US embassy cable - 05PARIS831

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000831 
 
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 - SECRETARY RICE TO PARIS 
MIDDLE EAST - SHARM EL-SHEIK SUMMIT 
ARIS - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. SECRETARY RICE TO PARIS 
2. MIDDLE EAST - SHARM EL-SHEIK SUMMIT 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
A LARGE MAJORITY OF TODAY'S FRONT PAGES AND EDITORIALS ARE 
DEVOTED TO SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT TO PARIS, HER MUCH AWAITED 
POLICY SPEECH AND HER CONSULTATIONS WITH PRESIDENT CHIRAC AND 
FM BARNIER. THE CHOICE OF PARIS AS THE VENUE FOR A MAJOR 
POLICY SPEECH IS SEEN AS A "STRONG SYMBOL" (LE PARISIEN) AND 
THE OVERALL TONE OF COVERAGE IS UPBEAT. EMPHASIS IS ON "THE 
NEW CHAPTER" AND "WARMING RELATIONS" BETWEEN THE U.S. AND 
EUROPE. MOST COMMENTATORS NOTE THE "CHANGE OF TONE" ADOPTED BY 
THE BUSH II ADMINISTRATION, ALTHOUGH SEVERAL POINT OUT THAT 
THE CONTENT REMAINS THE SAME: "SECRETARY RICE SEES HERSELF AS 
THE MISSIONARY OF DEMOCRACY" (LIBERATION).  IRAN IS OFTEN 
SINGLED OUT AS THE NEXT POINT OF CONTENTION BETWEEN WASHINGTON 
AND THE EUROPEANS, ALTHOUGH "SECRETARY RICE EXCLUDED, FOR THE 
TIME BEING, THE IDEA OF AN ARMED CONFLICT." IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER 
LE FIGARO, A COLUMN BY STRATEGY ANALYST FRANCOIS GERE WARNS: 
"ONE OF WASHINGTON'S GREAT MISTAKES WAS TO INCLUDE IRAN IN THE 
AXIS OF EVIL. IF AN ACT OF AGGRESSION AGAINST IRAN WERE TO 
HAPPEN, EVEN A LIMITED ONE, THE COST INDUCED BY IRAN'S 
REACTION COULD BE VERY HIGH." (SEE PART C) 
 
A SAMPLE OF TODAY'S HEADLINES AND TITLES FOLLOWS: 
"CONDI RICE WANTS TO OPEN A NEW ERA WITH EUROPE" (LE FIGARO) 
"BUSH IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT" HEADLINES LIBERATION OVER A 
SMILING CONDOLEEZZA RICE. 
"MUST WE TRUST RICE?" ASKS POPULAR FRANCE SOIR, WHICH PORTRAYS 
SECRETARY RICE ON ITS FRONT PAGE ALONGSIDE A CAPTION WHICH 
 
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READS: "THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL WOMAN." 
 
LAST EVENING'S 8PM BROADCASTS GAVE PROMINENT COVERAGE TO THE 
SECRETARY'S SPEECH: LOIK BERROU ON TF 1: "IT IS DEFINITELY A 
 
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SPECTACULAR WARMING BETWEEN THE U.S. AND FRANCE. RICE IS TRULY 
IN A CHARM OFFENSIVE MODE." A FEELING ECHOED BY DAVID POUJADAS 
ON FRANCE 2: "TODAY THERE IS INDEED MUCH DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY 
GOING ON. WE ARE WITNESSING A NEW CHAPTER IN FRANCO-AMERICAN 
RELATIONS AND A WARMING." 
 
THE SECOND MAJOR FRONT-PAGE STORY IS THE AGREEMENT REACHED IN 
SHARM-EL-SHEIK BETWEEN SHARON AND ABBAS. FOR LE FIGARO IT IS 
"A FIRST GESTURE TOWARDS PEACE"; FOR LA CROIX IT IS "A PROMISE 
OF PEACE." (SEE PART C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
SECRETARY RICE TO PARIS 
 
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"REBUILDING A RELATIONSHIP" 
MICHEL SCHIFRES IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (02/09): "FOR 
ONCE WE WILL ALL APPLAUD THE STAGING. SECRETARY RICE'S 
RECONCILIATION SHOW IS MOST WELCOME. THE FACT THAT FRANCO- 
AMERICAN RELATIONS ARE `MAKING A NEW START' AS FM BARNIER SAID 
CAN ONLY BE MUSIC TO EVERYONE'S EARS. ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO 
WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN END TO MURDEROUS LITTLE PHRASES. BOTH 
SIDES NEEDED TO BEND A LITTLE TO END A QUARREL THAT COULD ONLY 
BRING UNPLEASANTNESS. TIMES HAVE INDEED CHANGED: SECRETARY 
RICE NO LONGER BELIEVES IN `PUNISHING FRANCE.'BETWEEN THE U.S. 
AND EUROPE SHE SEES ONLY `A SHARED FUTURE.' WORKING TOGETHER 
TO RE-ENFORCE TRANSATLANTIC TIES, OPENING A NEW CHAPTER IN THE 
EURO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE ARE TODAY'S AGENDA. THE CHANGE IS REAL 
AND THE PROGRESS SO MAJOR THAT THE WARMING OF RELATIONS 
APPEARS TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE SECOND BUSH ADMINISTRATION. 
JUST AS PRESIDENT BUSH NEEDED NO ONE TO GO TO WAR, HE NEEDS 
HIS ALLIES TO ACHIEVE PEACE. BUT HE HAS IN NO WAY DECIDED TO 
AMEND HIS POLICY. THERE WAS IN HIS INAUGURAL SPEECH AND IN 
SECRETARY RICE'S POLICY REMARKS THAT SAME MESSIANIC APPROACH. 
 
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THE BEST POSSIBLE EXAMPLE OF RENEWED TRANSATLANTIC TIES WOULD 
BE IF IN THE MIDDLE EAST BOTH THE U.S. AND EUROPE WERE TO 
WEIGH IN WITH THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL ALLIES TO ACHIEVE PEACE. 
MORE THAN A SPEECH, THIS WOULD REBUILD A RELATIONSHIP." 
 
"MUSICAL SCALES" 
PATRICK SABATIER IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (02/09): "CONDI 
RICE, THE NOTED CONCERT ARTIST, PERFORMED HER EUROPEAN 
DIPLOMATIC GALA WITHOUT A SINGLE FALSE NOTE. FROM `A NEW 
CHAPTER' TO AMERICA'S DESIRE OF `A STRONG EUROPE,' SHE PLAYED 
ALL THE SCALES. BUT AS THEY SAY IN AMERICA, `SHE TALKS THE 
TALK, BUT WILL SHE WALK THE WALK?' THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HER 
BOSS, PRESIDENT BUSH, HAS SET AS HIS SECOND TERM'S PRIORITY 
THE NEED TO REPAIR THE DIPLOMATIC CHINA HE BROKE DURING HIS 
FIRST TERM. NEVERTHELESS, WE CAN WONDER WHETHER HE HAS REALLY 
CONVERTED TO MULTILATERALISM AND DIALOGUE, OR IF INSTEAD HE 
HAS JUST MADE A TACTICAL ADJUSTMENT BORN OUT OF HIS 
DIFFICULTIES IN IRAQ. THE QUALITY OF `THE NEW CHAPTER' 
ANNOUNCED BY SECRETARY RICE WILL BE TESTED BY U.S. ACTIONS IN 
THE MIDDLE EAST AND ELSEWHERE, IRAN, KYOTO, CHINA, WHERE 
EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS DIFFER. WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT IF 
SECRETARY RICE TOOK, IN PARIS, THE APPEARANCE OF A DOVE, SHE 
 
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ALSO KNOWS HOW TO FLY AMONG THE HAWKS." 
 
"IN THE NAME OF RECONCILIATION?" 
THOMAS DE ROCHECHOUART IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR (02/09): 
"THE TENSION BORN FROM THE WAR IN IRAQ AND THE BOEING-AIRBUS 
CONFRONTATION HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN. THE SINGLE WORD SECRETARY 
RICE LIKES TO REPEAT IS `RECONCILIATION.' THE DETERIORATION IN 
IRAQ SEEMS TO HAVE CONVINCED WASHINGTON THAT THE WORLD'S 
NUMBER ONE POWER CANNOT DO WITHOUT ITS ALLIES. PRESIDENT 
BUSH'S DESIRE TO ACHIEVE A DEMOCRATIC GREATER MIDDLE EAST 
SEEMS STRONGER THAN EVER. THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT 
EUROPE'S, AND THEREFORE FRANCE'S SUPPORT. AND SO WE WONDER: IS 
SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT A TRUE REUNION OR A FALSE 
 
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RECONCILIATION? ONE THING IS CERTAIN, THIS VISIT HAS HELPED TO 
LESSEN THE TENSION." 
 
"DECIDEDLY, A NEW BUSH" 
BERNARD GUETTA ON GOVERNMENT-RUN FRANCE INTER RADIO (02/09): 
"AMERICA IS NOT PREPARING NEW MILITARY INTERVENTIONS. 
SECRETARY RICE COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER. AS SHE TOLD A 
 
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ROOMFUL OF FRENCH DIGNITARIES THAT THERE WILL BE MORE 
SOBRIETY, LESS IMPATIENCE AND MORE REALISM IN AMERICA'S DESIRE 
TO FAVOR A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN THE ARAB-MUSLIM WORLD, VERY 
APTLY DEFINED AS A CONDITION FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD. IN HER 
SPEECH THERE WAS MUCH ABOUT DIALOGUE, AND PUTTING MINDS 
TOGETHER. AND NO LONGER TALK OF OLD AND NEW EUROPE. THERE WAS 
MUCH ABOUT PARTNERSHIP: AMERICA NEEDS EUROPE. EVEN PRESIDENT 
BUSH HAS UNDERSTOOD THIS MUCH, AND IT IS JUST AS WELL." 
 
"THE SIDE OF FREEDOM" 
JOSEPH LIMAGNE IN REGIONAL OUEST FRANCE (02/09): "THE TIME OF 
PAST QUARRELS IS OVER! THE UNITED STATES, FRANCE AND EUROPE 
BELONG TO THE SAME SIDE OF LIBERTY WHERE THE WIND PUSHES THEM 
TO WALK IN THE SAME DIRECTION. THIS IS WHAT CONDOLEEZZA RICE 
CAME TO SAY YESTERDAY IN PARIS. JACQUES CHIRAC SURELY 
APPRECIATED THE TONE. FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE, RELATIONS 
BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES ARE `MUCH BETTER IN PRACTICE THAN IN 
THEORY.'" 
 
"TURNING THE PAGE" 
JULES CLAUWAERT IN REGIONAL NORD  LAIR (02/09): "THE YOUNG 
AMERICA JUST REMINDED OLD EUROPE, TEMPTED TO FORGET ITS PAST 
AND ITS DUTIES, THAT THE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS 
AND OF PEOPLES IS NEVER FINISHED. IT WAS WON BY THE WEST, AT 
THE END OF THE COLD WAR, BECAUSE CITIZENS TOOK THE LEAD IN THE 
REVOLT - IN GDANSK, IN BERLIN, AND ELSEWHERE. THE MESSAGE FROM 
AMERICA IS CLEAR. IF THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENCES OVER IRAQ 
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND WHAT GEORGE W. BUSH NOW CALLS `OUR 
EUROPEAN FRIENDS,' IT IS NECESSARY TO FORGET THEM QUICKLY AND 
TO TURN THE PAGE." 
 
"THE SAME POLICY, BUT WITH INTELLIGENCE" 
JEAN-CLAUDE KIEFER IN REGIONAL LES DERNIERES NOUVELLES 
D'ALSACE (02/09): "SECRETARY RICE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A 
BETTER DAY TO RENEW RELATIONS WITH EUROPE. THE SHARM-EL SHEIKH 
SUMMIT CONFIRMS AMERICAN DIPLOMACY. EVEN THE MOST RELUCTANT 
(OF AMERICA'S ALLIES) WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO REFUSE (FURTHER 
ALLIANCE) AT THE RISK OF BEING MARGINALIZED. FOR PARIS, WHICH 
HARBORS SOME GEO-POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS, TO BE SO ISOLATED 
WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE. A SIGN OF THE TIMES: FRANCE WILL HOST 
THIS THURSDAY IN NICE A MEETING OF NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS. 
THIS IS A FIRST SINCE PARIS LEFT NATO'S INTEGRATED MILITARY 
COMMAND IN 1966." 
 
MIDDLE EAST - SHARM EL-SHEIK SUMMIT 
 
"A MATTER OF TRUST" 
BRUNO FRAPPAT IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (02/09): "FOR A TIME NOW 
ISRAEL HAS SHOWN SIGNS OF GOODWILL. PALESTINE HAS ALSO ENGAGED 
IN A REVISION OF ITS POSITION. WE HAVE PROBABLY ENTERED THAT 
INTERMEDIARY PHASE IN WHICH MISTRUST IS ON THE WANE AND TRUST 
IS NOT YET VERY STRONG. IN MILITARY LANGUAGE THIS TRANSLATES 
IN A `CEASE-FIRE;' IN POLITICAL LANGUAGE IT MEANS GOING BACK 
TO DIALOGUE; DOMESTICALLY, FOR EACH PEOPLE, IT MEANS REMAINING 
WATCHFUL WITH REGARD TO EXTREMISTS AND THEIR AMBITION TO 
SABOTAGE PEACE. NO ONE OTHER THAN FANATICS WANTS TO SEE BLOOD 
BEING SHED IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE SPONSORS OF THE FORMER OSLO 
PROCESS AND OF THE `ROADMAP,' REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL 
POWERS, EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY." LEACH