Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Secretary Rice to Europe -

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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008292

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DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU; AF/PA;
EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA
FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR
AND PASS USTR/PA; USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA;
ROME/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Secretary Rice to Europe -
CIA Allegations
PARIS - Wednesday, December 07, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

Secretary Rice to Europe - CIA Allegations

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B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Secretary Rice's visit to Europe and her handling of

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allegations about the CIA is today's front-page story in left-
of-center Liberation and a major story in several outlets.
Liberation, the most critical by far, headlines: "The Trial
Against the CIA: Secret Flights, Abductions, Torture," and
continues: "During her European tour, Secretary Rice justifies
the anti-terrorist methods of the U.S. secret service."
Inside, the two-page report is headlined: "Condoleezza Rice
Under Questioning" and the editorial is entitled "Black Hole."
Le Figaro reports "Condoleezza Rice Acknowledges That the CIA
made `a Mistake'."
Left-of-center Le Monde titles its story: "`Secret Prisons'
Said to Have Been Closed Before Rice's Arrival." Le Parisien
titles its report: "CIA Secret Prisons Hamper Rice." France
Inter radio commentary by Bernard Guetta is titled "Torture Is
Back." (See Part C)

Le Figaro reports on its front page: "The U.S. Military is
establishing troops in Romania." The "historic" agreement
signed in Bucharest during Secretary Rice's visit is noted as
"a first in Eastern Europe and the result of a new orientation
by the Bush administration of troop re-deployment to meet new
terrorist threats." Le Figaro also reports on the "lack of
agreement" in Slovenia between the Europeans, the Americans
and the Russians during the OSCE summit. Nicolas Burns is
quoted: "We will not sell short our principles for a piece of
paper."

Reports on the latest kidnappings in Iraq include reports
about the "mystery" surrounding the background of Bernard
Planche, the Frenchman abducted last week, and his affiliation
to an NGO financed by USAID. France Soir reports about the
"controversy" over Planche, "who was warned by the French
Embassy but remained in Iraq despite the dangers." and notes
that little was known about Planche or his activities.

All outlets report on the C130 that crashed in Teheran. Most
commentators note: "Because of the economic restrictions on
Iran set by Washington, the U.S.-made C130s cannot be
repaired."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

Secretary Rice to Europe - CIA Allegations

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"Torture Is Back"
Bernard Guetta on government-run France Inter radio (12/07):
"Despite her numerous statements, Secretary Rice, rather than
being reassuring, is in fact achieving the opposite. She has
refused to comment on the allegations made against the CIA,
and opted instead to call on European governments and their
publics to `decide whether they, with the U.S., want to fight
against terrorism.' When she admits to `errors' as she did in
Berlin, she is talking more about having made errors about
individuals, rather than about fundamental political, legal
and moral errors in the methods used. The only denial made to
the allegations raised by the U.S. press has been about the
use of torture. The U.S. President must not be aware of what
countries the U.S. is sending prisoners to, or what their
practices are. The presidential denial is not credible and
obviously the U.S., far from `adapting' to national and
international laws which it obviously considers obsolete, is
staying on the same course, that of secret prisons and
renditions to allied countries known to use torture.
Meanwhile, the EU is kindly being asked to put a damper on its
concerns. Actively or passively, democracies are forgetting
what makes up their strength: the rule of law, habeas corpus
and all the principles derived thereon."
"The Black Hole"
Patrick Sabatier in left-of-center Liberation (12/07): "Were
European governments unaware that the CIA was `outsourcing'
torture of its prisoners in foreign secret prisons? If they
were, they should draw the conclusions from such contempt on
behalf of the U.S. towards its allies. But were they not
rather in cahoots with the U.S, as Secretary Rice clearly
indicated? In that case publics should draw the conclusions
from their governments' contempt for the rule of law. Either
way the situation is serious. We cannot let this gangrene
continue to spread. George Bush and his gang think that in the
fight against terror all is permitted, even when the rule of
law becomes part of the collateral damage. Guantanamo, Abu
Ghraib and the CIA phantom detainees and secret prisons are
part of that same legal black hole dug by the Bush
administration and into which it is dragging its allies."

"`Secret Prisons' Said to Have Been Closed Before Rice's
Arrival"
Corine Lesnes in left-of-center Le Monde (12/07): "According
to an ABC report, two secret prisons opened by the CIA in
Eastern Europe were closed a month ago when the first
allegations began. These allegations were made as Secretary
Rice was starting on her European tour. According to ABC,
American officials have made every effort to take all
`phantom' detainees out of Europe before her arrival there. In
Washington, Secretary Rice read a statement defending the
practice of renditions as a `vital tool to combat
transnational terrorism.' Secretary Rice also stated that the
U.S. did not use airports or airspace to move detainees to a
destination where they might be tortured. She did not comment
on secret prisons but said `information had helped prevent
terrorist acts in the U.S. and Europe.' The State Department
did not elaborate on what European country might have
benefited from such information. For the Bush administration,
Europe's grumbling against these U.S. practices is somewhat
`hypocritical.' According to well-informed sources, a debate
took place (in Washington) about adopting a stance of full
transparency, considering the large number of CIA flights
mentioned, and which Washington considered highly exaggerated.
In the end, the administration chose to remain silent and to
bounce the ball back into the court of its European partners:
did they want all their anti-terrorist activities out in the
open?"

"Secret Prisons Hamper Rice"
Thomas Cantaloube in right-of-center Le Parisien (12/07):
"Rice's European tour is more like an obstacle course than a
friendly diplomatic tour. At every stop she has to answer the
same questions about the CIA. To each question she gives the
same perfectly calibrated answer: `the U.S. government does
not approve and does not authorize torture.' The problem with
her line of defense, is that the Bush administration has re-
defined the definition of torture. Rice's phrase that `the
U.S. has always respected the sovereignty of other nations'
tends to indicate that European nations were aware. In short,
she is putting the ball back in the court of the same nations
which are asking for answers."

"Rice Concedes to an `Error' By CIA"
Pierre Bocev in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/07): "In Berlin,
Rice defended the intelligence agency and refused to say more
about secret flights. She avoided all the difficult questions,
at least in public. even if she conceded that `an error' may
have been made about a German citizen." STAPLETON

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