SETTLEMENTS UNSCR: FRENCH URGE USG AGREE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001284 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2013 TAGS: PREL PTER KPAL KWBG UNSC FR PA IS SUBJECT: SETTLEMENTS UNSCR: FRENCH URGE USG AGREE TO NEGOTIATE ON BASIS OF LIBYAN DRAFT REF: USUN 595 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso ns 1.4. (b),(d). ¶1. (C) During a conversation mostly focused on Syria/Lebanon (reported septel),French MFA DAS-equivalent for the Levant Ludovic Pouille on July 8 asked that the USG consider negotiations on the wording of a UNSCR based on the Libyan draft currently in play. He understood the draft had not been put in blue July 7 as expected per reftel but that would probably happen today. In any case, he agreed that the draft would be put to a vote before the end of the week (and thus would not wait until after the July 13 summit of Arab, other Mediterranean countries, and the EU in Paris. ¶2. (C) Clearly delivering a demarche, Pouille urged the USG to bring its preferred language to the table and pledged French support to secure its incorporation. The French understand the desire of some Arabs to resist turning the draft resolution into an omnibus that would dilute the focus on Israeli settlement activity, but they believe the Libyans are open to good faith negotiation and have already accepted the principle of adding language on terrorism and the roadmap. Above all, the French want to avoid putting the USG, as sponsor of the Annapolis process, in the position of having to cast a veto and believe the best way to prevent this from happening is to declare its willingness to work with the current text. ¶3. (C) Comment: Pouille said the French MFA has already issued instructions to the French mission in New York congruent with this approach. He confided that the French mission had the strong impression that the U.S. mission was frozen and awaiting instructions from Washington. His concern was that we make a decision today whether we will engage on the basis of the Libyan text and communicate it to New York before the prospect of a veto becomes a fait accompli. End comment Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Fran ce STAPLETON