equivalent Foucher both told poloff on April 25 that they hoped AF A/S-Equivalent Joubert's 4/27 Washington meetings would resolve the differences between the U.S. and France on the draft resolution. Simon-Michel defended the draft's proposal to reinforce UNOCI by 1671 personnel, noting the number was carefully calibrated and stressing that Joubert had understood the USG was open to increases in the range of 1500 to 2000 personnel. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In an April 25 meeting with poloff, IO DAS-Equivalent Jean Hugues Simon-Michel, joined by PKO Deskoff Clement Leclerc, explained that the draft's call for an additional 1671 personnel for UNOCI was carefully "calibrated," fewer than sought by the SYG, and reflected essential tasks for UNOCI amid preparations for elections in Cote d'Ivoire. Simon-Michel frowned on the common practice of DPKO and the SYG to put forward inflated troop requests, then haggle with the Security Council before finding an acceptable figure, an approach he likened to bargaining at the bazaar. By contrast, the French MFA stood ready to make the case for each individual soldier among the 1671. Simon-Michel added that the MFA, in making its calculations, had been mindful of a perceived understanding on the part of AF A/S-Equivalent Bruno Joubert, based on telephone conversations with U.S. officials, that the USG could back increases to UNOCI in the range of 1500-2000 additional personnel. ¶3. (SBU) Poloff explained that budgetary factors blocked USG support for any PKO increases absent commensurate drawdowns in other PKOs, such as the reduction of 1500 currently in the works for UNMEE. Simon-Michel countered that the USG linkage of UNOCI increases to UNMEE reductions had lost some credibility when the Council in April granted UNMEE a one-month reprieve on any drawdown. Leclerc asked whether the reduction of UN forces in Burundi had not helped relieve USG budgetary pressures. Simon-Michel commented that France had yielded to USG requests to maintain the temporary increase in the ceiling for UNMIL, despite the lack of a SYG recommendation to that effect. ¶4. (SBU) The draft resolution was not headed to an immediate vote, in any case, according to Leclerc, since France had always anticipated a delay to allow for USG Congressional notification. Interlocutors remained silent when Poloff asked if France would delay until after May 15, when the UNMEE force numbers would again be reviewed and likely decreased. ¶5. (SBU) AF DAS-Equivalent for West Africa Bruno Foucher expressed concern at continued delays on reinforcing UNOCI and planned to alert A/S-Equivalent Joubert immediately of the need to engage on the topic during his 4/27 Washington visit. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton