Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARIS889
2007-03-08 10:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

A/S BOUCHER'S MEETING WITH HIS MFA COUNTERPART ON

Tags:  PREL FR ZK 
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VZCZCXRO9581
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHFR #0889/01 0671011
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 081011Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5443
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0146
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0006
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 0326
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 0030
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5767
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 0211
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000889 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2017
TAGS: PREL FR ZK
SUBJECT: A/S BOUCHER'S MEETING WITH HIS MFA COUNTERPART ON
CENTRAL ASIA


PARIS 00000889 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASO
NS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000889

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2017
TAGS: PREL FR ZK
SUBJECT: A/S BOUCHER'S MEETING WITH HIS MFA COUNTERPART ON
CENTRAL ASIA


PARIS 00000889 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASO
NS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Jean-Francois Terral, A/S-equivalent for
non-EU Europe and Central Asia, told Assistant Secretary for
South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher on March 1
that France supported Germany,s engagement in Central Asia
and fully backed EU Special Representative (EUSR) Pierre
Morel,s strategy. Terral welcomed Turkmenistan Foreign
Minister Meredov,s agreement to attend an EU Troika/Central
Asian Foreign Ministers, meeting in Astana to discuss the
new EU strategy, calling it a positive political signal.
Terral was pessimistic, however, about Turkmenistan,s
ability to make significant progress, adding that France was
in a "wait and see" mode. He expressed concern over
Uzbekistan,s cancellation of a second round of talks with
the EU on Andijon and stressed that he and his counterparts
in other member states were lobbying the Uzbeks to
reconsider. On Kazakhstan,s Organization for Security
Cooperation in Europe 2009 Chairmanship bid, Terral agreed
with Boucher that the Kazakhstanis needed to show results on
reform, though he noted that he is concerned France would
likely be satisfied with a "fig leaf." Terral also concurred
with Boucher,s judgment that Kyrgyzstan was in disarray. He
described the situation as regime collapse, followed by chaos
and power grabbing. Boucher saw EU Special Representative
Morel on the margins of the meeting with Terral. They
discussed the EU dialogue with Uzbekistan, the OSCE 2009
Chairmanship bid by Kazakhstan, and Morel,s upcoming
travels. END SUMMARY

FRANCE SUPPORTS GERMANY AND MOREL
--------------


2. (C) Terral told Boucher on March 1 that while France had
"no new or original ideas on the situation," it was following
Germany,s lead on Central Asia and was supportive of its
efforts. He added that his bureau was the "back office" for
EU Special Representative Pierre Morel and stressed that
"France and Germany would guarantee a satisfactory
continuation" of the EU strategy in the region throughout the
Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies. Terral said that the
EU would hold a meeting of Central Asia Foreign Ministers in

Astana on March 28, where the EU troika would present its new
strategy for the region. Turkmenistan Foreign Minister
Meredov has already agreed to attend, something the EU saw as
a good political signal on regional cooperation. Terral also
expressed hope that the EU plan would lead to more
constructive and organized dialogue with Russia about the
region; the Russians "feel at home" in Central Asia, he said.

WAIT AND SEE IN TURKMENISTAN
--------------


3. (C) Boucher explained U.S. thinking on Turkmenistan,
including efforts to engage with the newly elected government
on reform and energy issues, as well the need for the
international community to express encouragement. Terral
responded that, "I have no idea about Turkmenistan. Everyone
is excited, but I think we will just wait and see." He
estimated that expectations about progress in the country may
be exaggerated. "The Turkmen are saying some good things,"
he said, but once the regime is threatened by change, Terral
feared it would slip back into old habits. Getting
Turkmenistan out of Russia,s grip, he surmised, was the most
serious challenge.

EU/UZBEKISTAN AND ANDIJON
--------------


4. (C) Terral flatly stated that France did not care for the
Karimov regime but was also not in favor of isolating it. He
judged EU efforts to engage in dialogue as essential and said
that France supported opening a second track (in addition to
human rights) of talks on security. Islamic radicals, Terral
said, posed a security concern for Uzbekistan, and by
extension, the entire region. Terral informed Boucher that
Uzbekistan had just cancelled a second round of talks with
the EU on Andijon, and that he and his European counterparts
would be lobbying for reconsideration. Boucher noted that
any lifting of sanctions should only come as the result of
demonstrated progress on the part of the Karimov regime.

KAZAKHSTAN; OSCE 2009
--------------

PARIS 00000889 002.2 OF 002




5. (C) Kazakhstan is the most important country in the region
for France, Terral noted. The vast amounts of energy
resources and uranium deposits make the country strategically
significant. He agreed with Boucher,s assessment that
Kazakhstan needed to invest more in its neighbors, and said
the EU would encourage the Kazakhstanis to do more in
Turkmenistan. Unfortunately, Terral noted, Chirac would not
be going to Astana as originally planned, which diminished
the opportunities for any serious bilateral engagement.


6. (C) Terral agreed with Boucher on the need to see
demonstrated progress on democratic reform before endorsing
Kazakhstan for the OSCE 2009 Chairmanship, and expressed
concern that France would likely be convinced by a "fig
leaf." He noted, however, that the EU message to Kazakhstan
was the same in substance as that of the U.S. Boucher said we
wanted to support the Kazakhstani bid but would need some
substantial advancements from Nazerbayev, such as judicial
reform and the transfer of some powers to parliament as
outlined in his recent speech.

KYRGYZSTAN
--------------


7. (C) Kyrgyzstan, Terral said, was in complete disarray. He
dismissed the idea of a revolution in the country,
characterizing the situation as a regime collapse which was
followed by chaos and power grabbing. He was not optimistic
that the government would find stability in the near term.

PIERRE MOREL
--------------


8. (C) Boucher met briefly with EU Special Representative
Pierre Morel on the margins of his meeting with Terral.
Morel briefed on his efforts to get Uzbekistan to come to a
previously agreed second meeting with the EU to discuss human
rights and Andijon. He was not surprised at the Uzbek move,
but thought it was in everyone,s best interest to get them
back at the table. Boucher said Deputy Assistant Secretary
Feigenbaum was in Tashkent and could assist, if asked. Morel
said he preferred handling it through EU channels for the
moment, but did not rule out U.S. intervention at a later
time. Morel confirmed the March 28 EU Troika meeting with
Foreign Ministers and said he saw Meredov,s confirmed
attendance as an excellent political signal. Boucher briefly
touched on the U.S. position regarding Kazakhstan,s OSCE
2009 Chairmanship bid, to which Morel said he "completely
agreed."

COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) Terral was not well briefed nor particularly engaged
on the issues. His relaxed attitude likely reflects his
imminent departure to become the new French Ambassador to
Serbia. It was clear, however, that France is working
closely at the COEST level with the Germans and EUSR Pierre
Morel to move the EU agenda in the region forward.


10. (U) This message has been cleared by SCA Senior Advisor
Caitlin Hayden.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

STAPLETON