Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS599
2007-02-15 15:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH WELCOME SIX-PARTY TALKS AGREEMENT AS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHFR #0599 0461505 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 151505Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4948 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1395 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2444 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1934 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0588
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000599
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EUR/WE, ISN, VCI, AND T
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH WELCOME SIX-PARTY TALKS AGREEMENT AS
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
REF: A) STATE 18387 B) 02/14/2007 EMBASSY PARIS MEDIA
REPORT E-MAIL (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah
Rosenblatt, Reason
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000599
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EUR/WE, ISN, VCI, AND T
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH WELCOME SIX-PARTY TALKS AGREEMENT AS
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
REF: A) STATE 18387 B) 02/14/2007 EMBASSY PARIS MEDIA
REPORT E-MAIL (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah
Rosenblatt, Reason 1. 4 B/D
1. (C) On February 14, we shared ref A text of agreement
and nonpaper with key MFA offices, including the Asia
Directorate, the Nonproliferation and Disarmament
Directorate, the political Director's office, and the
Minister's Cabinet advisor for Strategic Affairs.
2. (C) Arnaud Mentre, nonproliferation desk officer
following the North Korea question, said France viewed the
agreement as a breakthrough and an important first step
toward the implementation of the 2005 Joint Statement.
Further, he noted that the MFA had obtained a copy of the
text of the Initial Actions for the Implementation of the
Joint Statement via the French embassy in Beijing. The MFA
is studying the agreement closely and will share its
observations with the Embassy and with ISN offices in
Washington.
3. (U) In terms of an initial official reaction, Mentre
pointed to the spokesperson's Feb 14 response to a question
on the agreement.
Begin text (informal translation)
France is pleased that the negotiators were able to succeed
in obtaining an agreement in the context of the Six. It is
an important first step in the negotiation process on the
North Korean nuclear question, which France fully
supports. France hopes that this negotiation process will
lead to concrete results, especially for the complete,
verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North
Korea, as well as for the implementation of the Joint
Statement of September 19, 2005. France calls again on
North Korea to abide by UNSC 1718.
End text
4. (U) Meanwhile, press reactions (ref b) have been
favorable, although cautious. Major French daily, Le
Monde, contrasted the successful outcome of negotiations on
North Korea with the more "belligerent" stance taken by the
USG towards Iran, highlighting the advantages of
diplomacy. The daily, Le Figaro, praised the United States
for this diplomatic breakthrough, which it attributed to
the Administration's more "pragmatic approach," in the wake
of the 2006 Congressional elections. Nonetheless, it
termed the agreement as "fragile." Le Figaro also noted
the contributions made by Beijing to the negotiation
process, and cautioned that, given past North Korea
behavior, this agreement may not be "a done deal." An
editorial by Jean-Christophe Ploquin in the daily, La
Croix, observed that the Bush Administration demonstrated
it could take the successful lead in negotiations and
wondered whether a similar approach might work with Iran.
"As long as the international community stays united," the
editorial notes, "the Iranian regime will have to chose
between pursuing its nuclear program, leading to further
isolation and the risk of air strikes, and renouncing its
nuclear program and establishing a privileged relationship
with the United States."
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EUR/WE, ISN, VCI, AND T
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN IR FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH WELCOME SIX-PARTY TALKS AGREEMENT AS
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
REF: A) STATE 18387 B) 02/14/2007 EMBASSY PARIS MEDIA
REPORT E-MAIL (NOTAL)
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah
Rosenblatt, Reason 1. 4 B/D
1. (C) On February 14, we shared ref A text of agreement
and nonpaper with key MFA offices, including the Asia
Directorate, the Nonproliferation and Disarmament
Directorate, the political Director's office, and the
Minister's Cabinet advisor for Strategic Affairs.
2. (C) Arnaud Mentre, nonproliferation desk officer
following the North Korea question, said France viewed the
agreement as a breakthrough and an important first step
toward the implementation of the 2005 Joint Statement.
Further, he noted that the MFA had obtained a copy of the
text of the Initial Actions for the Implementation of the
Joint Statement via the French embassy in Beijing. The MFA
is studying the agreement closely and will share its
observations with the Embassy and with ISN offices in
Washington.
3. (U) In terms of an initial official reaction, Mentre
pointed to the spokesperson's Feb 14 response to a question
on the agreement.
Begin text (informal translation)
France is pleased that the negotiators were able to succeed
in obtaining an agreement in the context of the Six. It is
an important first step in the negotiation process on the
North Korean nuclear question, which France fully
supports. France hopes that this negotiation process will
lead to concrete results, especially for the complete,
verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North
Korea, as well as for the implementation of the Joint
Statement of September 19, 2005. France calls again on
North Korea to abide by UNSC 1718.
End text
4. (U) Meanwhile, press reactions (ref b) have been
favorable, although cautious. Major French daily, Le
Monde, contrasted the successful outcome of negotiations on
North Korea with the more "belligerent" stance taken by the
USG towards Iran, highlighting the advantages of
diplomacy. The daily, Le Figaro, praised the United States
for this diplomatic breakthrough, which it attributed to
the Administration's more "pragmatic approach," in the wake
of the 2006 Congressional elections. Nonetheless, it
termed the agreement as "fragile." Le Figaro also noted
the contributions made by Beijing to the negotiation
process, and cautioned that, given past North Korea
behavior, this agreement may not be "a done deal." An
editorial by Jean-Christophe Ploquin in the daily, La
Croix, observed that the Bush Administration demonstrated
it could take the successful lead in negotiations and
wondered whether a similar approach might work with Iran.
"As long as the international community stays united," the
editorial notes, "the Iranian regime will have to chose
between pursuing its nuclear program, leading to further
isolation and the risk of air strikes, and renouncing its
nuclear program and establishing a privileged relationship
with the United States."
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON