FRANCE TO PROPOSE SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000365

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC AF
SUBJECT: FRANCE TO PROPOSE SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON
PRECURSORS/AFGHANISTAN

REF: 4/7 MOON/DELMAS-SCHERER E-MAIL

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JEFF DELAURENTIS, FOR REASO
NS 1.4 B/D


1. (C) Benoit Guidee, the expert on Afghanistan issues for
the French Mission to the UN, told POLOFF April 16 that
France would like to adopt a Security Council resolution on
the trafficking of chemical precursors in Afghanistan.
France will push to adopt such a resolution before the June
12 conference in Paris. Guidee said France has heard from
China, Russia, the UK and Afghanistan, all of whom are
generally in favor of the idea (although China said any draft
would have to take into account regional concerns, meaning
that Pakistan will need to be comfortable with it). He said
Paris has received feedback from the State Department, and
will likely propose a draft resolution within the coming
weeks. Regarding the State Department,s reported preference
for a Presidential Statement (PRST),Guidee said this
initiative is coming directly from the President,s office,
and it will be difficult to convince the Elysee to push for a
PRST instead of a resolution.


2. (C) In reaction to Afghanistan Coordinator Pat Moon,s
April 7 e-mail reply to the French Embassy in Washington,
Guidee went over the French proposal, and emphasized that the
purpose of a resolution is to reinforce the safeguards
already in place. The resolution would focus only on
precursors, and would avoid making any controversial
statements on the different approaches to combating the
illicit drug trade in Afghanistan. Guidee said Paris is in
the process of incorporating suggestions given by other
members of the P-5, and will likely send building blocks to
New York within the next two weeks.
Khalilzad