US embassy cable - 05PARIS2926

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002926 
 
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 - IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW 
GOVERNMENT AFRICA - DARFUR - NATO INVOLVEMENT LEBANON - SYRIAN 
PULLOUT 
PARIS - FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT 
2. AFRICA - DARFUR - NATO INVOLVEMENT 
3. LEBANON - SYRIAN PULLOUT 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
A WIDE VARIETY OF DOMESTIC STORIES ARE REPORTED ON TODAY'S 
FRONT PAGES, WITH FORMER SOCIALIST PM JOSPIN PROMINENTLY 
FEATURED AFTER HIS TELEVISED INTERVENTION LAST EVENING IN 
FAVOR OF THE EU CONSTITUTION. LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION 
HEADLINES: "JOSPIN: YES TO THE YES" WHILE LEFT-OF-CENTER LE 
MONDE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON: "JOSPIN TO DEFEND THE 
LEFT'S YES." LE MONDE ALSO CARRIES A FRONT-PAGE EDITORIAL BY 
JEAN-MARIE COLOMBANI WHICH ECHOES HIS "WE ARE ALL AMERICANS" 
EDITORIAL AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS. THIS ONE IS TITLED "WE ARE 
ALL EUROPEANS." COLOMBANI, LIKE JOSPIN, DEFENDS THE `YES' VOTE 
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EUROPE'S WEIGHT ON THE INTERNATIONAL 
SCENE: "HISTORY DOES NOT WAIT. TOMORROW, IN INTERNATIONAL 
NEGOTIATIONS, WHEN WE WILL NEED TO ESTABLISH UNIVERSAL RULES 
IN TRADE, CULTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, TO 
NAME A FEW, BUT ALSO TO DISCUSS WAR AND PEACE AT THE UN, THERE 
WILL BE THREE OR FOUR HEAVY DUTY PLAYERS AROUND THE TABLE: THE 
U.S. AND POSSIBLY A UNIT COMPRISED OF LATIN AMERICA, CHINA AND 
INDIA; AND EUROPE IF IT DECIDES THAT IT WANTS TO. IN 
WASHINGTON, NEW DELHI AND BEIJING THEY ARE WAITING FOR AN 
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: TOMORROW, WILL THERE BE A EUROPEAN 
SITTING AT THE TABLE AMONG THE GREATS?" 
 
CATHOLIC LA CROIX CARRIES A FULL-PAGE INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY 
RIFKIN ON THE EUROPEAN DREAM, "WHICH IS RADICALLY DIFFERENT 
FROM THE U.S. DREAM OF INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT. IN EUROPE 
EMPHASIS IS ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY, REJECTING POVERTY AND 
EXCLUSION, ON QUALITY OF LIFE., SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND 
RESPECTING THE PLANET." 
 
IRAQ'S NEWLY-FORMED BUT INCOMPLETE GOVERNMENT IS ONE OF 
TODAY'S INTERNATIONAL STORIES. LE FIGARO DEVOTES ITS EDITORIAL 
TO "IRAQ'S SLOWNESS." (SEE PART C)  THE SYRIAN PULLOUT FROM 
LEBANON IS THE SUBJECT OF AN EDITORIAL IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES 
ECHOS TITLED "THE LEBANESE PUZZLE" WHICH CONCLUDES: "THE WEST 
WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEBANESE 
RECONSTRUCTION. THE COST WOULD BE MINIMAL BUT THE GAINS IN THE 
EQUILIBRIUM FOR PEACE WOULD BE GREAT." (SEE PART C) 
 
THE SITUATION IN TOGO IS THE BASIS FOR SEVERAL REPORTS, WHILE 
LE FIGARO DEVOTES A STORY TO THE WORSENING CONDITIONS IN 
DARFUR AND NATO'S DESIRE TO INTERVENE. IN HER REPORT 
ALEXANDRINE BOUILHET NOTES THE CONFLICTING POSITIONS OF THE 
U.S. AND FRANCE ON A NATO ROLE. (SEE PART C) 
 
SEVERAL REPORTS ARE DEVOTED TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S "LOSS OF 
GRACE" AFTER THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED DAYS IN OFFICE. FOR LES 
ECHOS "THE PRESIDENT IS ON THE DEFENSIVE. HIS POPULARITY HAS 
FALLEN. HE IS FACING DIVIDED REPUBLICANS WHEREAS THE DEMOCRATS 
ARE UNITED. IF JOHN BOLTON IS NOT CONFIRMED, IT WOULD BE THE 
FIRST OF HIS NOMINATIONS TO BE REJECTED." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT 
 
"IRAQ'S SLOWNESS" 
PIERRE ROUSSELIN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/29): "IT 
TOOK THREE MONTHS FOR THE EXEMPLARY COURAGE OF THE IRAQIS WHO 
VOTED IN JANUARY TO BEAR FRUIT. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS ONLY A 
TRANSITION GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE BRINGING TOGETHER THE THREE 
FACTIONS ON FIVE PORTFOLIOS HAS PROVEN TO BE IMPOSSIBLE. IF 
THE AMERICANS HAD NOT BANGED ON THE TABLE IT IS FAIR TO SAY 
THAT THE DISCUSSIONS WOULD STILL BE GOING ON. BUT THE TRUTH IS 
THAT THE TASK OF FOLDING IN THE SUNNI MINORITY WAS NOT BEEN AN 
EASY ONE. THE RESULT IS NOT GREAT. THE FACT THAT THE DEFENSE 
AND OIL MINISTERS COULD NOT BE NAMED PROVES THAT THE MOST 
DIFFICULT IS STILL AHEAD. MEANWHILE, AHMED CHALABI, THE 
PENTAGON'S MAN, MAKES A NOTICEABLE AND STRONG COMEBACK. BUT 
THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA COULD BE COMPROMISED, AND THIS IS 
UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE DURING THIS DELAY THE INSURRECTION 
CONTINUES WITHOUT WEAKENING. ON THE CONTRARY IT IS ENHANCED BY 
THE INSTITUTIONAL VACUUM. IF THERE ARE FEWER AMERICAN VICTIMS, 
IT IS BECAUSE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES ARE TAKING OVER FROM THE 
COALITION. CIVILIANS CONTINUE TO PAY A HEAVY PRICE IN THE 
DAILY VIOLENCE. TO EXTRICATE THE COUNTRY FROM CHAOS, THE 
GOVERNMENT MUST GET TO WORK FAST. TOO MUCH TIME HAS ALREADY 
BEEN WASTED IN IRAQ." 
 
AFRICA - DARFUR - NATO INVOLVEMENT 
 
"NATO WANTS TO INTERVENE IN DARFUR" 
ALEXANDRINE BOUILHET IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/29): 
"THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN DARFUR COULD OFFER NATO A HISTORIC 
OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE IN AFRICA. DESPITE FRANCE'S 
RETICENCE. THE AFRICAN UNION TROOPS DEPLOYED NEED HELP. BUT 
WHOSE? THE EUROPEAN UNION'S OR NATO'S? ONCE AGAIN THE TWO 
ORGANIZATIONS ARE IN COMPETITION. WITH THE DARFUR TRAGEDY AS A 
BACKDROP, FRANCE'S STRATEGIC INTERESTS ARE CLASHING AGAINST 
THOSE OF THE U.S., WHICH IS INCREASINGLY PRESENT IN AFRICA. 
WASHINGTON IS PUSHING FOR A NATO INTERVENTION IN SUDAN. ROBERT 
ZOELLICK WAS THE FIRST TO SUGGEST IT. TO WHICH FM BARNIER 
ANSWERED THAT `NATO MUST NOT BE THE SHERIFF OF THE WORLD.' IN 
SPITE OF THE URGENT NEED TO DO SOMETHING, FRANCE PREFERS TO 
GIVE THE LEAD TO THE EUROPEAN UNION TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS. 
FRANCE'S LACK OF TRUST IN NATO HAS ELICITED SARCASM ON THE 
PART OF SOME OF ITS EU PARTNERS. WHILE A FRENCH DIPLOMAT ASKS: 
`CAN THE U.S. NOT WORK WITH THE EU WITHOUT GOING THROUGH 
NATO?' KOFI ANNAN MEANWHILE, IGNORING THE QUARREL BETWEEN NATO 
AND THE EU, HAS ASKED THE AMERICANS AND THE EUROPEANS TO REACH 
AN AGREEMENT." 
 
LEBANON - SYRIAN PULLOUT 
 
"THE LEBANESE PUZZLE" 
FAVILLA IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS (04/29): "WHILE WE CAN 
BUT REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT THE LAST SYRIAN SOLDIER HAS JUST 
LEFT LEBANON, TWO THINGS CAN STILL DAMPEN OUR ENTHUSIASM. THE 
FIRST IS THAT THE SYRIANS HAVE LEFT UNDER PROTEST. THEIR 
DEPARTURE IS DUE TO AN EVOLUTION OF WASHINGTON'S POLICY. 
BECAUSE THIS PULLOUT IS THE RESULT OF PRESSURE, WE CAN FEAR 
THAT IT WILL LAST ONLY AS LONG AS WASHINGTON'S PRESSURE 
CONTINUES. THE SECOND HAS TO DO WITH LEBANESE SOCIETY AND 
ECONOMY. THE COUNTRY IS WEAK, ECONOMICALLY, AND ITS SOCIETY IS 
FOUNDED ON RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES. THE QUESTION IS HOW TO MAKE 
THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS PUZZLE WORK OUT, PULLED AS THE 
PIECES ARE BETWEEN THE SHIITE IRANIAN BIG BROTHER, SOLIDARITY 
FOR THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE, AND THE MEMORY OF LEBANON AS A 
MEETING POINT FOR EAST AND WEST? THIS IS THE MAJOR CHALLENGE 
OF THE LEBANESE ELECTIONS. THE WEST WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO 
HELP IN THE LEBANESE RECONSTRUCTION. THE COST WOULD BE MINIMAL 
BUT THE GAINS IN THE EQUILIBRIUM FOR PEACE WOULD BE GREAT." 
WOLFF