FRANCE'S PRESIDENT CHIRAC OUTLINES KEY FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 005811

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN UNSC NATO FR XF
SUBJECT: FRANCE'S PRESIDENT CHIRAC OUTLINES KEY FOREIGN
POLICY AREAS (MIDDLE EAST, EU/NATO, UN REFORM) OF CONCERN


Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 B/D.


1. (C) Summary: President Chirac's annual foreign policy
speech to France's ambassadors August 29 focused in
particular on Middle East issues and crises, including
Lebanon. He warned of clashes of civilizations (including
between rich and poor),and stressed the importance of
political processes over violence. He called for renewed
efforts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He
expressed respect for Iran while calling on it to abandon its
"secret programs." In contrast, he urged Syria merely to
break out of its isolation. He encouraged reform of the UN,
including through enlargement of the Security Council.He
reiterated France's commitment to Africa, Unitaid, and
cultural diversity.


2. (C) Chirac regretted that the European Union had not
played a more prominent role during the Lebanon crisis and,
in an apparent indirect reference to the U.S., called on
Europe "to emancipate itself from inhibitions" and deal with
its partners--including "grand poles" such as China--on the
basis of the continent's objective interests. Chriac vaunted
ESDP operations in Macedonia, Bosnia, Aceh, the DRC, and soon
Kosovo, while calling for NATO--with an eye to the Riga
Summit--to limit itself to its traditional collective
security obligations. End summary.


Middle East - Lebanon
--------------

3. (SBU) On August 28, in his annual speech before the
Foreign Ministry's conference for French Ambassadors, which
also marks the foreign policy establishment's return to
business after the summer pause, President Chirac
characterized Lebanon as the weak fault line where all Middle
East conflicts intersect, a place that "attracts the blows
the protagonists do not dare to inflict on each other."
Citing Iraq, tensions in the Gulf, and the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he called the Middle East a
place where "regional conflagrations could result in a
divorce between worlds, East and West, Islam and
Christianity, rich and poor." (Comment: this reference to a
clash of civilizations has been a recurring GOF theme in
recent weeks.)


4. (U) Chirac reviewed France's role in drafting UN
Resolution 1701 and vaunted his decision to substantially
reinforce France's military commitment to UNIFIL. To move
forward, he called upon the UNSYG to initiate a political
process in which all parties honor the disarmament process
and settle border issues, including the status of Shebaa
farms. He noted the importance of stability for the future
of Lebanon and the security of Israel. He also urged Israel
to lift its "crippling economic blockade on Lebanon" and
called on unnamed regional players to accept a sovereign and
independent Lebanon "in which the State exercises exclusive
authority throughout its entire territory." He praised
Lebanon's decision to deploy the Lebanese army to southern
Lebanon. Finally, Chirac announced France's intention to
organize an international conference on Lebanon.

Israel and the Palestinians
--------------


5. (SBU) Describing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the
core issue in the Middle East, Chirac proposed an immediate
return to diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the
Palestinians and urged the Quartet to convene as soon as
possible. Maintaining the status quo risked allowing
violence to spin out of control. To move forward, both sides
must reestablish confidence in the other and define the
parameters for co-existence. Chirac reiterated that Hamas
must accept its role as a legitimate political player,
foreswear violence and affirm the terms of the Oslo accords,
while Israel must accept that its security is linked to the
creation of a Palestinian state with secure and viable
borders. He called on moderate Arab states, who attended the
2002 summit in Beirut, to play an essential role in promoting
a resolution.

Iran and Syria
--------------


6. (SBU) Chirac called on Iran to abandon its "secret
programs" and to create the conditions under which it can
regain the trust of the international community. He referred
to Iran as a "great country," but one that must accept its
responsibility to contribute to regional stability. He
merely urged Syria to "break its self-imposed isolation," and
respect international law and the sovereignty of its
neighbors.

The European Union and NATO
--------------


7. (SBU) Chirac used the example of the Middle East conflict
to appeal for a strong, internationally relevant Europe that
can "contribute to a constructive dialogue with the great
world powers." He called upon Europe to "emancipate itself
from inhibitions" and deal with its "partners" according to
the continent's own interests. (Comment: While the reference
was cryptic, this appeared to be an indirect call for an EU
foreign policy more independent of the U.S.) While he avoided
past references to "multipolarity", Chirac talked of "grand
poles" and identified an emerging China as a significant
power on the horizon. He regretted that Europe had not done
more to promote a resolution to the Lebanese crisis and
called on the EU to confer greater responsibility on the EU's
High Representative so that he might speak and act on behalf
of the EU's 25 members, as he has been doing on the Iranian
(nuclear) issue, citing the EU's successful operations in
Macedonia, Bosnia, Aceh, and the DRC. The President noted
that NATO's next challenge will be in Kosovo.


8. (SBU) Chirac observed that the EU can reinforce
transatlantic "solidarity" by assuming its share of defense
responsibilities in such places as the Balkans. As for NATO,
President Chirac said he looked forward to a successful NATO
summit at Riga. However, he emphasized that NATO must remain
above all a military alliance dedicated to ensuring the
collective security of European and North American allies.
(Comment: Chirac made no explicit reference to the United
States.) He cautioned against NATO involvement "in
non-military missions, ad hoc partnerships, technological
ventures or an insufficiently prepared enlargement (that)
could only distort its purpose."

Europe and Globalization
--------------


9. (U) Chirac touched on the need to assert Europe's identity
against a "backdrop of globalization." Europe should work
together toward the assurance of long-term energy security,
an appraisal of climate change and the establishment of
widespread partnerships with countries of origin and transit
of illegal immigrants. European enlargement is consistent
with and essential to the challenges of globalization, he
contended. Still, he recommended that the European Union's
absorption of new countries be a controlled and carefully
considered process that proceeds concomitantly with urgently
needed, democracy-based institutional reforms.


The United Nations
--------------


10. (U) Chirac reiterated his belief in the overarching
importance of the UN and announced his intention to reaffirm
the need for UN reform, particularly through the enlargement
of the Security Council, when he addresses the opening
session of the General Assembly in New York. In his UN
remarks, he plans to further reiterate French support for
Unitaid, which leverages an airline ticket tax to furnish
funds for life-saving drugs in developing countries.

Africa
--------------


11. (U) French projects in Africa, as at the UN, are "at the
heart of our endeavor to bring about a more just and stable
world," he averred. Chirac called for free and transparent
elections based on new electoral rolls in Cote d'Ivoire;
Sudan's immediate acceptance of a UN operation there with
support from the African Union; and all parties' respect for
the verdict of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Further, he urged a respect for cultural diversity and
dialogue between civilizations, a message he will take to the
Francophony Summit in Bucharest next month.






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HOFMANN