US embassy cable - 05PARIS2873

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002873 
 
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 - EU - U.S. TRADE RELATIONS - 
AIRBUS A380 - BOEING AFRICA - TOGO ELECTIONS 
PARIS - THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. EU - U.S. TRADE RELATIONS - AIRBUS A380 - BOEING 
2. AFRICA - TOGO ELECTIONS 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
THE SUCCESSFUL MAIDEN FLIGHT OF THE A380 IS TODAY'S MOST 
PROMINENT FRONT-PAGE STORY. FOR POPULAR RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE 
PARISIEN IT IS SIMPLY "SUPERB." IN ONE OF THEIR ARTICLES 
TITLED "A TECHNOLOGICAL JEWEL UNDER HIGH SURVEILLANCE" READERS 
LEARN: "INDUSTRIAL SPYING EXISTS, ACCORDING TO FRENCH 
INTELLIGENCE. WHOSE BRANCH IN TOULOUSE IS MAINLY PREOCCUPIED 
WITH THE JOB OF IDENTIFYING `ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE AGENTS' WHO 
HAVE INFILTRATED TOULOUSE. THE AMERICAN CONSULATE HAS FOR A 
LONG TIME BEEN A `TARGET' OF FRENCH INTELLIGENCE." LE FIGARO 
HEADLINES "THE WINGS OF EUROPE," WHILE FOR CATHOLIC LA CROIX 
THE A380 IS "A JUMBO FOR JOBS." LIBERATION WHICH HEADLINES 
"EUROPE FLYING HIGH" ALSO POINTS OUT THAT POLITICIANS ARE 
USING THE TECHNOLOGICAL SUCCESS OF THE A380 TO BOOST THE 
CAMPAIGN FOR THE YES VOTE ON THE EU CONSTITUTION. (SEE PART C) 
 
THE ELECTIONS IN TOGO, THE ENSUING VIOLENCE AND FRANCE'S 
AFRICAN POLICY ARE THE SUBJECTS OF VARIOUS EDITORIALS AND 
COMMENTARIES. (SEE PART C) 
 
THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE NOMINATION AND CONFIRMATION 
HEARINGS OF JOHN BOLTON AS AMBASSADOR TO THE UN IS VERY MUCH 
IN THE NEWS TODAY. IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO CORRESPONDENT 
PHILIPPE GELIE TITLES HIS REPORT: "BUSH UNABLE TO IMPOSE HIS 
CHOICE," AND SAYS THE NOMINATION IS TURNING INTO "AN AFFAIR OF 
STATE." GELIE ENDS ON A SARCASTIC NOTE: "THE STORY HAS 
UNLEASHED A WAVE OF MEDIA COMMENTARIES IN THE U.S., WITH ONE 
EDITORIALIST SUGGESTING ANOTHER POSITION FOR BOLTON: 
AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE." 
IN LEFT-OF-CENTER WEEKLY LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR BOLTON'S 
PORTRAIT BY THEIR U.S. CORRESPONDENT IS TITLED "HIS MASTER'S 
VOICE" AND INTRODUCED WITH THE FOLLOWING: "ACERBIC, STUBBORN, 
AND A FANATIC, THE MAN CHOSEN BY BUSH TO REPRESENT THE U.S. AT 
THE UN DESPISES THAT ORGANIZATION. A CHOICE TO BRING THE HOUSE 
DOWN?" 
IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION EDITORIALIST JACQUES AMALRIC 
WRITES: "THE BATTLE IN CONGRESS OVER BOLTON'S NOMINATION 
ILLUSTRATES THE GROWING DISSENSION AMONG REPUBLICANS." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
EU - U.S. TRADE RELATIONS - AIRBUS A380 - BOEING 
 
"WHEN EUROPE HAS A PLAN" 
PHILIPPE RECLUS IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/28): 
"AIRBUS'S PLAN WAS TO COUNTER BOEING ON ITS OWN TURF. THE 
SUCCESS OF THE A380 IS INDISPUTABLE AND IS MORE THAN JUST A 
SUCCESS FOR THE AEROSPACE SECTOR. IT HAS BECOME A POLITICAL 
DECLARATION OF FAITH. BUT NOW THE TECHNOLOGICAL SUCCESS MUST 
BE TURNED INTO A COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE 
CHALLENGE IN THE OPEN BATTLE WITH BOEING, WHICH IS TRYING TO 
PROVE THAT THE FUTURE LIES WITH SMALLER AIRCRAFT. THE SECOND 
CHALLENGE LIES IN EUROPE'S ABILITY TO IMPOSE THE FINANCING 
SYSTEM USED AT AIRBUS ON OTHER COMMERCIAL VENTURES. HERE AGAIN 
THE CONTROVERSY IS PITTING AIRBUS AGAINST BOEING, WHICH ITSELF 
RUNS ON PUBLIC FUNDING. THIS BATTLE OF INFLUENCE WILL BE A 
DETERMINING FACTOR FOR THE FUTURE OF THE A380, AND EUROPE. THE 
OUTCOME WILL ALSO DEPEND ON THE ABILITY FOR EUROPEAN 
POLITICIANS TO SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE ON THE WORLD TRADE SCENE 
IN ORDER TO BE HEARD. THE EXAMPLE OF CHINESE TEXTILE EXPORTS 
IS PROVING THEY STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO." 
 
"THE SKY'S THE LIMIT" 
PATRICK SABATIER IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (04/28): "THE 
A380 SUCCESS STORY IS INDEED THE SUCCESS STORY OF A EUROPEAN 
ENTERPRISE, AIRBUS, NURTURED BY EUROPE AND CARRIED BY THE 
AMBITION OF KEEPING THE U.S. FROM HAVING A MONOPOLY ON THE 
SKIES. STILL, THIS IS NOT A REASON TO SAY THAT THE 
TECHNOLOGICAL AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OF EUROPE CAN ONLY TAKE 
OFF IF THE POLITICAL ENGINES OF THE EU ARE FIRED OFF. AIRBUS'S 
SUCCESS TELLS US WE MUST GO TOWARDS MORE EUROPE, SOMETHING THE 
EU CONSTITUTION CAN DO FOR US. THE A380 WILL BE FACING OTHER 
KINDS OF TURBULENCE, SUCH AS THE CONTINUING BATTLE WITH 
BOEING. IT IS A TRADE BATTLE, BUT ALSO A DIPLOMATIC BATTLE. IN 
THIS REGARD, AIRBUS WITHOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION WOULD BE LIKE 
AN AIRCRAFT WITHOUT WINGS." 
 
AFRICA - TOGO ELECTIONS 
 
"IN TOGO, A FAUX PAS" 
LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE IN ITS EDITORIAL (04/28): "THE PEOPLE 
OF TOGO ARE CONVINCED THEY HAVE BEEN SHORT-CHANGED. AS IN 
ABIDJAN, FRANCE IS THE TARGET OF THE POPULATION'S ANGER. IN 
SPITE OF FRANCE'S ATTEMPTS TO REMAIN NEUTRAL. THE PRESENCE OF 
FRENCH ADVISERS DURING THE CAMPAIGN WAS NOTED BY THE PEOPLE OF 
TOGO. MORE SERIOUS EVEN WAS THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER'S 
REMARK THAT THE ELECTION RESULTS WERE `GLOBALLY SATISFACTORY.' 
BARNIER WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ADVISED TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE 
OF THE AMERICANS AND THE EUROPEANS AND NOT TAKE SIDES." 
 
"FRANCE'S COMPLACENCY" 
GERARD DUPUY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (04/28): "CAN THERE 
BE A DOMINO EFFECT IN FRANCE'S AFRICAN TURF? TOGO, LIKE COTE 
D'IVOIRE HAVE, SINCE THEIR INDEPENDENCE, BEEN GOVERNED BY 
`GREAT FRIENDS OF PARIS.' FRANCE IS FACING THE SAME IMPOSSIBLE 
SITUATION WITH TOGO IT FACED IN COTE D'IVOIRE. NOT INTERVENING 
WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, AND AN INTERVENTION PROVED 
DISASTROUS." WOLFF