FRENCH ON SERBIA: QUIET OPPOSITION TO ICJ, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001647 SIPDIS EUR/SCE FOR SHIRATORI E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018 TAGS: PREL UNGA UN KV FR SUBJECT: FRENCH ON SERBIA: QUIET OPPOSITION TO ICJ, AND OTHER UPDATES REF: A. STATE 91908 ¶B. PARIS POINTS FOR AUGUST 1 ¶C. BRUCHON EMAIL TO EUR-SCE-DL ON AUGUST 7 ¶D. STATE 82494 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Kathleen Allegrone for reas ons 1.4 (B & D). ¶1. (C) On August 28, MFA desk officer for Serbia Felix Buttin, along with Kosovo desk officer Herve Boisguillaume, provided updates in French thinking on the Serbian proposal for an ICJ resolution, progress in the EU's interim trade agreement with Serbia, and the lifting of the Karadzic family's travel restrictions. In response to reftel A, Buttin reported that France, like us, does not wish to make a show of public opposition to Serbia's proposal. He said the French are not demarching UNGA members on the subject, but are waiting to see whose opinions (including perhaps the Serbs) shift with the recent developments in Georgia. He noted that France, like the U.S., explicitly rejects any parallels between Kosovo and South Ossetia or Abkhazia. He also noted an explicit desire to "dedramatize" the subject in New York. ¶2. (C) Following on ref B, Buttin said no movement will occur regarding the EU,s interim trade agreement with Serbia before ICTY Chief Prosecutor Brammerz's trip to Belgrade September 10-11. Buttin said that Kouchner's travels to Belgrade are still on hold due to the busy pace of events, but that they could meet as soon as on the margins of UNGA. ¶3. (C) Closing the loop regarding Karadzic family travel restrictions (ref D),Boisguillaume said the COREPER will move in early September to implement the EU's early August decision to lift the restrictions. Boisguillaume said that in the future the French will keep in mind that further coordination with the U.S. would be helpful before any such decisions are made. He expressed regret that he had been unable to get more clarity on the situation as it unfolded (ref C),noting that the EU had moved very fast in committee after the High Representative for Bosnia's July 30 decision to return the family's travel documents. He said the High Rep's July 30 announcement said the decision had been taken after consultation with "relevant international... partners and institutions." Those "consultations" did not include the French Embassy, however, and Boisguillaume questioned whether it included the U.S. Embassy, laughing with Buttin that French intelligence services were also caught off guard by the announcement. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Fran ce PEKALA