CONSTRUCTIVE OUTCOME FROM THE GOLDSTONE REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001300

SIPDIS

PASS TO IO/RHS ENAV AND RAZZOUK
NEA/IPA GIAUQUE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019
TAGS: KISL KPAL PHUM PREL PTER IS FR
SUBJECT: CONSTRUCTIVE OUTCOME FROM THE GOLDSTONE REPORT

REF: STATE 98567

Classified By: Acting Pol M/C Andrew Young for Reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) On September 23, POLOFF met with French MFA Deputy
Middle East DAS Frederick Bereyziat to deliver talking points
per reftel. Bereyziat said the Government of France (GOF)
had been debating the findings of the Goldstone Report for
the past three days to finalize its position. Although a
recommendation had been sent to Foreign Minister Kouchner, he
had not yet approved it. He added that Sweden as president
of the European Union (EU) had circulated common talking
points to all EU members, but a debate was still progress
with some EU members and specifically with the Czech Republic
which did not agree with Sweden's recommendations.


2. (C) Bereyziat said he expected the GOF's final position
would be very close to that of the USG's and that France
would not/not give a blanket endorsement the Report.
However, he said three unresolved issues remained. First,
whether the GOF would agree with the suggested EU position
that the Goldstone Report was a serious fact finding effort
despite the fact the EU disagrees with the report's legal
recommendations and specifically regarding human rights
violations. Second, Bereyziat was 80 percent sure that
France would not recommend to matter be sent to the
International Criminal Court. Third, France would probably
ask that the debate of the report be kept at the Human Rights
Council, but it might not object that it be submitted to UN
Secretary General Ban for his review. Bereyziat closed by
saying the GOF's main goal was to keep the Middle East peace
process on track.
RIVKIN