Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS2194
2007-05-25 14:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH CONSIDER DELAYING TRIBUNAL VOTE TO APPEASE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHFRA #2194 1451452 ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF2862 1451458 O 251452Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/23/2017
TAGS: FR LE UNSC PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH CONSIDER DELAYING TRIBUNAL VOTE TO APPEASE
RUSSIANS
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).
PAGE 02 RUEHFRA2194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/23/2017
TAGS: FR LE UNSC PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH CONSIDER DELAYING TRIBUNAL VOTE TO APPEASE
RUSSIANS
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).
PAGE 02 RUEHFRA2194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
1. (C) SELENA GRENET, THE MFA'S IO ACTION OFFICER FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST, TOLD US MAY 25 THAT FRANCE IS INCLINED TO ACCEPT
DELAYING THE VOTE BY ONE DAY (TO WEDNESDAY, MAY 30) ON THE
UNSCR TO ESTABLISH THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON IN
ORDER TO APPEASE RUSSIA. GRENET SAID THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION
IN NEW YORK WAS "VERY ANGRY" ABOUT U.S. PLANS TO PUT THE
RESOLUTION IN BLUE ON MAY 25, AND WAS CLAIMING THAT THE
PROPOSED U.S. TIMETABLE WOULD DEPRIVE OTHER DELEGATIONS OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MEANINGFUL COMMENTS ON THE TEXT.
GRENET ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A BOGUS ARGUMENT (AND SAID
THE FRENCH MISSION HAD POINTEDLY REMINDED THE RUSSIANS OF
THEIR REFUSAL TO COORDINATE ON THE TEXT AT THE P-5 LEVEL),
BUT BELIEVED THAT DELAYING THE VOTE BY ONE DAY WAS A SMALL
PRICE TO PAY IF IT KEPT THE RUSSIANS FROM MAKING MISCHIEF.
POLOFF REAFFIRMED OUR STRONG DESIRE TO REACH A VOTE ON
TUESDAY, MAY 29.
2. (C) GRENET WAS OPTIMISTIC, BASED ON INFORMATION
COMMUNICATED BY USUN TO THE FRENCH PERMREP ON MAY 24, THAT WE
HAVE THE REQUISITE VOTES TO PASS THE RESOLUTION. SHE
PAGE 03 RUEHFRA2194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
PREDICTED THAT ITALY WOULD SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION SO LONG AS
IT INCLUDED A "SUNRISE" CLAUSE SAYING THE RESOLUTION WOULD
ENTER INTO EFFECT ON JUNE 5 OR 6 (THE DATE, SHE SAID,
PROPOSED BY PM SINIORA'S ADVISOR MOHAMMED CHATTAH). GRENET
SAID FRANCE HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE ADDITION OF SUCH A
CLAUSE, ALTHOUGH SHE SAID THE MFA HAD NOT YET TAKEN A
POSITION ON WHICH DATE THE RESOLUTION SHOULD COME INTO
EFFECT. SHE NOTED THAT FRANCE STILL HAS NO CONFIRMATION THAT
SOUTH AFRICA WILL SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, DESPITE APPARENT
PROMISES TO THIS EFFECT GIVEN BY THE SOUTH AFRICANS TO
LEBANESE MAJORITY LEADER SAAD HARIRI.
PLEASE VISIT PARIS' CLASSIFIED WEBSITE AT:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/PARIS/INDEX.C FM
WHITE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/23/2017
TAGS: FR LE UNSC PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH CONSIDER DELAYING TRIBUNAL VOTE TO APPEASE
RUSSIANS
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).
PAGE 02 RUEHFRA2194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
1. (C) SELENA GRENET, THE MFA'S IO ACTION OFFICER FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST, TOLD US MAY 25 THAT FRANCE IS INCLINED TO ACCEPT
DELAYING THE VOTE BY ONE DAY (TO WEDNESDAY, MAY 30) ON THE
UNSCR TO ESTABLISH THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON IN
ORDER TO APPEASE RUSSIA. GRENET SAID THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION
IN NEW YORK WAS "VERY ANGRY" ABOUT U.S. PLANS TO PUT THE
RESOLUTION IN BLUE ON MAY 25, AND WAS CLAIMING THAT THE
PROPOSED U.S. TIMETABLE WOULD DEPRIVE OTHER DELEGATIONS OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MEANINGFUL COMMENTS ON THE TEXT.
GRENET ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A BOGUS ARGUMENT (AND SAID
THE FRENCH MISSION HAD POINTEDLY REMINDED THE RUSSIANS OF
THEIR REFUSAL TO COORDINATE ON THE TEXT AT THE P-5 LEVEL),
BUT BELIEVED THAT DELAYING THE VOTE BY ONE DAY WAS A SMALL
PRICE TO PAY IF IT KEPT THE RUSSIANS FROM MAKING MISCHIEF.
POLOFF REAFFIRMED OUR STRONG DESIRE TO REACH A VOTE ON
TUESDAY, MAY 29.
2. (C) GRENET WAS OPTIMISTIC, BASED ON INFORMATION
COMMUNICATED BY USUN TO THE FRENCH PERMREP ON MAY 24, THAT WE
HAVE THE REQUISITE VOTES TO PASS THE RESOLUTION. SHE
PAGE 03 RUEHFRA2194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002194
PREDICTED THAT ITALY WOULD SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION SO LONG AS
IT INCLUDED A "SUNRISE" CLAUSE SAYING THE RESOLUTION WOULD
ENTER INTO EFFECT ON JUNE 5 OR 6 (THE DATE, SHE SAID,
PROPOSED BY PM SINIORA'S ADVISOR MOHAMMED CHATTAH). GRENET
SAID FRANCE HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE ADDITION OF SUCH A
CLAUSE, ALTHOUGH SHE SAID THE MFA HAD NOT YET TAKEN A
POSITION ON WHICH DATE THE RESOLUTION SHOULD COME INTO
EFFECT. SHE NOTED THAT FRANCE STILL HAS NO CONFIRMATION THAT
SOUTH AFRICA WILL SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, DESPITE APPARENT
PROMISES TO THIS EFFECT GIVEN BY THE SOUTH AFRICANS TO
LEBANESE MAJORITY LEADER SAAD HARIRI.
PLEASE VISIT PARIS' CLASSIFIED WEBSITE AT:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/PARIS/INDEX.C FM
WHITE