Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS1790
2007-05-04 14:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRANCE BACKS EUROPEAN ENGAGEMENT WITH ERITREA
how-toVZCZCXRO5877 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHFR #1790 1241453 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 041453Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6957 INFO RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA IMMEDIATE 0359 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 2002 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0749 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1226
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001790
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR ER FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE BACKS EUROPEAN ENGAGEMENT WITH ERITREA
REF: A. STATE 59532 B. PARIS 848
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001790
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR ER FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE BACKS EUROPEAN ENGAGEMENT WITH ERITREA
REF: A. STATE 59532 B. PARIS 848
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d
1. (C) France supports EU and EC efforts to engage Eritrea,
including the invitation by the European Commission for
President Isaias Afwerki to visit Brussels, MFA AF
DAS-Equivalent Helen Le Gal informed Africa Watcher on May 3
in response to demarche (Ref A). Le Gal remarked that the
invitation to Brussels was well within European Commission
norms, which only barred a visit by Zimbabwean President
Mugabe.
2. (C) Eritrea was emerging as a regional force, with
influential and valuable networks, in the French and EC view,
Le Gal stated, adding that Asmara's clout was growing in
response to Ethiopian activities. Regarding Darfur, Eritrean
knowledge of and involvement with rebel groups was
incontestable, she remarked. UN Envoy Eliasson was striving,
eyes open, to bring together the UN and Eritrean poles;
convergence of some sort was vital to advancing coherence
among the rebels. Le Gal volunteered that Presidential
Adviser Yemane Gebremeskel had recently been to Paris, and
had made a strong impression.
3. (C) Eritrea, with its egregious violations of human
rights, infringement of religious freedom, and disrespect for
the Vienna Conventions was doubtless a repressive and
authoritarian state, whose actions were reminiscent of the
Soviet Union, Le Gal commented. The MFA, in a national
capacity, had issued trenchant criticisms of inacceptable
Eritrean behavior. The French Government, she added, had
just granted political asylum to a persecuted Eritrean
journalist. French embassy personnel, she added, also had
difficulty obtaining permission to leave Asmara, although she
allowed that Asmara meted out particularly harsh treatment to
the USG.
4. (C) Le Gal noted that France had invited Isaias to the
February Africa-France Summit in Cannes, but the Eritrean
President declined, not wanting to run the risk of a corridor
encounter with Ethiopian President Meles. (Note: France
refused an offer by Isaias to travel to Cannes exclusively to
attend a side-meeting on Darfur, without taking part in the
broader Africa-France Summit (Ref B).)
5. (C) Comment: Le Gal was unflinching in her view that
Brussels was correct and within its rights to broaden
engagement with Asmara.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR ER FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE BACKS EUROPEAN ENGAGEMENT WITH ERITREA
REF: A. STATE 59532 B. PARIS 848
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d
1. (C) France supports EU and EC efforts to engage Eritrea,
including the invitation by the European Commission for
President Isaias Afwerki to visit Brussels, MFA AF
DAS-Equivalent Helen Le Gal informed Africa Watcher on May 3
in response to demarche (Ref A). Le Gal remarked that the
invitation to Brussels was well within European Commission
norms, which only barred a visit by Zimbabwean President
Mugabe.
2. (C) Eritrea was emerging as a regional force, with
influential and valuable networks, in the French and EC view,
Le Gal stated, adding that Asmara's clout was growing in
response to Ethiopian activities. Regarding Darfur, Eritrean
knowledge of and involvement with rebel groups was
incontestable, she remarked. UN Envoy Eliasson was striving,
eyes open, to bring together the UN and Eritrean poles;
convergence of some sort was vital to advancing coherence
among the rebels. Le Gal volunteered that Presidential
Adviser Yemane Gebremeskel had recently been to Paris, and
had made a strong impression.
3. (C) Eritrea, with its egregious violations of human
rights, infringement of religious freedom, and disrespect for
the Vienna Conventions was doubtless a repressive and
authoritarian state, whose actions were reminiscent of the
Soviet Union, Le Gal commented. The MFA, in a national
capacity, had issued trenchant criticisms of inacceptable
Eritrean behavior. The French Government, she added, had
just granted political asylum to a persecuted Eritrean
journalist. French embassy personnel, she added, also had
difficulty obtaining permission to leave Asmara, although she
allowed that Asmara meted out particularly harsh treatment to
the USG.
4. (C) Le Gal noted that France had invited Isaias to the
February Africa-France Summit in Cannes, but the Eritrean
President declined, not wanting to run the risk of a corridor
encounter with Ethiopian President Meles. (Note: France
refused an offer by Isaias to travel to Cannes exclusively to
attend a side-meeting on Darfur, without taking part in the
broader Africa-France Summit (Ref B).)
5. (C) Comment: Le Gal was unflinching in her view that
Brussels was correct and within its rights to broaden
engagement with Asmara.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON