"LUKE-WARM" FRENCH-RUSSIAN MARCH 11 SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000456 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN STATE ALSO FOR AF/C E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018 TAGS: PARM PGOV RU CD SU FR SUBJECT: "LUKE-WARM" FRENCH-RUSSIAN MARCH 11 SECURITY TALKS; PRODUCE CONDITIONAL OFFER OF HELICOPTERS FOR EUFOR IN CHAD Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASO NS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C//NF) In a meeting on March 12, French MFA officials characterized French/Russian March 11 security talks as "luke-warm," and producing almost no results. Alexandre Vulic, the MFA's DAS-equivalent for Russia, told us that the day-long annual talks between foreign and defense ministers, known as the "French-Russian Council of Cooperation on Security Issues," or "CCQS," addressed, but made no progress on a number of key issues including EU-Russia defense cooperation, missile defense in the framework of NATO, the CFE Treaty, counterterrorism, non-profileration, Iran, as well as regional crises such as Kosovo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Chad, Darfur, and Afghanistan. Vulic described Russian positions as generally predictable, adding that FM Lavrov was in "typical form" (referring to his style of making declarations),while "Minister Serdioukov was technically present, but only in body." ¶2. (C//NF) According to Vulic, Lavrov informed the French that Putin has made a political decision to provide France with helicopters for the EUFOR's Chad mission, however certain conditions would need to be met such as limited Russian control over the use of the equipment and political recognition for their contribution. The French noted that the GOF would need to study the conditions more carefully before accepting the offer. Vulic also highlighted French surprise at a suggestion by Lavrov that Russia was reviewing the question of the free flow of people and arms between mainland Russia and its Kaliningrad enclave. The French and Russian ministers held an uneventful press conference following their meetings. Lavrov and Serdioukov were also received by President Sarkozy, though only a short statement was released, and there was no official media coverage. (Note: Vulic did not attend with the Minister's lunch nor the meeting with President Sarkozy, and was not fully briefed on those meetings.) Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON