Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS945
2006-02-14 15:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
MFA CONTACTS STRESS GOF POSITION ON HAMAS
how-toVZCZCXRO6738 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHFR #0945/01 0451543 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141543Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4243 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000945
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/20/2016
TAGS: PREL IS KPAL PTER FR
SUBJECT: MFA CONTACTS STRESS GOF POSITION ON HAMAS
UNCHANGED IN LIGHT OF RUSSIAN INITIATIVE
REF: MOSCOW 1323
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000945
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/20/2016
TAGS: PREL IS KPAL PTER FR
SUBJECT: MFA CONTACTS STRESS GOF POSITION ON HAMAS
UNCHANGED IN LIGHT OF RUSSIAN INITIATIVE
REF: MOSCOW 1323
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) In conversations with us February 13, senior MFA
contacts stressed that the GoF position on Hamas remained
unchanged and they downplayed press reports suggesting that
the GoF had endorsed Russia's initiative to invite Hamas
leaders to Moscow. MFA DAS-equivalent for Egypt/Levant Herv
Besancenot suggested that press had taken February 10-
statements by the MFA spokesman out of context (full text of
February 10 remarks follows para 4). Besancenot stressed
that the GoF position on HAMAS remained unchanged, that
France had no contacts with Hamas, and that the GoF remained
insistent on the three conditions which Hamas must meet as
articulated in the January 30 Quartet statement: renunciation
of violence, recognition of Israel, and recognition of past
PLO accords with Israel.
2. (C) MFA Cabinet Advisor for the Middle East Christhope
Guilhou confirmed to us that Israeli FM Tzipi Livni called
French FM Douste-Blazy February 11 to seek clarification of
the French position on Hamas. Guilhou described Livni as
reassured by her conversation with the French FM, who
stressed that the GoF had not been notified of the Russian
initiative in advance and reaffirmed the GoF's attachment to
the Quartet conditions and the GoF's non-contact policy with
Hamas. The French FM also reaffirmed to Livni the GoF view
that Russia remained bound by the Quartet conditions as well.
At the same time, Guilhou explained, Russia was not bound by
the same contact restrictions which EU members faced with
respect to Hamas, as, unlike the EU, Russia had not
designated Hamas a terrorist group. In the GoF view, any
effort by countries which maintained dialogue with Hamas,
such as Russia and Egypt, to push Hamas towards accepting the
Quartet conditions should not be discouraged, though the
chances of success may be questionable. Guilhou added that
Putin was no friend of Islamists and would not be likely to
take a conciliatory line with respect to Hamas.
3. (U) PM Villepin further clarified the GoF position on
Hamas before embarking on a trip to Moscow February 13-14.
Villepin declared, "Our position, and that of Europe in
general is clear: to affirm the necessity for Hamas to engage
in the path of peace, of rejection of violence, and of
recognition of the state of Israel." Villepin added that
although the EU had designated Hamas a terrorist group,
"Russia is not in the same situation, which could give it
additional latitude. If, by dialogue, in speedy conditions,
Hamas is brought to engage in this path of rejection of
violence, we could only welcome it."
4. (U) The following is excerpted text of the MFA
spokesman's comments on the Russian initiative on Hamas
during the February 10 daily MFA press briefing:
Begin text:
Q- President Putin, who is in Madrid, has invited
representatives of Hamas to go to Moscow for talks. The
United States has already reacted. What's France's reaction,
given that Hamas still appears on the EU's list of terrorist
organizations?
A-In this we share with Russia the goal of moving Hamas
towards positions which will allow us to reach the objective
of having two states living in peace and security. In this
perspective, France, the European Union and the Quartet have
however laid down clear principles as the basis for starting
a political dialogue with Hamas. I confirm that Hamas is
still on the EU list of terrorist organizations.
Q-Don't you think that Russia should have consulted with its
partners in the Quartet before launching such an initiative?
A-It's true that the initiative was taken without prior
consultation with the partners, but provided that it is in
the framework of the objectives and principles that we've set
ourselves, we consider it an initiative that may contribute
to advancing our positions.
Q-If an organization is on a terrorist blacklist, does being
listed exclude dialogue?
A-That is indeed our position. That is why we ask that any
eventual dialogue take place within the framework of the
conditions we've set. You know what these conditions are,
that Hamas renounce violence, recognize Israel, and accept
the agreements concluded between the PLO and Israel,
especially the Oslo agreements. So that is the context in
PARIS 00000945 002 OF 002
which we could consider engaging with Hamas. That is the
French position and it has been adopted by the EU and the
Quartet.
Q-That means you're having no contacts on the ground with
Hamas?
A-We have no official contacts with Hamas.
End text.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Stapleton
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/20/2016
TAGS: PREL IS KPAL PTER FR
SUBJECT: MFA CONTACTS STRESS GOF POSITION ON HAMAS
UNCHANGED IN LIGHT OF RUSSIAN INITIATIVE
REF: MOSCOW 1323
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Bruce Turner, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) In conversations with us February 13, senior MFA
contacts stressed that the GoF position on Hamas remained
unchanged and they downplayed press reports suggesting that
the GoF had endorsed Russia's initiative to invite Hamas
leaders to Moscow. MFA DAS-equivalent for Egypt/Levant Herv
Besancenot suggested that press had taken February 10-
statements by the MFA spokesman out of context (full text of
February 10 remarks follows para 4). Besancenot stressed
that the GoF position on HAMAS remained unchanged, that
France had no contacts with Hamas, and that the GoF remained
insistent on the three conditions which Hamas must meet as
articulated in the January 30 Quartet statement: renunciation
of violence, recognition of Israel, and recognition of past
PLO accords with Israel.
2. (C) MFA Cabinet Advisor for the Middle East Christhope
Guilhou confirmed to us that Israeli FM Tzipi Livni called
French FM Douste-Blazy February 11 to seek clarification of
the French position on Hamas. Guilhou described Livni as
reassured by her conversation with the French FM, who
stressed that the GoF had not been notified of the Russian
initiative in advance and reaffirmed the GoF's attachment to
the Quartet conditions and the GoF's non-contact policy with
Hamas. The French FM also reaffirmed to Livni the GoF view
that Russia remained bound by the Quartet conditions as well.
At the same time, Guilhou explained, Russia was not bound by
the same contact restrictions which EU members faced with
respect to Hamas, as, unlike the EU, Russia had not
designated Hamas a terrorist group. In the GoF view, any
effort by countries which maintained dialogue with Hamas,
such as Russia and Egypt, to push Hamas towards accepting the
Quartet conditions should not be discouraged, though the
chances of success may be questionable. Guilhou added that
Putin was no friend of Islamists and would not be likely to
take a conciliatory line with respect to Hamas.
3. (U) PM Villepin further clarified the GoF position on
Hamas before embarking on a trip to Moscow February 13-14.
Villepin declared, "Our position, and that of Europe in
general is clear: to affirm the necessity for Hamas to engage
in the path of peace, of rejection of violence, and of
recognition of the state of Israel." Villepin added that
although the EU had designated Hamas a terrorist group,
"Russia is not in the same situation, which could give it
additional latitude. If, by dialogue, in speedy conditions,
Hamas is brought to engage in this path of rejection of
violence, we could only welcome it."
4. (U) The following is excerpted text of the MFA
spokesman's comments on the Russian initiative on Hamas
during the February 10 daily MFA press briefing:
Begin text:
Q- President Putin, who is in Madrid, has invited
representatives of Hamas to go to Moscow for talks. The
United States has already reacted. What's France's reaction,
given that Hamas still appears on the EU's list of terrorist
organizations?
A-In this we share with Russia the goal of moving Hamas
towards positions which will allow us to reach the objective
of having two states living in peace and security. In this
perspective, France, the European Union and the Quartet have
however laid down clear principles as the basis for starting
a political dialogue with Hamas. I confirm that Hamas is
still on the EU list of terrorist organizations.
Q-Don't you think that Russia should have consulted with its
partners in the Quartet before launching such an initiative?
A-It's true that the initiative was taken without prior
consultation with the partners, but provided that it is in
the framework of the objectives and principles that we've set
ourselves, we consider it an initiative that may contribute
to advancing our positions.
Q-If an organization is on a terrorist blacklist, does being
listed exclude dialogue?
A-That is indeed our position. That is why we ask that any
eventual dialogue take place within the framework of the
conditions we've set. You know what these conditions are,
that Hamas renounce violence, recognize Israel, and accept
the agreements concluded between the PLO and Israel,
especially the Oslo agreements. So that is the context in
PARIS 00000945 002 OF 002
which we could consider engaging with Hamas. That is the
French position and it has been adopted by the EU and the
Quartet.
Q-That means you're having no contacts on the ground with
Hamas?
A-We have no official contacts with Hamas.
End text.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Stapleton