Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Iran Iraq, Elections and 9/11

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Lucia A Keegan 09/05/2006 05:29:56 PM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan

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UNCLAS PARIS 05885

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 005885

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DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU;
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iran Iraq, Elections and 9/11
Darfur
PARIS - Friday, September 01, 2006

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

Iran
Iraq, Elections and 9/11
Darfur

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Ambassador Stapleton who hosted a preview last evening of a France 2
television documentary on 9/11 is prominently featured in Le
Parisien, which relates the "high level of emotion" in the audience,
including the Ambassador, who "lost two friends in the tragedy."

A wide variety of stories make today's front pages, with domestic
economic and social news topping international reports. Le Figaro is
the exception with the lead story devoted to a foiled terrorist plot
in Morocco, alleging that terrorists who infiltrated the highest
level of government were planning to attack "the symbols of power,"
tourist sites and domestic and foreign high officials.

Iran continues to be a major international story. In Le Monde, the
editorial contends "time has come for determined action and unity to
deal with Tehran's posturing." Maurin Picard in Le Figaro says Iran
"is sticking to its guns." (See Part C) Francois Gere of the French
Institute for Strategic Analysis, is interviewed in Le Monde, Le
Parisien and Le Figaro and says "America's approach is heading for
an impasse. Threatening without following through is useless. The
discrepancy between the high level of threats and the limited means
we have to implement them is very dangerous... France's position of
a dialogue with Iran is more realistic." An op-ed in Le Figaro by
Francois Heisbourg of the Foundation for Strategic Studies echoes
Gere when he says "coercive measures against Iran must be used with
caution... We must avoid handing Iran anything it might use against
the West. (See Part C)

President Bush's mid-term election speeches are noted by Philippe
Gelie of Le Figaro as a "mix of Iraq and 9/11" in the President's
"fight for an ideology." (See Part C)

The Donors Conference on Lebanon is reported. Both Liberation and Le
Figaro mention that 900 million dollars have been pledged for
Lebanon's reconstruction. TF1 noted that "the allocation of money
will be tightly controlled." Radio RTL quoted PM Fouad Siniora who
said that "Hezbollah will not get any money."

Europe's involvement in UNIFIL, but also in the negotiations with
Iran, leads Le Figaro to entitle a report "Europe on all fronts" as
the EU-25 FM head for an informal conference in Finland on Saturday:
"It is with their heads held high that the chiefs of Europe's
diplomacy head to Finland. Proud of having been able to pull
together thousands of men for UNIFIL, they will try to decide on a
strategy to end the impasse with Iran."

Liberation devotes a major article to Darfur and the "Blue Helmets
on their Way to Chaos." Le Monde reports that President Bush is
proposing a bilateral meeting with the Sudanese president on the
margins of the UNGA in New York. With this meeting, Le Monde says,
"the US is trying to push hard" on the Darfur issue. In Le Figaro,
the report says "Ambassador Bolton was able to keep his word...
about a resolution to replace the African forces. But the arrival of
the Blue Helmets is dependent on Khartoum's goodwill." (See Part C)

Le Figaro Economie carries a report entitled "Transatlantic
Controversy Over Airline Safety" rising costs and the negotiations
underway between Washington and Brussels to determine who must bear
them. The article says that "flights to the U.S. might be disrupted
because of an imbroglio between the two capitals... over the
personal passenger data airlines must give Washington... According
to Brussels, the U.S. administration is taking advantage of the
renegotiations under way to demand even more information."

La Croix devotes its lead to France's renewed attraction for
tourists. In Le Figaro Economie, one report is entitled: "American
Spendthrift Tourists Are Back in Paris."
Le Figaro Economie carries a short profile of "American style" Clara
Gaymard who is taking over as CEO of GE France. The report recalls
her previous position promoting French investments in the U.S. and
American investments in France.

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

Iran

"Against Iran's Nuclear Ambitions, Coercive Measures Must Remain
Cautious"
Francois Heisbourg in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "While Iran
says it is open to negotiations, it has for the time being opted for
rejecting the West's offer. Three things are at risk here. The
UNSC's authority risks being undermined, because resolution 1696
implies coercive measure in the event of non respect by Iran... The
future of non-proliferation depends on the outcome of the crisis...
because the precedent created by Iran having the bomb carries many
more consequences than is the case for Israel or Pakistan... Last,
it is the entire equilibrium of the Middle East which is in the
balance... It is therefore gratifying to see that under these
circumstances, nations like Russia and China sided with the
Europeans and the Americans... But it is less certain that this
unity will prevail after August 31st... The invitation made by the
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton to America's allies that they can impose
sanctions outside the framework of the UNSC is counter productive...
Strategically, such international alignment would be exactly what
needs to be avoided: 'the West against the rest.' The only viable
way out is to build the unity that prevailed until now... and to ask
ourselves the question of whether new measures decided by the UNSC
have a chance of reaching their goal. We must remember that Iran
does not totally ignore the international community and that a
united front may well work. And so, before saying that sanctions
will not work, we need to explore all avenues. But, if we must
resort to more coercive measures, we must be careful not to hand
Iran anything it might use against us. America and Great Britain's
mired situation in Iraq is a great source of strategic weakness
towards Iran. Conversely, the deployment of European soldiers in
Lebanon will be additional points of pressure on Iran through
Hezbollah."

"Faced with Iran"
Left-of-center Le Monde in its unsigned editorial (09/01): "For
several weeks French diplomats have been insisting on the need to
dialogue with Iran... such solicitude is certainly not justified by
the reality of the situation. In Lebanon, Iran continues to try to
provide weapons to Hezbollah and to denounce Resolution 1701... On
the issue of its nuclear program, Iran has shown no intention
whatsoever of conforming to the demands of the UNSC... For months
Iran has been hedging, shirking its obligations and refusing any
gesture of good faith...There may still be time for diplomacy,
especially considering that the Bush Administration is incapable of
launching a new offensive in the Middle East. However the unity of
the UNSC on the issue is far from being a given. The situation in
Lebanon has changed the context... The deployment of 2000 French
soldiers... puts French diplomacy at the mercy of Iran's mood
swings. To acknowledge this publicly and explain that the Iranian
nuclear issue could impact the security of the European troops in
Lebanon would contribute to shedding light on the situation... In
order to maintain a semblance of credibility, the great powers are
now forced to take action. The August 31 deadline is passed, now it
is time to discuss sanctions on Iran."

"Iran Sticks to Its Guns"
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "President Bush
has asked for 'consequences' in response to Iran's attitude.
Meanwhile Tehran's trade partners, Russia and China, are dragging
their feet about further sanctions... and the EU-25 ministers
acknowledge the failure of their strategy of incentive."

Iraq, Elections and 9/11

"Bush Puts Iraq in the Campaign"
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "President Bush
is opting for a new approach. Instead of speaking about the
increasingly hard to pinpoint progress in Iraq, he is insisting on
the vital stakes of the 'global war' on terror. This is a risky
wager on his part, but the last one he can rely on. While there is
little hope of making America forget about Iraq two months before
the mid-term elections, his stance is to turn a handicap into an
asset... In a new series of speeches, President Bush is lumping
together 9/11 and Iraq in one 'decisive ideological war for the 21st
century...' Other speeches, intended to coincide with 9/11
commemorations and the UNGA are expected to pave the way for the
mid-term elections on November 7. This is the third time in one year
that the President has launched a PR operation of this scale... But
this time there is an obvious shift in the rhetoric: 'successes and
reversals' in Iraq are mentioned only in passing, while the gist of
the debate focuses on fundamental challenges... such as terrorism,
which remains the number one concern for most Americans... Hence the
mix."

Darfur

"Waiting For Khartoum's Green Light"
Jean-Louis Turlin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "Ambassador
Bolton was able to keep his word... about a resolution to replace
the African forces. But the arrival of the Blue Helmets is dependent
on Khartoum's goodwill... The UN resolution sends a message which is
both firm and conciliatory to Sudan. It is firm in that it sets a
definitive calendar for the new deployment, which can resort to
force to protect local populations. The conciliatory element resides
in the obvious desire for dialogue with the Sudanese authorities on
the hyper-sensitive subject of the transition... Meanwhile according
to Jan Egeland, the region is on the brink of a new catastrophe...
For Ambassador Bolton, 'silence' from Khartoum is to be interpreted
as consent. About the negative messages coming from Khartoum, the
American Ambassador adds: 'one must distinguish between rhetoric and
facts.'"

"In Darfur, the Blue Helmets on the Road to Chaos"
Christophe Ayad in left-of-center Liberation (09/01): "Despite
Khartoum's opposition, the U.S. managed to pull off its efforts at
the UNSC... Ambassador Bolton is convinced that despite its stance,
once it is facing the fait accompli, the Sudanese government will
play along... Indeed, despite its bellicose and anti-West rhetoric,
the Sudanese regime has always shown flexibility when its survival
is in the balance. In the end, after more attempts to play for time,
it will accept the resolution." STAPLETON

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