UNSCR CHAPTER VII ON ZIMBABWE: FRENCH SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001245 SIPDIS DEPART FOR IO/UNP GOLDENBERG USUN FOR DELAURENTIS AND MCBRIDE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KEDM UNSC ZI FR SUBJECT: UNSCR CHAPTER VII ON ZIMBABWE: FRENCH SUPPORT U.S. POSITION REF: A. STATE 69693 ¶B. PARIS 1183 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, 1.4 (b/d ). (C) French MFA UN Desk Officer Gurvan Le Bras informed us on July 1 that France entirely supported the USG's proposed UNSC resolution on Zimbabwe (ref A) and that the MFA had instructed its UN delegation in New York to follow up accordingly. When asked specifically if France had any problems with "the details" of our proposal, he said that France had no such problems. MFA Zimbabwe Desk Officer Isabelle de Boisgelen, in a separate July 1 conversation, offered similar comments, although she deferred to Le Bras in expressing the MFA's "official" response. She noted that France's position was consistent with recent statements French leaders had made concerning Zimbabwe and the election debacle (e.g., ref B). Le Bras commented that, while most observers shared our views of the Mugabe regime, unfortunately many of Zimbabwe's neighbors did not, and he noted the possibility that this could affect how the matter plays out in the Security Council and, if a resolution is adopted, in practice. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Fran ce STAPLETON