REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO MEET WITH PLO REP HIND

S E C R E T PARIS 007481 SIPDIS NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016 TAGS: FR KPAL PREL SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO MEET WITH PLO REP HIND AL-KHOURY Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request; see para 3. ¶2. (S) During a November 20 conversation with Ambassador Stapleton, French Senator Aymeri de Montesquiou offered to host a lunch for the Ambassador and Ms. Hind Al-Khoury, the PLO General Representative to Paris. Montesquiou argued forcefully that Al-Khoury was a moderate Fatah member worth hearing out, if only to gain a fuller appreciation of Palestinian positions. The Ambassador thanked Senator de Montesquiou for the offer, while indicating that he would want to seek Washington's guidance on the advisability of such a meeting, including whether a meeting between Ms. Al-Khoury and another member of the Embassy staff might be more appropriate. ¶3. (S) Action request: Post requests authorization for PolMinCouns and NEA Watcher to meet periodically with Ms. Al-Khoury in order to better assess and report on Franco-Palestinian relations, especially on key questions such as formation and recognition of a national unity government, the status of negotiations for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, and implementation of the Roadmap. We also believe that such meetings might offer us better insight into French attitudes toward the Palestinians and Israel. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON