Cablegate: France to Support Additional Sanctions On Burma

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P 021559Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
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UNCLAS PARIS 004130

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS ON BURMA

REF: STATE 12958

1. (SBU) On October 1 poloff delivered reftel demarche to
MFA desk officer for Burma, Jeremy Petit, who described
France,s position as "totally parallel" to the U.S.
position. Petit expects the EU to announce new sanctions on
Burma on October 3 and speculated these sanctions could add
names to the 400 individuals who were sanctioned under the
2006 EU Common Position on Burma. He also believes a
targeted trade embargo could be announced by the EU.

2. (SBU) Following up on France,s Secretary of State for
Human Rights Rama Yade effort to travel to Burma, Petit said
the Burmese mission has still not issued a visa. Petit
described the Burmese Mission to Paris as being in "total
disorder" and said that the Ambassador Saw Hla Min is a
military officer who does not speak English, the language the
French MFA uses to demarche the Burmese mission. He
complained Saw Hla Min does not have a handle on the key
political issues. Petit speculated that a visa for Rama Yade
would most likely never be issued.

3. (SBU) Poloff also met separately on September 28 with
MFA DAS equivalent Fabrice Mauries who reiterated that France
condemns the military crackdown and is working through the EU
and the UN to increase the pressure on Rangoon. As evidence
of a newly activist MFA, the French are also contacting ASEAN
members according to First Secretary Shaun Grosse from the
Singapore Embassy. Grosse told Poloff the French MFA will
demarche the Singaporeans on October 3. We do not know the
level of French demarches on ASEAN members.

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

Stapleton

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