TFLE01: FRENCH PRIME MINISTER DE VILLEPIN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004889

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016
TAGS: PREL AEMR MARR CASC LE KHLS FR
SUBJECT: TFLE01: FRENCH PRIME MINISTER DE VILLEPIN'S
MISSION TO BEIRUT

REF: PARIS 04850

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, Reason 1
.4 B/D


1. (C) SUMMARY: French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
and Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy traveled to Lebanon on July
17 to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora and the local
French community. In the absence of the PM's Diplomatic
Counselor, Political Minister Counselor called on the PM's
Strategic Affairs advisor, Frederic Mondolini on the
afternoon of July 18 to obtain a readout on the mission and
to thank the GoF for its assistance on July 17 in evacuating
Amcits from Lebanon. Mondolini, who accompanied the Prime
Minister, characterized the trip as politically vital, given
the strong ties between the two countries and the large
number of French citizens living in Lebanon. He stressed
that the PM had consulted closely with Israeli PM Olmert to
ensure not only the security of the mission, but to
underscore France's humanitarian goals. The GOF, he said,
was focused on evacuating its citizens and supporting
international efforts towards an immediate cease-fire,
whether through the G8, the UN, or other appropriate
international fora. Mondolini said Villepin did not believe
there was a military solution to Hezbollah's disarmament,
carefully noting he was not speaking for the Presidency or
MFA. Poloff met separately with MFA acting Sous Director
(Deputy Office Director equivalent) Martin Juillard, who gave
a similar, though less detailed account of the PM and FM's
trip. END SUMMARY



2. (C) Political Minister Counselor called on PM de
Villepin's Counselor for Strategic Affairs, Frederic
Mondolini, on the afternoon of July 18 to get a full briefing
on the Prime Minister's July 17 mission to Lebanon.
Mondolini, who accompanied the Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister, characterized the trip as necessary to mark the
deep friendship long shared between the two nations. With
17,000 French nationals living in Lebanon, four to five
thousand French tourists, and thousands of other EU nationals
also resident, the GoF, he said, needed to convey a clear
statement that it was doing everything possible to take care
of its citizens and evacuate those asking for assistance.


3. (C) Mondolini reported that the trip was scheduled after
PM de Villepin spoke by phone early Sunday morning to
President Chirac, who was still in St. Petersburg. He went
on to say that in preparation for the trip, PM de Villepin
called Israeli PM Olmert to advise him of his plan to visit
Lebanese PM Siniora in Beirut and a French ship that would be
arriving to evacuate some 1,200 French, and possibly EU and
US nationals. PM Olmert said he recognized and understood
France's ties to the region and agreed to cooperate on the
technical details, specifically security issues. French
Ambassador Araud in Tel Aviv, Mondolini said, had not picked
up any negative commentary about the trip from the Israelis,
who seemed to understand France's motivations. The
France/Israel relationship had made significant improvement
in the past few years, and this was proof. Mondolini added
that PM de Villepin and PM Olmert avoided getting into a
serious political discussions as their conversation was
taking place at the same time the G8 were negotiating their
communiqu.


4. (U) PM de Villepin spent three hours in Lebanon, from
about 17:00 to 20:00. After arriving in Beirut by helicopter
from Cyprus, he met with PM Siniora, and proceeded to the
ship where he addressed the evacuees. The PM expressed
France's solidarity and friendship to the Lebanese PM, and
later in a joint press conference condemned the violence, the
kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, called for urgent action to
stabilize Lebanon and the region, and noted that France was
active in the international efforts to obtain a cease-fire.
In particular, France expressed its willingness to
participate in a possible UN border observer mission in South
Lebanon. He said that in the immediate future any solution
would have to include three elements: the safe return of
kidnapped Israeli soldiers, the cessation of rocket attacks
into Israel, and a halt to Israeli military operations. PM
de Villepin underscored the importance of UNSCR 1559 and
reiterated the GoF's efforts as part of the international
community to seek an immediate truce. Finally, he pledged
that France and the EU would assist in humanitarian efforts,
and when appropriate, contributions towards rebuilding
Lebanon.


5. (C) Mr. Mondolini pointed to the July 18 Le Monde (French
daily) headline, "Chirac and Bush Want to Neutralize
Hezbollah," commenting that France and the US were looking in
the same direction, but that all of the elements of an agreed
strategy remain to be fleshed out. Speaking for de
Villepin's office, he said that achieving a positive change
to the status quo ante in Lebanon would be extremely
complicated. The PM did not see a military solution to the
disarmament of Hezbollah. Efforts to eradicate Hezbollah
though force would ultimately fail to bring long term
stability. Hezbollah was not only a terrorist organization,
but certain elements had now become part of the democratic
landscape, had a great deal of support in Lebanon, and most
certainly had various agendas. Mondolini pointed to
President's Chirac's Bastille Day speech in which he alluded
to Iran's probable involvement in Hezbollah's capture of the
two Israeli soldiers, giving clear expression to the GoF's
suspicions and concerns about Iran's role. That said, he
carefully noted that the French had no "concrete
intelligence." The views he expressed were his own and
those, he thought, of the Prime Minister, but carefully
stated he was not speaking for the MFA or the Presidency.


6. (C) Poloff met earlier in the day with MFA acting Sous
Director (Deputy Office Director equivalent) Martin Juillard,
who gave a similar, though less detailed account of the PM
and FM's trip. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, was
concentrating heavily on evacuations and international
efforts towards an immediate cease-fire. The GoF was working
through international fora, remaining open to any and all
possibilities that might contribute to a cessation of the
violence. Throughout the meeting, he repeatedly added that
France had no intention to pursue its own national strategy,
and was committed to working with the international community.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

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