Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Secretary Rice in 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 008357

SIPDIS

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 IN EUROPE -
IRAN
PARIS - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

SECRETARY RICE IN EUROPE

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IRAN

(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

THE LAST DAY OF SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT TO EUROPE DOES NOT
SPARK A GREAT DEAL OF COMMENTARY TODAY AND DAILIES TEND TO
AGREE THAT SHE WAS RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL IN CALMING ALLIES ON
THE U.S.'S TREATMENT OF TERROR SUSPECTS. (SEE PART C)

THE MAJORITY OF HEADLINES FOCUS ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE 1905 SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE LAW IN FRANCE.
INTERIOR MINISTER SARKOZY'S PROPOSAL FOR FRENCH MOSQUES TO BE
FINANCED BY THE STATE IS DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL ANALYSES.

ALL MEDIA REPORT ON THE COMMENTS OF THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT AT
THE SUMMIT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE IN
SAUDI ARABIA QUESTIONING THE HOLOCAUST AND SAYING THAT ISRAEL
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CREATED OUT OF PROVINCES IN AUSTRIA AND
GERMANY. (SEE PART C)

CATHOLIC LA CROIX CARRIES A FULL PAGE ON THE SUMMIT IN SAUDI
ARABIA THAT UNITED MUSLIM LEADERS FROM 57 COUNTRIES, TO
REINFORCE THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMBAT TERRORISM AND TO DEFEND
THE IMAGE OF ISLAM ACCORDING TO THE DAILY. EDITORIALIST JEAN-
CHRISTOPHE PLOQUIN WRITES: "ONLY THE FUTURE WILL TELL IF THIS
APPROACH IS THE RIGHT ONE TO FIGHT ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM. AS
LONG AS REGIMES IN THE MUSLIM WORLD TRY TO BASE THEIR
LEGITIMACY ON ISLAM, THEY WILL BE AT THE MERCY OF
FUNDAMENTALISTS."

LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE CARRIES A TWO-PAGE FOCUS ON THE
ALLEGED CIA FLIGHTS: "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRACK DOWN THE
ACTIVITIES OF AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE JOB IT IS TO TRACK DOWN?
TO NAIL THE CIA, CATCH IT IS THE ACT OR ESTABLISH ENOUGH PROOF
OF ITS ACTIVITIES IN EUROPE?" LE MONDE EXPLAINS IN DETAIL THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION, EXTRADITION AND
SECRET PRISONS. A SEPARATE PIECE RELATES THE STORY OF A GERMAN

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CITIZEN WHO WAS MISTAKENLY ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO KABUL FOR
QUESTIONING.

RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO'S EMBEDDED JOURNALIST IN IRAQ ADRIEN
JAULMES PENS AN ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFICULT SECURITY SITUATION IN
IRAQ ENTITLED:" THE FAILURES THE AMERICAN WAR MACHINE."
JAULMES WRITES THAT THE IRAQI MILITARY IS FAR FROM CAPABLE OF
CARRYING OUT AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS AND THAT THE AMERICAN WAR
MACHINE, TRAINED AND EQUIPPED TO CARRY OUT HIGH INTENSITY
INTERVENTIONS IS HAVING A HARD TIME ADAPTING TO AN ENEMY ABLE
TO BLEND INTO THE POPULATION. THIS RESULTS IN BLUNDERS THAT
RANGE FROM TACTLESSNESS TO TRAGEDY."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

SECRETARY RICE IN EUROPE

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IN REGIONAL DAILY LA CHARENTE LIBRE JACQUES GUYON
EDITORIALIZES (12/09): "MS RICE WAS PERSUASIVE IN PUTTING
FORWARD THAT IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM THERE IS AN EXTREMELY
FRAGILE BALANCE BETWEEN THE VALUES THAT WE DEFEND AND THE
METHODS USED TO SAVE INNOCENT LIVES. SHE DID NOT DENY THE
EXISTENCE OF THE SECRET CIA FLIGHTS BUT NEITHER DID SHE
JUSTIFY THE USE OF MEASURES SUCH AS EXTRADITION TO INTERROGATE
SUSPECTS. AND IT IS WITH EXTREME ADROITNESS THAT SHE BROUGHT
UP THE CASE OF CARLOS THE JACKAL WHO WAS KIDNAPPED IN SUDAN BY
THE FRENCH DGSE, DRUGGED AND FLOWN ON A SECRET SERVICE FLIGHT
TO PARIS. THIS IS A WEIGHTY ARGUMENT AND CONDOLEEZZA RICE MADE
THE POINT THAT THE EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION THREW OUT
CARLOS' COMPLAINT AS TO THE ILLEGAL NATURE OF HIS EXTRADITION.
IT IS A SHAME HOWEVER THAT MS. RICE DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THE SITUATION TO GIVE A DATE FOR THE DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO
TO BE TRIED, CARLOS FOR HIS PART WAS TRIED AND SENTENCED.
TWICE."
IRAN

RENAUD GIRARD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (12/09): "TWO
MONTHS AGO THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON HIMSELF
BY STATING THAT ISRAEL SHOULD BE WIPED OFF THE MAP. YESTERDAY
HE FUELED THE FIRE FURTHER. BY CASTING DOUBTS ON THE
HOLOCAUST. HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPENLY MOCK EUROPE AND
NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE HE IS ENRAGED AT WHAT HE SEES AS THE EU3
RALLYING TO THE AMERICAN STANCE, BUT IS ALSO, AND ESPECIALLY,
BECAUSE HE BELIEVES HIMSELF TO BE IN A POSITION OF POWER.
INDEED AMERICA'S POWER OF DISSUASION, WHICH WAS AT ITS HIGHEST
IN THE REGION IN FEBRUARY OF 2003, IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE
BECAUSE OF THE U.S.'S INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ. TODAY TEHERAN HAS
TWO POWERFUL; WEAPONS AT ITS DISPOSAL, THE ABILITY TO INFLAME
THE SHIITE COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN IRAQ AND TO SPARK A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF OIL. BY ATTACKING IRAQ, A COUNTRY
THAT WAS NOT PROLIFERATING, THE AMERICAN NEO-CONSERVATIVES
HAVE PARADOXICALLY OFFERED A PERFECT HAVEN FOR IRAN THE ONLY
REAL PROLIFERATING COUNTRY OF THE MIDDLE EAST." STAPLETON

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