CLUSTER MUNITIONS: FRANCE PROPOSES PUSH IN CCW

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002137 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017 TAGS: MARR PARM PGOV PREL NATO FR SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: FRANCE PROPOSES PUSH IN CCW CONTEXT REF: A) STATE 66596 B) PARIS 1312 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, for reas ons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 6. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. The French MFA shares the U.S. view that negotiations on cluster munitions cannot proceed productively outside the Convention on Chemical Weapons. To slow the growing political momentum behind the Norwegian push to ban cluster munitions, like-minded nations that seek a compromise between humanitarian concerns and military necessity must produce a viable alternative proposal, Camille Grand, DAS-equivalent for Chemical and Biological Disarmament and Conventional Weapons Control at the MFA, told us May 22. Towards that end, Grand proposes to invite the U.S. and other like-minded nations to a meeting of technical experts in Paris the week of June 11. He further requested that each country circulate a white paper for discussion the week of June 4. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) Poloffs met May 22 to share ref A demarche with Camille Grand, DAS-equivalent for Chemical and Biological Disarmament and Conventional Weapons Control at the MFA, along with Arnaud Roux, Special Advisor in the same office. Grand expressed "near 100 percent unanimity" with the U.S. position. He assured us that on the eve of the Lima conference, the French focus is on ensuring that any treaty on cluster munitions is negotiated in the context of the Convention on Chemical Weapons (CCW); this is the best way to address humanitarian concerns and political pressure without creating unreasonable military constraints. Although France will participate in the Lima meeting in good faith, the French consider it an informal meeting of like-minded countries that may contribute to the work of the CCW, he added. Should the CCW fail to produce action at its November meeting, though, Grand said he feared the Oslo Process would become the predominant forum for negotiations on cluster munitions. To ensure success in the CCW context, Grand proposes France host an experts meeting in Paris the week of June 11, leading up to the Group of Government Experts (GGE) meeting in Geneva the following week. ¶4. (C) Grand explained that France, along with other EU member states, is feeling pressure from the NGO community to act on cluster munitions. Further, Roux noted that in a May 21 meeting with Bernard Kouchner, the new Foreign Minister -- known for his humanitarian approach to foreign policy -- expressed some interest in cluster munitions. Roux and Grand provided no further details, but suggested that the issue may now have higher political visibility at the MFA. Grand acknowledged that the November CCW meeting sets an ambitious timeframe, so planning must begin now to gain necessary momentum. ¶5. (C) To that end, Grand proposed holding a technical experts meeting in Paris the week of June 11, to include the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Germany. Including Brazil in the meeting might not be useful, but he did not object to doing so, and he suggested that it might be worthwhile to invite Israel. He proposed that white papers be exchanged the week of June 4. If a Paris meeting is not possible, interested parties could instead meet on the margins of the GGE, but that would be less productive. Grand suggested developing a proposal based on the Oslo language, with serious, rigorous content developed by experts. He estimated that if a core group proceeded quickly with a serious proposal, the proposal could soon gain the support of 60 countries, including many European countries. ¶6. ACTION REQUEST. Post suggests timely investigation of the feasibility of an experts meeting in Paris the week of June 11, with a quick and positive response provided to the MFA. Please advise. END ACTION REQUEST. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON