Wikileaks - DCCXXVI

105030 4/19/2007 16:38 07PARIS1592 Embassy Paris CONFIDENTIAL 07STATE50177 VZCZCXYZ0010 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHFR #1592 1091638 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 191638Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6633 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0824 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0008 RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0711 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1472 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 6547 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0515 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0984 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1699 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6512 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5815 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 2103 RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY 0234 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 1041 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 8363 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE PRIORITY 0269 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0633 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2481 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0194 C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001592

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017 TAGS: PTER, KGIC, PARM, PREL, AM, CB, MK, RO, FR SUBJECT: FRANCE WANTS TO PLAY MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM

REF: STATE 50177

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASO NS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6.

2. (C) SUMMARY: After welcoming reftel demarche, MFA nuclear non-proliferation expert, Delphine Hournau, requested Washington's views on a larger role for the GOF in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. France is particularly interested in approaching eleven countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East for membership. They have already approached Morocco about the prospect of co-hosting a joint (France and Morocco) seminar aimed at recruiting certain Middle Eastern countries. The GOF has also requested views from Moscow. Embassy Paris requests guidance. END SUMMARY

3. (C) In Asia, France would like to approach India and Pakistan. The GOF believes that, ideally, the two countries would join concurrently, and that the concept should be presented as part of Pakistani/Indian renewed joint dialogue on regional security. In Europe, the GOF would like to discuss membership with Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the Middle East, France, in conjunction with the Moroccans, would like to approach Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Yemen. Morocco has not yet responded to the French request to co-host an informational seminar on the Global Initiative for the Middle Eastern countries listed above.

4. (C) Hournau further explained that earlier that day, the Egyptian Minister Counselor for Political Affairs had seen the French MFA PDAS-equivalent for Strategic Affairs Francois Richier to elicit more information on the Global Initiative. Richier, she said, encouraged Egypt to adopt the principles and become a member of the Initiative before the Astana meeting.

5. (C) Poloff explained that the U.S. and Russia had already approached a number of countries, including many, if not all, of those listed by France. Poloff welcomed France's enthusiasm about the Global Initiative and agreed to seek Washington's views on their proposal.

6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Paris requests Washington's response to the GOF's interest in approaching the eleven countries listed above. Embassy Paris further requests permission to share relevant parts (information about the responses of the 11 countries above) of the Global Initiative Situation Report with French MFA officials in order to demonstrate transparency concerning membership recruitment and avoid any potential misunderstanding.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

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