US embassy cable - 05PARIS2677

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002677 
 
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 - POPE BENEDICT XVI CHINA 
PARIS - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. POPE BENEDICT XVI 
2. CHINA 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
NOT SURPRISINGLY ALL FRONT PAGES AND EDITORIALS ARE DEVOTED TO 
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CHOICE OF CARDINAL JOSEPH 
RATZINGER, WHO BECOMES POPE BENEDICT XVI. THE VARIETY COMES IN 
THE NATURE OF THE COMMENTARY. FOR LE FIGARO THE CHOICE MARKS 
"A CONTINUITY" WITH JOHN PAUL II, WHILE LIBERATION NOTES THAT 
THE "CONSERVATIVE WING OF THE CHURCH" IS FAVORED. LE PARISIEN 
ECHOES THIS VIEW IN ITS HEADLINE: "A CONSERVATIVE AT THE 
VATICAN," WHILE FRANCE SOIR'S HEADLINE IS SIMPLY: "A GERMAN 
POPE." FOR CATHOLIC LA CROIX, POPE BENEDICT XVI WILL BE A 
"POPE OF TRANSITION." (SEE PART C) 
 
LE FIGARO ALSO REPRINTS ITS AUGUST 2004 INTERVIEW WITH THE- 
THEN CARDINAL RATZINGER. THE NEW POPE REMARKED ABOUT THE EU'S 
CHRISTIAN ROOTS AND HIS OPPOSITION TO TURKEY'S ENTRY IN THE 
EU. 
 
CHINA, THE LIFTING OF THE ARMS EMBARGO AND THE RECENT FLARING 
OF ANIMOSITY BETWEEN BEIJING AND TOKYO ARE REPORTED. IN RIGHT- 
OF-CENTER LE FIGARO COMMENTATOR ALEXANDRE ADLER ANALYZES THE 
RECENT CONFLICT BETWEEN CHINA AND JAPAN AS POSSIBLY PART OF A 
MORE COMPLEX DOMESTIC CHINESE GAME AIMING AT U.S. JAPAN 
ALLIANCE OR ATTEMPTING TO DESTABILIZE THE CHINESE PRESIDENT 
AND PRIME MINISTER. (SEE PART C) 
 
SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT TO MOSCOW IS NOTED IN LE FIGARO: 
 
SIPDIS 
"RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND RUSSIA HAVE NEVER BEEN SIMPLE. 
THEY DETERIORATED WITH THE WAR IN IRAQ AND THE ELECTIONS IN 
UKRAINE. THE KREMLIN DOES NOT APPRECIATE `LESSONS IN 
DEMOCRACY.' YET, THE SECRETARY'S VISIT IS SEEN AS A SIGN OF 
D ENTE AND SHE IS PERCEIVED AS UNDERSTANDING RUSSIA BETTER 
THAN HER PREDECESSOR." 
 
LE FIGARO ECONOMIE NOTES THAT FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER THIERRY 
BRETON AND XAVIER DARCOS, MINISTER FOR COOPERATION, 
"APPROACHED PAUL WOLFOWITZ DURING THE G7 AND REQUESTED THAT HE 
ADDRESS THE CONTROVERSY OF COTTON SUBSIDIES IN THE U.S. WHICH 
ENDANGER THE COTTON INDUSTRY IN AFRICA, IN CONNECTION WITH 
THEIR COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING POVERTY." 
 
THE DEBATE ABOUT THE EU CONSTITUTION AND THE FRENCH REFERENDUM 
CONTINUES. LES ECHOS CARRIES A SMALL QUOTE FROM FORMER 
AMBASSADOR HOWARD LEACH'S FAREWELL PRESS BRIEFING ON APRIL 12: 
"THE U.S. IS OBSERVING WITH GREAT INTEREST THE DEBATE ON THE 
EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION. WE ARE STRONG PARTISANS OF EUROPEAN 
INTEGRATION. BUT IF I SAY ANYTHING, THE FRENCH COULD GO THE 
OTHER WAY." 
 
ECONOMIC LA TRIBUNE COMMENTS ON THE U.S. DECISION CONCERNING 
EXPORT CONTROLS AND A CATAPULT FOR A FRENCH CARRIER: "IT IS A 
SUBJECT OF CONCERN FOR THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES: WILL THE FUTURE 
2ND FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER BE EQUIPPED WITH CATAPULTS MADE IN 
AMERICA ENABLING THE PLANES ON BOARD TO TAKE OFF FROM THE 
RELATIVELY SHORT DECK OF THIS VESSEL? INDEED, FOR THE TIME 
BEING, THE UNITED STATES REFUSES TO GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT FOR 
THIS EQUIPMENT TO BE EXPORTED, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT HAVE 
STRATEGIC VALUE, TO FRANCE. THE U.S. IS CAREFUL NOT TO SAY 
THAT THIS REFUSAL IS A RETALIATORY MEASURE AGAINST THE 
IRRITATING "FRENCHIES" WHO OPPOSED THE WAR IN IRAQ AND ARE THE 
PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS OF AIRBUS IN ITS RACE AGAINST BOEING. IN 
PARIS THE TENDENCY IS TO DOWNPLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 
DISPUTE, EMPHASIZING THAT THIS CATAPULTING TECHNOLOGY COULD BE 
DEVELOPED IN FRANCE. BUT CALCULATIONS ARE BEING MADE AND THE 
RESULT IS THAT IT WOULD BE COSTLY: AROUND 50 MILLION EUROS TO 
ACQUIRE THE KNOW-HOW AND SET UP THE TESTING FACILITIES 
NECESSARY FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY AND ALL OF THIS EFFORT IN ORDER 
TO PRODUCE ONLY A FEW MACHINES. THE MILITARY, THAT JEALOUSLY 
MANAGES A BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN TIGHTENED OVER THE LAST FEW 
YEARS, WOULD NOT LIKE TO HAVE TO BREAK OPEN ITS PIGGY BANK TO 
FINANCE THIS TECHNOLOGY AND IS CROSSING ITS FINGERS HOPING 
THAT THE FRENCH POLITICAL OFFICIALS WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME 
THE RETICENCE OF THE AMERICANS. BUT WASHINGTON COULD ASK FOR 
SOMETHING IN RETURN." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
POPE BENEDICT XVI 
 
"A CONSIDERABLE TASK" 
MICHEL SCHIFRES IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/20): "WE 
SHOULD NOT SPECULATE TOO MUCH ON THE CHOICE MADE BY THE 
CHURCH. IT IS BETTER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT POPE BENEDICT XVI HAS 
BEFORE HIM A CONSIDERABLE TASK. NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE SUCCEEDS A 
POPE WHO WAS ONE OF THE GIANTS OF THE CENTURY, BUT ALSO 
BECAUSE POPE JOHN PAUL II GAVE THE VATICAN A GLOBAL 
DIMENSION." 
 
"INTRANSIGENCE" 
GERARD DUPUY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (04/20): "IT IS AS 
IF POPE BENEDICT XVI SUCCEEDED HIMSELF. WITH THIS CHOICE, THE 
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS NOT RUNNING THE RISK OF BEING ACCUSED 
OF BEING TOO ORIGINAL. WHAT OTHER CONTEMPORARY INSTITUTION CAN 
AFFORD TO ELECT AN OLD MAN AT ITS HELM? OR SHOW SUCH ASSURANCE 
ABOUT ITS UNCHANGING DOGMA, ITS IMMUTABILITY, ITS INDIFFERENCE 
TO CHANGES IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD? NOTHING IN RATZINGER'S PAST 
PREDICTS THE POSSIBILITY FOR CHANGE." 
 
"FORCE IN TRANSITION" 
MICHEL KUBLER IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (04/20): "CARDINAL 
RATZINGER MOST PROBABLY GOT THE SUPPORT OF A NUMBER OF VOTERS 
WHO ARE EAGER TO CREATE A PERIOD OF TRANSITION AFTER THE VERY 
IMPOSING PONTIFICATE OF JOHN PAUL II. CARDINAL RATZINGER HAD 
HIS PREDECESSOR'S FULL TRUST. HE IS ALSO THE BEST PLACED TO 
GUARANTEE THAT THE DOGMA WILL BE PROTECTED AGAINST A DILUTION 
IN MODERNITY. THE CHOICE CAN THEREFORE BE INTERPRETED AS A 
CHOICE FOR A POPE OF TRANSITION, BUT A TRANSITION THAT WILL 
NOT NECESSARILY BE ALL THAT SMOOTH, FOR THE NEW POPE HAS 
STRONG CONVICTIONS." 
 
"THE STRATEGIST'S VICTORY" 
OLIVIER PICARD IN REGIONAL LES DERNIERES NOUVELLES D'ALSACE 
(04/20): "THE MOST LIBERAL AMONG FRENCH CATHOLICS CAN 
LEGITIMATELY FEAR A CONSERVATIVE TIGHTENING OF THE SCREWS, 
JUST WHEN THEY WERE EXPECTING THE OPPOSITE. AS FOR THE 
SECULARISM OF `THE OLDEST DAUGHTER OF THE CHURCH' (FRANCE), 
SHE WAS OPENLY CRITICIZED BY THE NEW POPE WHEN THE LAW ON 
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WAS VOTED ON." 
 
CHINA 
"DANGER IN CHINA" 
ALEXANDRE ADLER IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/20): "THE 
VIOLENT ANTI-JAPANESE CAMPAIGN IS A WARNING TO THE AMERICAN 
PARTNER-ADVERSARY TO STAY PUT. BECAUSE BEIJING FEARS THE 
BOOMERANG EFFECT OF AN ANTI-AMERICAN CAMPAIGN. JAPAN IS BEING 
USED AS A SCAPEGOAT. IF ONE LOOKS A LITTLE CLOSER, ONE SEES 
THAT THE ANTI-JAPANESE DEMONSTRATIONS CAME ABOUT SHORTLY AFTER 
THE U.S. AND JAPAN SIGNED A COMMUNIQU RE-AFFIRMING THEIR 
SOLIDARITY AGAINST POTENTIAL THREATS IN ASIA, AND ESPECIALLY 
AFTER SIGNIFYING THAT THIS THREAT COULD CONCERN TAIWAN. THE 
SITUATION IS LIKE A SINISTER SET OF RUSSIAN DOLLS OPENING A 
FRIGHTENING VISTA OF CHINA BREAKING WITH THE REST OF THE 
WORLD. IT IS NOT JAPAN THAT IS TARGETED, BUT THE JAPANESE- 
AMERICAN ALLIANCE. IT IS NOT THIS ALLIANCE THAT IS TARGETED, 
BUT THE TACIT AND NOW MORE EXPLICIT SUPPORT OF TAIWAN. AND IT 
IS NOT EVEN TAIWAN WHICH IS TARGETED. WHO THEN? . THERE SEEMS 
TO BE IN CHINA TODAY A GROUP AGITATING FOR THE REUNIFICATION 
WITH TAIWAN TO BETTER THWART IT. SUCH A CAMPAIGN CAN ONLY LEAD 
TO INCREASING TENSION BETWEEN CHINA AND ITS THREE MAJOR 
ECONOMIC PARTNERS: TAIWAN, JAPAN AND THE U.S. WITHOUT WANTING 
TO POINT TO A PLOT, IF ONE WANTED TO TOPPLE THE DUET OF THE 
CHINESE PRESIDENT AND HIS PRIME MINISTER, THIS WOULD BE THE 
WAY TO GO." WOLFF