Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PARIS244
2008-02-12 07:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH RESPONSE ON SUPPORTING LEBANON NOW
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C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000244
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2013
TAGS: PREL FR LE SY
SUBJECT: FRENCH RESPONSE ON SUPPORTING LEBANON NOW
REF: A. (A) STATE 10786
¶B. (B) PARIS 216
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4. (b),(d).
(C) French Presidency adviser on NEA issues Boris Boillon on
February 1 provided responses (as reported ref b) to many of
the points raised in ref a. MFA DAS-equivalent Ludovic
Pouille on February 8 provided a further French response:
--On the French contribution to the Special Tribunal on
Lebanon, Pouille understood that the decision was signed last
week to transfer 1.3 million euros to the UN and to hold the
remainder of the 4.5 million total contribution in reserve
for disbursement over three years. (Comment: French IO desk
officer Salina Grenet on February 11 clarified that France
had contributed 280,000 euros in 2007 and that the amount now
being transferred was to round the total for the first
tranche up to around 1.5 million euros. Granet noted that it
was key, in approaching other governments to contribute, to
ask that they do so over the entire three-year projected term
for the Tribunal and not just for the first year. She
suspected the Gulf states would end up providing the most
significant contributions. With respect to the EU, Granet
said that France hopes to keep the pressure on other EU
members in various upcoming fora. She indicated that a
number of EU members had pledged modest amounts, but it was
not clear for what duration. That was one of the things
Pouille hoped to sort out in some of the meetings planned in
the next few weeks. End comment)
--Regarding economic assistance to Lebanon for debt
repayment, France had delivered demarches to all the Gulf
states urging such aid. Saudi FM Saud al-Faisal, who visited
Paris February 7, told the French that GCC states would
collectively provide Lebanon USD 15 million.
--With respect to aid to the Lebanese military and internal
security forces, Pouille said that France was providing its
"usual cooperative assistance" but had no plans to go further
for the time being. He offered to discuss this subject
further with NEA DAS Rob Danin at discussions on Lebanon
planned for next week in London.
--Unilateral restrictions on senior-level travel between
France and Syria would continue, but Pouille repeated
longstanding objections to imposing formal sanctions. He
repeated what French Presidency NEA adviser Boris Boillon had
told us February 1 about French frustration over the EU's
inability to come to consensus on imposing and implementing
such restrictions.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON