SARKOZY PRESS CONFERENCE ON FOREIGN POLICY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000777

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SIPDIS

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TAGS: PREL FR EUN UNO NATO IR MNUC IS KPAL
SUBJECT: SARKOZY PRESS CONFERENCE ON FOREIGN POLICY



1. SUMMARY: Interior Minister and center-right presidential
candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, appearing relaxed and confident in
a February 28 press conference and Q-and-A session, laid out
a foreign policy vision that focused straight-forwardly on
strengthening Europe, preserving the importance of the
Transatlantic relationship (including NATO as well as EU/ESDP
and adequate defense expenditures),and promoting the
"universal" values of human rights and liberty throughout the
world (over stability leading to immobility). Sarkozy
praised President Chirac's policies on the Balkans, Iraq,
Lebanon, climate change (where he urged the U.S. to set a
better example),and cultural diversity, but called for a
more critical approach toward Russia and China, and, on
Africa, reducing France's military presence and a foreign
policy based less on personal relationships. (More
generally, he argued for a foreign policy no longer
considered purely the "private reserve" of the Presidency.)
Sarkozy advocated for a relationship of confidence with the
U.S. that would respect the EU's and France's freedom to
differ and autonomy (his opposition to Turkish EU membership
was cited as an example),and suggested indirectly it was
perhaps time for France to extend its nuclear deterrent to
its neighbors. Calling Europe his number one priority, he
reiterated his call for a "mini-treaty" focused on
institutional reform and gradually increasing the policy
domains subject to double majority voting.


2. SUMMARY CONT'D: On the Middle East, Sarkozy stressed the
importance of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear
weapons capability and proposed an international nuclear fuel
authority to extend economic and technological development to
the South as insurance against terrorism. He stressed the
importance of supporting moderate Arabs over extremists,
urged success in Lebanon, supported a secure Israel and
viable Palestinian state, saw a need for "setting a horizon"
for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and called for French
leadership in creating a Mediterranean Union as Europe's
partner.


3. SUMMARY CONT'D: Sarkozy repeated familiar French views
on multilateralism and strengthening and enlarging the UN
Security Council (NATO should not compete with the UN),with
no references to putative U.S. unilateralism. He defended
the European "economic patriotism" and called for greater
French economic and commercial engagement, particularly in
Asia (where he suggested France also needed to move more of
its diplomatic resources). He welcomed competition from
China and others, including in Africa, provided that China
also played by the established rules. END SUMMARY.

INTRODUCTION


5. Outlining his foreign policy priorities during a February
28 press conference and follow-up question-and-answer period
(it was not a formal policy address),Interior Minister and
center-right presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy stated
that foreign policy was not a constant. As the world
changed, France needed to adapt. International developments
were important, given France,s worldwide engagements,
including military and diplomatic presence and its two
million French citizens residing overseas. Two major events
in recent time had altered French perspectives. First was
the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 and second was 9/11, the
latter effectively putting an end to the post-cold war period
and highlighting terrorism as a major threat.


6. Sarkozy praised the foreign policy of President Chirac,
citing his decision to be engaged in the Balkans since 1995,
his desire to avoid the Iraq war, ongoing support for
Lebanon's sovereignty, climate change, and defense of
cultural diversity. He emphasized that foreign policy should
be about vision and doctrine, joking that at the MFA, an
obtuse policy is seen as one that can,t fail. He was
adamant that French policy would ensure that France
maintained its freedom and independence of action.

EUROPE


7. Sarkozy said Europeans needed to take more responsibility
in the world. There was general agreement on direction, but
Europeans had not generated the power to match. It was not
surprising that Europe was more often a spectator, an
executor of policy, or a financial contributor rather than an
active player. As a first remedy, he proposed adoption of a
simplified Treaty to overcome the problem of the rejected
constitutional treaty. The aim would not be to remake
Europe, but to get its institutions functioning and on track.
He called for the creation of a European Foreign Minister,
an enlarged role for European Parliament, a reinforced
General Council, and increasing the number of policy domains
subject to qualified majority voting. Sarkozy concluded by
noting that while each of the 27 EU member states had the
right to say "no," none should have the right to block others

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from moving forward, i.e., the principle of unanimity needs
to be done away with.

SECURITY


8. Sarkozy stressed the importance of ensuring the security
of France, and maintaining the independence of Europe. On
the latter point, he noted that France and the United States
were old friends that needed to respect each other,s freedom
and remain free to disagree on occasion. It was also
essential to maintain France,s nuclear shield. He suggested
the French nuclear shield might eventually be extended to its
neighbors, given linkages between French interests and those
of its European neighbors. The protection of French
interests required the continued modernization of French
armaments, with proper oversight.


9. Turning to transatlantic security, Sarkozy observed that
Americans and Europeans alike needed NATO and ESDP. There
was significant overlap in ESDP and NATO membership already,
he added, but also a number of European countries that
belonged to only one organization. Sarkozy warned against
NATO exceeding its defense role and seeking to become a
competitor to the UN. Also, given that Europe was no longer
the center of U.S. priorities, Europe needed to be able to
defend itself. Sarkozy firmly stated that he would ensure
that defense spending not drop below 2 percent of GDP -- this
was the price of maintaining a free and influential France.
He called on his European partners to spend more on defense,
as it was not sustainable that the UK and France were called
on to cover roughly 40 percent of European defense
expenditures.


10. In an indirect swipe at the socialist candidate,
Segolene Royal, who earlier advocated cuts in defense
spending in favor of a larger education budget, Sarkozy noted
that "it would be irresponsible to tell the French public
that they have to choose between their children,s education
and security." A president had a duty to ensure both, he
added. Sarkozy made a plug in defense of a strong
intelligence capability, as well as for the necessity to move
forward on the construction of a second aircraft (Royal said
she would cancel the second carrier). The second carrier was
essential to project strength and to respond to any threat to
French interests, Sarkozy concluded. He touched on European
plans to construct its transport plane, the A400M.

IRAN


11. Sarkozy termed the Iranian nuclear question as the most
important foreign policy issue today. A nuclear armed Iran
was unacceptable, he emphasized. An Iran armed with nuclear
weapons would lead to an arms race in the region and pose a
threat to Israel and southern Europe. Sanctions were
therefore important and were proving effective. Sarkozy
advocated the creation, under IAEA and UN supervision, of a
world bank of nuclear materials to foreclose the need for
states to pursue the enrichment process. The provision of
nuclear energy would greatly help alleviate misery in the
underdeveloped world and preclude the growth of terrorism.
It was important to show that energy was not just for the
rich, he added.

ENVIRONMENT


12. Sarkozy voiced support for Kyoto, however weak, as a
good approach to protecting the environment. The U.S. should
lead by example. Meanwhile, he called on China, Brazil,
India and Russia to recognize that, to be considered world
players, they must also abide by these same Kyoto
restrictions. Separately, he took note that the WTO has not
done enough on environment.

PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND LIBERTY
(OR TRANSFORMATIONAL DIPLOMACY IN A MINOR KEY)


13. Sarkozy rejected the notion that some parts of the world
"are not ready for democracy" and asserted that values and
interests can go together in a way that combines idealism and
realism. "Realpolitik" was not always realistic, and a
policy focused only on stability leads to immobility.
Silence was a crime on issues such as Chechnya and Darfur,
and major countries such as China and Russia could not afford
to ignore human rights.

MIDDLE EAST


14. Turning to the Middle East, Sarkozy said the key was to
strengthen the hands of moderates against radicals. In
Lebanon, this meant also ridding the country of foreign
interference. He reiterated his call for a solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian crisis that would protect Israel's
security and guarantee a viable Palestinian state, and called

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for increased European engagement. On Iraq, premature
withdrawal would lead to chaos, but there needed to be the
prospect of withdrawal as well as an understanding within a
sovereign government on power and resource sharing among
communities.

MEDITERRANEAN UNION


15. In closing remarks, Sarkozy proposed that the European
dream be extended to the Mediterranean under French
leadership. The Barcelona process was not adequate; France
should encourage a Mediterranean Union in the areas of
immigration, economy, human rights and the environment.
Europe had a vital interest in forming an alliance with the
Mediterranean.

AFRICA


16. On Africa, Sarkozy said French youth did not understand
the purpose of French bases on that continent. It was time
to build a partnership with the African Union and limit the
French presence to a minimum. In answer to a question, he
welcomed the presence of the U.S., India and China, which had
the potential for increasing job opportunities, so long as
all parties played by the rules. The challenges of Africa
today would be those of France tomorrow. He later specified
that it was improper for China to offer assistance and
contracts with no strings attached.

PROMOTING ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS


17. Sarkozy defended the idea of a "European preference,"
insisting that the U.S., Chinese, and Japanese had their own
national preferences and that France would insist on
reciprocity. He welcomed competition, so long as it was
based on reciprocity and equal access and anti-dumping.
Responding to a question about France's diplomatic presence,
he called for shifting personnel from Europe to Asia.

THE VIRTUES OF MULTILATERALISM


18. In the way of a conclusion, Sarkozy praised
multilateralism and called for a legitimate and effective UN.
He advocated an enlargement of the UN Security Council,
representative of the world's regions and based on
considerations of population, economic contributions, and --
important for him -- troop contributions to peacekeeping
operations. Acknowledging the difficulty of reaching
consensus, he proposed consideration of possible transitional
arrangements for access to permanent seat status.

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