ENGAGING FRANCE ON MEK REFUSAL TO COMPROMISE WITH

S E C R E T PARIS 001291 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2019 TAGS: CASC PREL PTER IR IZ FR SUBJECT: ENGAGING FRANCE ON MEK REFUSAL TO COMPROMISE WITH GOI REF: STATE 93125 Classified By: Pol M/C Kathy Allegrone for Reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C/NF) On September 17, POLOFF met with French MFA Middle East DAS Jean-Baptiste Faivre to discuss possible French outreach to the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) per reftel. Faivre, who is newly arrived, was familiar with the PMOI's presence in Paris and the Mujahedin-e-Khalq's (MEK) violent July confrontation with Iraqi security forces, but he did not immediately know of a communications channel to reach Maryam Rajavi or other PMOI leadership in Paris. He explained that the Government of France (GOF) had not been in favor of removing the PMOI from the European Union's Terrorist List and only agreed to do so for other political considerations. Therefore, the GOF had not developed normal communications with the group. However, Faivre agreed with our demarche request and he offered to work with other MFA personnel to find a way to reach the PMOI. ¶2. (S/NF) In a follow-on meeting, Faivre reported that Foreign Minister Kouchner's Advisor on the Middle East, Fabrice Mauries, had told him the GOF's relationship, or lack thereof, with the PMOI was so strained that it was very doubtful the GOF would make official contact with the group. Faivre added that he had also asked French intelligence services to investigate informal methods of contacting the PMOI. He offered to report back in the near future. RIVKIN