ZIMBABWE: FRENCH DENY PUSHING FOR RELAXATION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000616 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2019 TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV ECON ZI UK FR SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: FRENCH DENY PUSHING FOR RELAXATION IN SANCTIONS REGIME REF: LONDON 955 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Gregory D'Elia, 1.4. (b/d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Officials at the MFA deny that France is pushing for a more lenient EU sanctions regime regarding Zimbabwe, although signs of possible positive movement could lead to a situation that would warrant a more lenient policy. The French want the UK, whose views they claim may be changing, to play a more active role in shaping EU policies on Zimbabwe. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Following receipt of reftel, we asked MFA Zimbabwe desk officer Isabelle de Boisgelen and AF DAS-equivalent Francois Barateau on April 28 if there were any movement on France's part toward a possible relaxation of sanctions on Zimbabwe. They claimed there was not, with Boisgelen later commenting on May 4 that France's position was quite similar to the position articulated by Department spokesperson Wood at the May 1 press briefing. ¶3. (C/NF) On April 30, we met with Charlotte Montel (protect),AF-advisor in FM Kouchner's cabinet, who was present at the April 21 UK-France meeting reported reftel and who provided a more nuanced response than her MFA AF colleagues. After Montel first briefed on the April 21 UK-France discussion of Sudan/Darfur (See May 4 Paris Points),we asked whether Zimbabwe had also figured at that meeting. Montel said that Zimbabwe and the issue of sanctions did arise. To her, the most notable point was UK Minister Malloch-Brown's admission that the UK's long-standing hard-line position on Zimbabwe, in Malloch-Brown's own words, "was wrong," in light of the progress, albeit incremental, that had taken place since MDC opposition leader Tsvangirai agreed to join the government. Montel said that Malloch-Brown indicated that the UK would have to rethink its policies if the "glass was now half full." ¶4. (C) The French, according to Montel, had urged the UK to play a more active leadership role within the EU now that positive change in Zimbabwe might be possible. Montel explained that the EU tended to look to the UK for leadership on Zimbabwe, and EU unity was breaking down, with some of the Scandinavians ending their bilateral sanctions against Zimbabwe and with other EU members possibly ready to follow suit. Speaking carefully, Montel said that the French did not press the UK to ease sanctions on April 21 but rather hoped that the UK would acknowledge potentially positive changes that could make a less aggressive EU sanctions policy warranted at some point. PEKALA