FRANCE WILL CO-SPONSOR DARFUR RESOLUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005861 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2011 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC KPKO SU FR SUBJECT: FRANCE WILL CO-SPONSOR DARFUR RESOLUTION REF: STATE 143304 Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Bruce Turner. Reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (C) MFA IO DAS-Equivalent Jean-Hugues Simon-Michel confirmed that France will co-sponsor the draft resolution to extend UNMIS deployment to Darfur. France will also approach Congo-Brazzaville to request their co-sponsorship. ¶2. (C) Simon-Michel described the French decision as painful. He hoped that Washington would take notice of French cooperation despite the legitimate budgetary difficulties that the UNMIS deployment to Darfur will create. The MFA remains unhappy at the size of the projected deployment as well as at its timing. The MFA is straining to cope with budgetary reforms that now group peacekeeping and other multilateral funding with more standard MFA expenses. The same pot of money that pays for peacekeepers covers salaries and administrative costs at French embassies, he said. Moreover, unlike the Department of State, the MFA does not have the option of recourse to a supplemental budget request. The extra expense posed by the Darfur mission will shrink French activities and engagements elsewhere, he claimed. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON