Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Middle East - Afghanistan Paris -

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 004557

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.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Middle East - Afghanistan PARIS -
Monday, July 03, 2006

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

Middle East
Afghanistan

(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

The victory of France over Brazil in the World Cup tournament on
Saturday top weekend news with right-of-center Sunday paper Le
Journal du Dimanche leading: "They Did It!" Economic news dominates
headlines today with right-of-center Le Figaro, centrist economic La
Tribune and business daily Les Echos mentioning the "musical chairs"
of French CEOs. A possible buyout of GM by Nissan-Renault is widely
reported in the weekend and Monday press. The situation in the
Middle East with "intensified Israeli operations in Gaza"
(right-of-center Le Figaro) leads the international news. The
Saturday edition of left-of-center Le Monde carried a headline story
on Gunatanamo while today's press focuses on the opening of the
trial in Paris of the six French detainees from Guantanamo.

Alain Barluet in right of center Le Figaro reports on "Europe's
embarrassment with regard to Olmert's strategy." "While trying to be
balanced in their official reactions, European leaders are not
hiding their concern and even their exasperation following the
latest Israeli incursions to 'destroy' Hamas." (See Part C)

A full-page article in right-of-center Le Figaro continues the
series on Afghanistan. A sidebar outlines the recruitment of the
Taliban militia among the Pakistani madrassas. (See Part C)

WTO - Doha Round negotiations are in dire straits. Business daily
Les Echos labels it an impasse, while centrist economic La Tribune
goes so far as to call it a crisis. For Europe, Peter Mandelson
offers to reduce agricultural tariffs by 12%, slightly less than
previous offers from 39% to 46%. For the U.S., Susan Schwab
reiterated American refusal to reduce further agricultural
subsidies.

Les Echos interviews French Trade Minister Christine Lagarde. Asked
her thoughts on US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Lagarde
answers: "She is jumping into the Doha Round negotiations at a time
when they have already been underway for some time. She needs to
establish her 'pedigree' as a good and firm negotiator... we hope
that she will so that in a few weeks time she will be able to come
back to the negotiating table with a new margin for maneuver. The
danger is if Susan Schwab is not posturing, that means that she is
under a certain amount of coercion which, is not very encouraging at
this juncture in the negotiations... But the U.S. is not the only
country that is responsible for the delay in negotiations, there are
also the G20 countries that have not made the shadow of progress
towards resolving the issue of industrial customs duties."

Washington correspondent for right-of-center Le Figaro Philippe
Gelie pens an article on "Bush's Wall." Gelie notes the deployment
of the National Guard to control the Mexican border, a territory
that represents one quarter the size of France. A separate piece
mentions that: "if illegal immigrants continue to flow into the U.S.
it is because they find work there... and the recent crackdown is
taking place after years of a 'laisser-faire' attitude on the part
of the Bush Administration... With 9/11, however, there was a shift
in priorities."

Right-of-center Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche says that
NASA is "making the suspense last" for the launching of Discovery.
La Croix notes that: "there are reports that some NASA engineers may
have been pressured into quieting their doubts as to the safety of
this launch." Right-of-center Le Figaro of Saturday devotes a page
to the "all or nothing" flight of Discovery. Primed to take off
Saturday evening, "a failure would mean the death toll for this
legendary space plane." NASA has "done everything" to reduce the
pieces of foam that could damage the craft. The craft remains,
however, "dangerous."

Right-of-center Le Figaro reports the beginning of the trial of six
former Guantanamo detainees for taking part in terrorist activities.
The trial is expected to come to a close on July 12. "While the
Iraqi situation worsens and the Taliban are taking up arms again in
Afghanistan, this trial appears to be somewhat anachronistic. The
accusations against the six detainees are over five years old and
the 'Afghan ring' is a thing of the past, at least for the time
being... The trial may however contribute to demonstrating the
diverse recruitment methods and the keys to radicalization. One only
needs to cast a glance at the defendants to have proof of the
diversity of the individuals who are drawn into the various
terrorist rings... From very different backgrounds, the six men have
one thing in common: the encounter with an Islamist who sways them
to take part in the Jihad." Right-of-center Sunday newspaper Le
Journal du Dimanche devotes an entire page to the trial that is
"haunted by the specter of Guantanamo." Two of the detainees lawyers
say in the article that if the defendants "had been born in
Birmingham, Stockholm or Copenhagen, there would not be a trial, was
there a deal made between the French and American authorities that
would explain why a trial needs to be held today?"

Right-of-center economic supplement Le Figaro Economie cites a
European think tank in reporting that economic patriotism is on the
decline in Europe, with more companies going continental or global.
According to the think tank Bruegel, the 100 largest European
businesses made no more than 37% of their sales in domestic markets
in2005. At the same time, European sales constituted 28% of sales,
while the global market made up 35%. In light of comparative
advantage, "taking a policy of national support for business becomes
more and more difficult today," says Bruegel.

Centrist economic La Tribune's editorial by Pascal Aubert notes:
"General Motors, which for decades was emblematic of America's
industrial might, is today a mere shadow of itself. It is losing
money, bogged down in financial obligations with regard to retired
workers, overtaken by the rampant oil crisis that has led a number
of Americans to opt for cars that are less greedy gas-wise. Finally
GM's Japanese rival Toyota is hot on its heels. In short the world's
leading automobile manufacturer is in a difficult position... and
for a billion euros Renault will be able to offer itself a seat at
the big boys' table and a welcome mat to the North American market.
It certainly looks like a good deal."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

Middle East

"Olmert in the Trap of Escalation."
The editorial by Stephane Marchand in right-of-center Le Figaro
(06/03): "If Ehoud Olmert thinks that he can save the soldier Gilad
Shalit while destroying Hamas at the same time, he is in for a big
disappointment. He may instead fall into the trap of an asymmetric
conflict in which those who are superior militarily dig the hole
that will engulf them while strengthening those who are weaker.
Hamas does not need the Palestinian government to be detrimental to
Israel.... And Hamas in its governmental form, which Israel sees as
an insult, is less dangerous than Hamas in its virulent clandestine
form. It is better to dialogue with a crafty and devious
interlocutor than no interlocutor at all."

Afghanistan

"The Taliban Are Back"
Adrien Jaulmes writes in right-of-center Le Figaro (07/03): "The
Taliban that had been dispersed by the Air Force's B52s in the fall
of 2001 are back in the southern provinces of Afghanistan... this is
symbolic of Washington's failure in the Muslim world ... The pitiful
means that the Afghan police has at its disposal contribute to
endemic corruption that is then a hotbed for the Taliban... The
statements that are issued on the number of enemy killed is a
troubling reminder of Vietnam. The Coalition is victorious over and
over again and yet the rebels are still there and nothing seems to
indicate that they are decreasing in number or in determination."
STAPLETON

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