Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARIS339
2009-03-10 09:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FOR FRANCE, TAC ACCESSION A POSITIVE SYMBOL FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO4933 PP RUEHDT RUEHPB DE RUEHFR #0339 0690948 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 100948Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5709 INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 2535
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000339
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS EAP/RSP AND L/ESA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KTIA ASEAN FR
SUBJECT: FOR FRANCE, TAC ACCESSION A POSITIVE SYMBOL FOR
ASEAN TIES, NOT A POLICY TOOL
REF: STATE 20228
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Kathleen H. Allegrone, reas
ons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000339
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS EAP/RSP AND L/ESA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KTIA ASEAN FR
SUBJECT: FOR FRANCE, TAC ACCESSION A POSITIVE SYMBOL FOR
ASEAN TIES, NOT A POLICY TOOL
REF: STATE 20228
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Kathleen H. Allegrone, reas
ons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) France's January 2007 accession to the
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) with ASEAN has
had positive symbolic value but little policy
impact, Florent Aydalot, the MFA's Special Advisor
on ASEAN affairs, told us March 9. Signing on to
the treaty sent a clear signal that France has a
special interest in Southeast Asia, Aydalot said,
adding that accession helped amplify France's voice
with ASEAN. But when bilateral differences arise
with countries in the region, such as with Burma
over human rights, the TAC has no application in
discussions. Such issues are handled bilaterally.
In this context, acceding to the treaty has caused
no particular problems for France, Aydalot
emphasized.
2. (C) One bitter side to France's agreement on the
TAC was the irritation the move caused many of its
European partners, Aydalot said. He related that
then as now, the EU was trying to negotiate a
modification to ASEAN rules to allow for regional
groupings (in addition to individual states) to sign
onto TACs. Some EU member states were upset at the
time because they perceived that France moving on
its own undermined European unity in the talks,
Aydalot maintained (France is the only EU member
state to have acceded to the treaty). One stumbling
block is continued Chinese opposition to EU TAC
accession, he said. Nonetheless, he predicted the
EU and ASEAN will likely reach an accord in summer
2009. "Then France will be doubly covered," Aydalot
quipped.
3. (C) There was little public or political debate
domestically about French TAC accession, Aydalot
recalled. He stressed that the government catalyst
for the initiative in 2006 was Herve Ladsous, then
the Assistant Secretary-equivalent for Asian Affairs
and currently France's Ambassador in Beijing.
Neither parliament nor any other government body
produced reports or statements with respect to legal
or political concerns related to the TAC, Aydalot
said. Post has scanned and sent to EAP/RSP an
official French declaration from January 13, 2007
that accompanied France's instrument of accession.
PEKALA
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS EAP/RSP AND L/ESA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KTIA ASEAN FR
SUBJECT: FOR FRANCE, TAC ACCESSION A POSITIVE SYMBOL FOR
ASEAN TIES, NOT A POLICY TOOL
REF: STATE 20228
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Kathleen H. Allegrone, reas
ons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) France's January 2007 accession to the
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) with ASEAN has
had positive symbolic value but little policy
impact, Florent Aydalot, the MFA's Special Advisor
on ASEAN affairs, told us March 9. Signing on to
the treaty sent a clear signal that France has a
special interest in Southeast Asia, Aydalot said,
adding that accession helped amplify France's voice
with ASEAN. But when bilateral differences arise
with countries in the region, such as with Burma
over human rights, the TAC has no application in
discussions. Such issues are handled bilaterally.
In this context, acceding to the treaty has caused
no particular problems for France, Aydalot
emphasized.
2. (C) One bitter side to France's agreement on the
TAC was the irritation the move caused many of its
European partners, Aydalot said. He related that
then as now, the EU was trying to negotiate a
modification to ASEAN rules to allow for regional
groupings (in addition to individual states) to sign
onto TACs. Some EU member states were upset at the
time because they perceived that France moving on
its own undermined European unity in the talks,
Aydalot maintained (France is the only EU member
state to have acceded to the treaty). One stumbling
block is continued Chinese opposition to EU TAC
accession, he said. Nonetheless, he predicted the
EU and ASEAN will likely reach an accord in summer
2009. "Then France will be doubly covered," Aydalot
quipped.
3. (C) There was little public or political debate
domestically about French TAC accession, Aydalot
recalled. He stressed that the government catalyst
for the initiative in 2006 was Herve Ladsous, then
the Assistant Secretary-equivalent for Asian Affairs
and currently France's Ambassador in Beijing.
Neither parliament nor any other government body
produced reports or statements with respect to legal
or political concerns related to the TAC, Aydalot
said. Post has scanned and sent to EAP/RSP an
official French declaration from January 13, 2007
that accompanied France's instrument of accession.
PEKALA