French rebuff lie about odd parts of their laissez-faire policy (3-12)

I believe the answer is:

non-intervention

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'policy' is the definition.
(I know that non-intervention is a type of foreign policy)

'french rebuff lie about odd parts of' is the wordplay.
'french rebuff' becomes 'non' ('no' in French).
'lie' becomes 'invention'.
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'odd parts of' becomes 'ter' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'invention' placed around 'ter' is 'intervention'.
'non'+'intervention'='NON-INTERVENTION'

'their laissez-faire' acts as a link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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