Cablegate: Media Reaction: Africa; Econimic Issues/Wto;

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002173

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAN, WHA/PDA
WHITE HOUSE PASS NSC/WEUROPE, NSC/WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP OPRC CA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFRICA; ECONIMIC ISSUES/WTO;
MIDDLE EAST

AFRICA
1. "The Plague"
Editorialist Mario Roy wrote in the centrist La Presse
(7/29): "Five years ago the main obstacle to fighting
AIDS was the cost: $10,000 per year per patient. Today
AIDS victims can be treated for less than a dollar a
day. Important financial contributions are presently
being made: the main donors are the United States,
Great Britain, the World Bank and the Gates Foundation.
More have been announced: the White House pledged $15
billion over the next five years - although Congress
has pared down that figure - and the E.U. has pledged
$5 billion. Other problems remain: patents...logistics
and culture. The latter two being the most difficult to
solve.... Speaking before the African Union early this
month, Kofi Annan said Africa has to take its own
responsibilities and that at all levels, the fight
against AIDS should be the top priority. This implies
defusing conflicts, democratizing and fighting
corruption. That is a much taller order than smashing
shop windows, but it is the only thing that can really
work."

ECONIMIC ISSUES/WTO
2. "Leaving the jungle behind"
Editorialist Jean-Marc Salvet wrote in the centrist Le
Soleil (7/29): "The UN Report points out that the
subsidies given to the American cotton farmers are
three times bigger than American Aid to sub-Saharan
Africa. And that each European dairy cow gets more
support than Europe gives to each human being in that
same African region.... Unless one prefers the law of
the jungle, it goes without saying that an agreement on
agriculture and drugs will be better than no agreement
at all. Not to discuss these topics would favor the
status quo. The Montreal mini-summit is not a calamity
but an opportunity. We need to strive for more
regulations of international trade; we need fair
regulations. Otherwise the law of the jungle will keep
on prevailing."

MIDDLE EAST
3. "Ariel Sharon and the wall"
Editorialist Serge Truffaut wrote in the liberal Le
Devoir (7/29): "In Washington, Mahmoud Abbas' message
was clearly heard. To wit, President Bush has been
hammering the point that a wall winding its way through
the West Bank would considerably slow down the trust
being developed between the parties.... These past two
days the Sharon government has had to make concessions
to...maintain the credibility or the sympathy it had in
the days of Yasser Arafat. Several experts have noted
that the Palestinian cause is perceived differently
since Abbas has taken over.... Abbas has even been able
to manoeuvre with enough craftsmanship to contain his
troops without having his leadership strongly
challenged. It is now up to Sharon to show some
goodwill. He eventually will have to pledge to stop the
construction of the wall. It remains to be seen if he
will be able to convince the extremists in his
coalition. If that is not the case, there will be new
elections within twelve months."

CELLUCCI

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