US embassy cable - 05PARIS2774

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002774 
 
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 - SAUDI ELECTIONS 
PARIS - MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
SAUDI ELECTIONS 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION AND THE THREAT OF CHINESE TEXTILE 
EXPORTS ARE TWO OF TODAY'S MAJOR STORIES, BROUGHT TOGETHER IN 
A QUOTE IN LES ECHOS FROM PM RAFFARIN ON THE LAST DAY OF HIS 
VISIT TO CHINA: "ONLY A `YES' TO THE CONSTITUTION WILL HELP 
EUROPE TO HOLD ITS RANK IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY. CHINA'S `YES' TO 
OPENING ITSELF TO THE REST OF THE WORLD CALLS FOR EUROPE'S 
`YES' TO INCREASED EUROPEAN BUILDING. A `NO' WOULD LEAD TO A 
STALLED EUROPE, WHILE A `YES' WOULD POSITION EUROPE AS A 
GLOBAL PLAYER ALONG WITH THE U.S. AND A DEVELOPING CHINA." IN 
REGIONAL LES DERNIERES NOUVELLES D'ALSACE, EDITORIALIST JEAN- 
CLAUDE KIEFER PINS DOWN THE CHOICES: "LAST WEEK A 
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHINESE TRADE MINISTRY SAID IN 
BRUSSELS: `TO BUY ONE AIRBUS A320 WE NEED TO SELL TWENTY 
MILLION SHIRTS.' THIS IS A PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF THE DILEMMA 
EUROPE IS FACING. BUT THE DECISION HAS IN A SENSE ALREADY BEEN 
MADE IN BRUSSELS; BY LEAVING IT UP TO BEIJING'S GOODWILL, THE 
CHOICE TO SELL AIRBUSES AND MAYBE EVEN WEAPONS TO CHINA HAS 
ALREADY BEEN MADE, EVEN IF IT MEANS LAYING OFF MINIMUM WAGE 
WORKERS." 
SEVERAL MINISTERS AND FORMER POLITICIANS ARE INTERVIEWED IN 
TODAY'S PRESS AS THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE `YES' TO THE EUROPEAN 
CONSTITUTION BEGINS TO TAKE MOMENTUM. FRANCE SOIR INTERVIEWS 
FORMER PRESIDENT VELERY GISCARD D'ESTAING: "THE TEST FLIGHT OF 
THE A380 WILL BE A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT EUROPE CAN DO. WITH 
REGARD TO TURKEY, I AM MYSELF OPPOSED TO ITS EU MEMBERSHIP. WE 
CAN ALWAYS SAY NO TO TURKEY. BY ADOPTING THE EU CONSTITUTION 
WE WILL HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE: ARTICLE 57 OF THE CONSTITUTION 
ALLOWS FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH EUROPE'S NEIGHBORS ON AGREEMENTS 
OF `PRIVILEGED PARTNERSHIP.' THE AMERICANS ARE IN A PHASE 
WHERE THEY WANT TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEANS, WHICH 
DETERIORATED DURING THE WAR IN IRAQ. THEY SAID THERE WERE GOOD 
AND BAD EUROPEANS. TO ERASE THIS THEY ARE NOW SAYING THEY ARE 
HAPPY THAT EUROPEANS ARE UNITING. BUT THEY ARE NOT TAKING A 
POSITION ON THE ISSUE." 
 
LE FIGARO INTERVIEWS FORMER PM RAYMOND BARRE, WHO LIKE GISCARD 
D'ESTAING, URGES THE FRENCH NOT TO LET TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP 
COLOR THEIR VOTE: "THERE IS OVER THIS SUBJECT AN IRRATIONAL 
FRENZY." AND WARNS: "IN CASE OF A VICTORY OF THE `NO,' THE 
EUROPEAN UNION WOULD OF COURSE SURVIVE, BUT ITS PROGRESS WOULD 
BE SLOWED. FRANCE'S CREDIBILITY WOULD GREATLY SUFFER. THE U.S. 
WOULD NOT REGRET THE `NO' AND GREAT BRITAIN WOULD MORE EASILY 
BE ABLE TO PLAY ITS OWN ROLE WITHIN EUROPE." 
 
LE PARISIEN INTERVIEWS MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR DOMINIQUE DE 
VILLEPIN WHO CALLS ON THE FRENCH "NOT TO MISS AN IMPORTANT 
DATE" AND TO BE CAREFUL "NOT TO CONFUSE THE ISSUES." 
 
LE FIGARO ALSO INTERVIEWS BILL KRISTOL OF THE WEEKLY STANDARD: 
"THE U.S. WANTS A POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY STRONG EUROPE. 
PERSONALLY, I WOULD PREFER IT IF THAT EUROPE WERE NOT ANTI- 
AMERICAN. FOR FRANCE TO EXPRESS A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE U.S. 
ADMINISTRATION ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, LIKE IRAQ, IS NOT IN 
ITSELF DISTURBING. WHAT DISTURBS ME IS THAT SOME REJOICED WHEN 
WE EXPERIENCED MILITARY DIFFICULTIES AFTER THE INTERVENTION. 
IT WOULD BE NICE IF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF FRANCE AND EUROPE'S 
GOVERNING ELITE DID NOT SYSTEMATICALLY GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF 
ABSOLVING DICTATORS." 
 
ALL OUTLETS REPORT ON ZACCHARIAS MOUSSAOUI'S DECISION TO PLEAD 
GUILTY AND THE RISK HE IS TAKING. FOR PHILIPPE GELIE IN LE 
FIGARO, "IT IS THE RISKIEST WAGER HE COULD HAVE TAKEN. NEVER 
IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN JUSTICE HAS AN ACCUSED PUNISHABLE 
WITH THE DEATH PENALTY EVER PLEADED GUILTY WITHOUT PLEA 
BARGAINING." 
 
SAUDI ARABIA'S MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND THE ISLAMIC VICTORY ARE 
ANALYZED IN LIBERATION AND LE FIGARO. (SEE PART C) 
 
POPE BENEDICT XVI'S INAUGURAL SUNDAY MASS IS WIDELY REPORTED. 
IN LE FIGARO A REPORT NOTES: "CONTRARY TO POPE JOHN PAUL II'S 
FUNERAL, THE U.S. WAS NOT WIDELY REPRESENTED AT POPE BENEDICT 
XVI'S INAUGURAL MASS. NO PRESIDENTS BUSH OR CLINTON, BUT 
INSTEAD GOVERNOR JEB BUSH OF FLORIDA, WHO CONVERTED TO 
CATHOLICISM AND IS ALLEGEDLY A MEMBER OF THE KNIGHTS OF 
COLUMBUS. WHICH IS ONE OF THE VATICAN'S MAJOR SOURCE OF 
FINANCING." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
SAUDI ELECTIONS 
 
"BUSH CONCERNED OVER SAUDI WEAKNESSES" 
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/25): "CROWN 
PRINCE ABDALLAH WILL BE VISITING PRESIDENT BUSH'S CRAWFORD 
RANCH TODAY. WHERE THE RISING PRICE OF OIL WILL BE DISCUSSED. 
PRESIDENT BUSH WILL CERTAINLY REMIND HIM OF THE SAUDI 
`PROMISE' TO INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION. BUT SUCH A COMPLICATED 
AND IMPORTANT PARTNER AS SAUDI ARABIA MUST BE DEALT WITH 
CAREFULLY. PRESIDENT BUSH WILL BE SURE TO ENCOURAGE SAUDI 
ARABIA'S SHY PROCESS TOWARDS REFORM. WHILE THE RECENT 
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS CANNOT BE USED AS AN EXAMPLE, THE WHITE 
HOUSE WILL INSIST ON THE RIGHT FOR EACH TO MOVE `AT ITS OWN 
RHYTHM.' WHAT WORRIES THE U.S. THE MOST IS THE REGIME'S 
SUPPOSED INSTABILITY AND ITS CONTINUED FINANCING OF RADICAL 
ISLAM. THE PREDOMINANT FEELING IN WASHINGTON IS THAT THE SAUDI 
MONARCHY'S DAYS ARE COUNTED. JAMES BAKER GAVE IT FIVE YEARS, 
BUT THAT WAS TWO AND HALF YEARS AGO. FACED WITH THE RISK OF 
THE FALL OF THE SAUDI REGIME. THE WHITE HOUSE CONTINUES TO 
SALUTE ANTI-TERRORIST COOPERATION WITH THE SAUDIS, WHILE THE 
U.S. NAVY AND AMERICAN COAST GUARDS CONTINUE TO PATROL GULF 
WATERS TO PROTECT MAJOR OIL SITES." WOLFF