US embassy cable - 05PARIS234

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000234 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY (FRANK); BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU; 
AF/PA; EUR/WE (DEBORAH MENNUTI)/P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA 
(BERBENA); INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE 
HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR AND PASS USTR/PA 
(ANN LUZZATO); USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; ROME/PA; 
BRUSSELS/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, FR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - U.S. POLICY - U.S. IMAGE 
IRAQ MIDDLE EAST - ABBAS ELECTION 
PARIS - THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. U.S. POLICY - U.S. IMAGE 
2. IRAQ 
3. MIDDLE EAST - ABBAS ELECTION 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
PRESIDENT BUSH'S OP-ED, WHICH APPEARED YESTERDAY IN LE 
PARISIEN, BUT ALSO IN OTHER EUROPEAN PUBLICATIONS, IS THE LEAD 
STORY IN TODAY'S RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO, WHICH HEADLINES 
"BUSH'S SEDUCTION CAMPAIGN" AND QUOTES EXTENSIVELY FROM THE OP- 
ED. THE EDITORIAL IS TITLED "NICE AMERICA" AND WASHINGTON 
CORRESPONDENT PHILIPPE GELIE REPORTS ON "BUSH'S ATTEMPT TO 
RESTORE AMERICA'S IMAGE." (SEE PART C) 
 
LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION HEADLINES "TSUNAMI: LIFTING THE 
DEBT." IN HIS EDITORIAL GERARD DUPUY PRAISES THE CLUB DE PARIS 
FOR EASING THE DEBT OF COUNTRIES HIT BY THE TSUNAMI, BUT ADDS: 
"SOME COUNTRIES LIVE IN CONDITIONS WHICH ARE JUST AS BAD, 
WITHOUT THE TSUNAMI. THOSE WHO LEND TO THESE POOR NATIONS MUST 
ALSO REVISE THE GENERAL CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THEY FINANCE 
THESE COUNTRIES." 
 
LIBERATION CARRIES AN OP-ED BY SENIOR EDITORIALIST JACQUES 
AMALRIC TITLED "IRAQ, FAR FROM WASHINGTON" AND LEFT-OF-CENTER 
WEEKLY LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR DEVOTES ITS EDITORIAL TO "THE 
HISTORIC TURNING POINT" IN THE MIDDLE EAST AFTER THE ELECTION 
OF MAHMUD ABBAS. BUT EDITORIALIST JEAN DANIEL INSISTS THAT 
"ISRAEL'S AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S GESTURE TOWARDS 
THE PALESTINIANS MUST BE UNCONDITIONAL." DANIEL ALSO WRITES IN 
THE SAME COLUMN THAT "HOLDING ELECTIONS IN IRAQ IN JANUARY IS 
A DESPERATE GESTURE." (SEE PART C) 
 
LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR ALSO CARRIES A COLUMN PENNED BY JACQUES 
JULLIARD TITLED "FROM VANCOUVER TO VLADIVOSTOK!" THE ACERBIC 
AND IRONIC COLUMN SUGGESTS: "LET'S ASK THE U.S. TO INTEGRATE 
INTO EUROPE. AFTER ALL WE NEED CANDIDATES OF VALUE. YOU'LL SAY 
WE HAVE TURKEY? THAT'S A DONE DEAL. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD 
ARMENIA. I LIKE ARMENIA AND THE ARMENIANS. FROM NOW ON THE 
ONLY WAY TO SHOW OUR FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS ANY NATION IS TO ASK 
IT TO INTEGRATE INTO EUROPE. SOMEONE WROTE THAT RUSSIA SHOULD 
BE INVITED. AND THAT'S HOW I GOT THE IDEA OF INVITING THE U.S. 
I AM PROPOSING A EUROPE THAT GOES FROM VANCOUVER TO 
VLADIVOSTOK, BUT GOING FROM WEST TO EAST, BECAUSE IN THE OTHER 
DIRECTION EUROPE WOULD NOT INCLUDE THE FRENCH OR THE GERMANS, 
WHICH WOULD DELIGHT PRESIDENT BUSH. I CAN PROVE TO ALL WHO SAY 
THAT AMERICA IS NOT PART OF EUROPE THAT IT IS. BUT WE WILL BE 
UNSHAKEABLE ABOUT ABU GHARAIB, GUANTANAMO AND THE DEATH 
PENALTY. AMERICA'S EUROPEAN INTEGRATION IS NOT FOR TOMORROW. I 
CAN SEE CHIRAC, ABOUT THIRTY YEARS FROM NOW, PROPOSING A 
REFERENDUM, ONCE THE U.S. HAS PROGRESSED TOWARDS DEMOCRACY AND 
THE SITUATION WILL LOOK ACCEPTABLE TO THE MALTESE AND THE 
ESTONIANS. BUT DO THE AMERICANS REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF 
EUROPE? THE TROUBLEMAKERS WILL SAY THE U.S. HAS NOT ASKED TO 
BE A CANDIDATE. NOT SO. HERE IS A COUNTRY WHOSE INTENTION IS 
TO LEAD IN EUROPE AND WHICH ALREADY DOES. HOW CAN ANYONE SAY 
THE U.S. DOES NOT WANT TO BE A CANDIDATE?" 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
U.S. POLICY - U.S. IMAGE 
 
"NICE AMERICA" 
PIERRE ROUSSELIN IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (01/13): "DURING 
HIS FIRST TERM, PRESIDENT BUSH DID NOT WORRY VERY MUCH ABOUT 
AMERICA'S IMAGE ABROAD. SINCE BEING REELECTED HE IS A NEW MAN. 
NOT THAT HIS POLICY HAS CHANGED. RATHER THAN THE CONTENT, 
WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED, WHAT WE MUST LOOK AT IS THE FORM. 
PRESIDENT BUSH WANTS TO BE CONVINCING WELL BEYOND AMERICA'S 
SHORES. THE AID WHICH AMERICA IS BRINGING TO SOUTH ASIA IS A 
GODSEND FOR THE IMAGE OF A SUPERPOWER WHICH HAS BEEN CHASTISED 
IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD AND ELSEWHERE FOR THE WAY IT IS LEADING 
ITS FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND ITS WAR IN IRAQ. BY EXPLAINING 
IN THE WORLD PRESS AMERICA'S ACTION IN ASIA PRESIDENT BUSH 
SHOWS THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY WELL 
BEYOND THE SHORES OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. FOR A U.S. PRESIDENT TO 
SHOW GREATER INTEREST IN WORLD OPINION DURING HIS SECOND TERM 
IS NOTHING NEW. BUSH, LIKE OTHERS, WANTS TO LEAVE HIS IMPRINT 
ON HISTORY. THIS DESIRE TO BE CONVINCING EXPLAINS HIS 
`EXTENDED HAND' TOWARDS THE EUROPEANS DURING HIS UPCOMING 
TRIP. IN THE MIDDLE EAST HIS PLANS ARE BEING SERVED BY 
POLITICAL EVENTS: A DIALOGUE IS NOW POSSIBLE. BUT GEORGE BUSH 
HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON HIS BELIEFS. IRAQ OF COURSE REMAINS A BIG 
QUESTION MARK. WHILE THE U.S. PRESIDENT IS EAGER TO PROJECT TO 
THE WORLD A BETTER IMAGE, IT IS SO THAT HIS ACTIONS ARE BETTER 
UNDERSTOOD, HENCE MORE EFFECTIVE." 
 
"A SEDUCTION CAMPAIGN" 
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (01/13): 
"PRESIDENT BUSH PUBLISHED AN OP-ED IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN 
COUNTRIES TO EXPLAIN AMERICA'S RELIEF EFFORT IN SOUTH ASIA. HE 
HAS TAKEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW A DIFFERENT SIDE (OF 
AMERICA.) THIS GESTURE IS NOT AN ISOLATED ONE. IN THE MIDDLE 
EAST, PRESIDENT BUSH HAS EXTENDED HIS HAND TO MAHMUD ABBAS. 
PRESIDENT BUSH WILL ALSO SHOW A VERY DIFFERENT SIDE TO A VERY 
DIVIDED EUROPE WHEN HE UNDERTAKES HIS RECONCILIATORY TRIP NEXT 
FEBRUARY. BUT THESE GESTURES MUST NOT FOOL ANYONE: MORE THAN 
EVER THE U.S. PRESIDENT IS CONVINCED THAT HIS POLICIES ARE THE 
RIGHT POLICIES. THE NEW TONE ADOPTED BY WASHINGTON IS AN 
INVITATION TO THE WORLD TO JOIN HIM, BUT CERTAINLY NOT AN ACT 
OF CONTRITION." 
 
IRAQ 
 
"IRAQ, FAR FROM WASHINGTON" 
JACQUES AMALRIC IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (01/13): "THE 
COMING CELEBRATIONS AROUND PRESIDENT BUSH'S INAUGURATION WILL 
HIDE FOR A MOMENT, BUT ONLY A MOMENT, THE DETERIORATING 
SITUATION IN IRAQ. THE PREDICTABLE RESULT OF THE ELECTIONS, A 
SHIITE LANDSLIDE, COULD LEAD TO A CIVIL WAR. HENCE, IN 
WASHINGTON, MESSIANIC IDEOLOGY HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH 
PRAGMATISM. AND MUCH TALK ABOUT DEATH SQUADRONS TO DEAL WITH 
THE GUERRILLA FIGHTERS. WHILE THE PENTAGON WANTS TO WITHDRAW 
SOME OF ITS TROOPS, THE FACT IS THAT, CONSIDERING EUROPE'S 
REFUSAL TO GET INVOLVED IN THE IRAQI QUAGMIRE, THE U.S. MAY 
HAVE TO SEND MORE TROOPS. BUT JUST UNTIL THE IRAQI'S 
THEMSELVES DECIDE THEY WANT THE U.S. TO LEAVE. WHATEVER THE 
CONSEQUENCES. BUT SOME REALISTS IN WASHINGTON ARE READY TO 
ACCEPT THE LOSSES OF THE IRAQI QUAGMIRE, A MONSTROUS GROWTH OF 
THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR WILL 
CONTINUE WITH OTHER COLLATERAL DAMAGES THAT WASHINGTON IS 
ALREADY WORRYING ABOUT: GUANTANAMO. AND THE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT 
TORTURE., THE NOMINATION OF ALBERTO GONZALES AND THE TRIAL OF 
CHARLES GRANER." 
 
MIDDLE EAST - ABBAS ELECTION 
 
"A HISTORIC TURNING POINT" 
JEAN DANIEL IN LEFT-OF-CENTER WEEKLY LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR 
(01/13): "THE RELATIVE SUCCESS ACHIEVED BY MAHMUD ABBAS 
EMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT THESE WERE FREE ELECTIONS. AS FOR THE 
DEFEAT OF HAMAS, IT IS BOTH REASSURING AND SIGNIFICANT. BUT 
NOW WE MUST BE CAREFUL. THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A 
DIALOGUE, BUT ONLY IF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF GESTURES ARE MADE BY 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ISRAEL PROVING TO THE 
PALESTINIANS THEY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. BUT THESE GESTURES 
MUST BE UNCONDITIONAL. FRANCE HAS ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT 
SETTLING THIS CONFLICT WAS ESSENTIAL. FM BARNIER, WHO PLANS TO 
TRAVEL TO THE U.S. EVERY THREE MONTHS, SAID THAT THE U.S. 
ATTITUDE TOWARDS ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS WOULD SERVE AS A 
TEST TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TIME HAD COME FOR A TRUE 
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE EU. THAT THIS WOULD BE A 
GOOD START. BUT THERE IS STILL IRAQ AND IT APPEARS THAT THE 
BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS SET ON ORGANIZING ELECTIONS IN JANUARY, 
A FEAT WHICH LOOKS LIKE A DESPERATE GESTURE EVEN IN THE EYES 
OF SOME U.S. MILITARY OFFICIALS.  BUT BUSH INSISTS THAT THERE 
HAVE BEEN ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, IN PALESTINE AND THAT 
THERE MUST BE ELECTIONS IN IRAQ." LEACH