US embassy cable - 05PARIS3683

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 003683 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM ARS 
 
STATE FOR AF/PD; AF/RD/RA; IIP/G/AF; I/RF(FOREIGN PRESS CENTERS 
IN WASHDC AND NYC); INR/AA (GRAVES) 
LONDON FOR POL/AF (GURNEY) 
BRUSSELS FOR APAO; POL 
AFRICAN POSTS FOR PAO; POL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, XA 
SUBJECT: AFRICA IN THE FRENCH PRESS 
         MAY 13-27, 2005 
 
 
1. ATTENTION 
2. AFRICA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH 
3. CENTRAFRIQUE 
4. NIGERIA 
5. TOGO 
6. COTE D'IVOIRE 
7. DROC 
8. DJIBOUTI 
9. BURUNDI 
10. SUDAN 
11. ETHIOPIA 
 
1. FOR PAOS, PLEASE NOTE: ALL ARTICLES ARE KEPT FOR A MONTH AND 
CAN BE FAXED OR POSTED AT POSTS' REQUEST. SEND REQUESTS BY E-MAIL 
TO BROOKESA@STATE.GOV 
 
2. AFRICA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH 
*** LIBERATION 5/23/2005 
  -    "AFRICA'S ECONOMY IS SILENTLY GROWING", 
-    "ANGOLA'S ACCOUNTS LACK TRANSPARENCY", both articles by 
Thomas Hofnung 
 
3. CENTRAFRIQUE 
*** LIBERATION 5/26/2005 
  -    "GENERAL BOSIZE CROWNED AS PRESIDENT", by Christophe Ayad 
 
 
4. NIGERIA 
*** LA CROIX 5/26/2005 
  -    "OBASANJO IN PARIS TO TALK ABOUT OIL AND DEBT", by Laurent 
     d'Ersu 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/26/2005 
  -    "NIGERIAN PRESIDENT GOES TO WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION, 
     INCLUDING IN THE ARMY", by correspondent in Lagos alexandre 
     Jacquens 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/25/2005 
  -    "PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT IN FRANCE", unsigned 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/25/2005 
  -    "OIL WAR THREATENS NIGER DELTA", by special correspondent in 
     Port Harcourt Sixtine Leon-Dufour 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/24/2005 
  -    "SEROPOSITIVES OSTRACIZED IN NIGERIA", by correspondent in 
     Lagos Virginie Gomez 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/23/2005 
  -    "OBASANJO GOES TO PARIS TO TALK OIL AND DEBT", by 
     correspondent in Lagos Virginie Gomez 
 
5. TOGO 
*** LIBERATION 5/27/2005 
  -    "ALL-ROUND REPRESSION AND OPPOSITION MANHUNT", by Thomas 
     Hofnung 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/25/2005 
  -    "REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION IN LOME", by 
     Patrick de Saint Exupery 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/22-23/2005 
  -    "REFUGEES IN BENIN CLAIM TOGOLESE OPPONENTS STILL SUBJECTED 
     TO MANHUNT", by Philippe Bernard in Come and Lokossa 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/21/2005 
  -    "ABUJA TALKS BETWEEN TOGOLESE GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION END 
     IN FAILURE", by special correspondent in Abuja Alexandre Jacquen 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/20/2005 
  -    "LOME HARBOUR IS TOGO PRESIDENT'S SHIELD", by special 
     correspondent in Lome Thomas Hofnung 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/17/2005 
  -    "GOVERNMENT CONTEST NUMBER OF DEATHS", AFP 
*** LE MONDE 5/15-16/2005 
  -    "REPRESSION MAY HAVE CAUSED OVER 800 DEATHS", by Philippe 
     Bernard 
 
 
6. COTE D'IVOIRE 
*** LE MONDE 5/22-23/2005 
  -    "RAPE CHARGES INVESTIGATED BY FRENCH MILITARY OFFICIALS", by 
     Laurent Zecchini 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/19/2005 
  -    "OPPOSITION PARTIES SIGN ACCORD IN PARIS", by Thomas Hofnung 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/19/2005 
  -    "HOUPHOUET'S HEIRS JOIN FORCES AGAINST GBAGBO", 
-    "FORGET THE PAST AND START RECONSTRUTION, SAYS OUATTARA", 
Interview with former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara by Patrick 
de Saint Exupery 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/18/2005 
  -    "THERE'S A RISK OF POSSIBLE GENOCIDE", Interview with former 
     rebel chief Guillaume Soro by Thomas Hofnung 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/17/2005 
  -    "DISARMAMENT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 27", Reuters 
 
7. DROC 
*** LE FIGARO 5/21-22/2005 
  -    "KINSHASA DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION MAKES NO PROGRESS", 
-    "ITURI GOLD MINING BREEDS DREAMS OF FORTUNE", by Tanguy 
Berthemet in Kinshasa and in Ituri 
 
*** LA CROIX 5/20/2005 
  -    "ELECTIONS LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED", signed E.D./AFP 
 
8. BURUNDI 
*** LA CROIX 5/17/2005 
  -    "LAST ACTIVE REBELS LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS", by Esdras 
     Ndikumana (AFP) 
- 
9. DJIBOUTI 
*** LIBERATION 5/18/2005 
  -    "DJIBOUTI PRESIDENT STEERS CLEAR OF FRENCH MAGISTRATES", 
     signed B. V.-D. 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/18/2005 
- "PARIS PLAYS DOWN THE BORREL AFFAIR", by Tanguy Berthemet 
 
 
10. SUDAN 
*** LE FIGARO 5/27/2005 
  -    "INTERNATIONAL MOBILIZATION OVER DARFUR", by Patrick de 
     saint Exupery 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/27/2005 
  -    "MILITARY OVERBID BETWEEN NATO AND UN", by Jean Dominique 
     Merchet 
-    "AFRICAN UNION PUTS AT STAKES ITS CREDIBILITY", by 
Christophe Ayad 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/26/2005 
  -    "GIVE PEACE A REAL CHANCE", by UN SecGen Kofi Annan and AU 
     president Alpha Oumar Konare 
*** LE FIGARO 5/23/2005 
  -    "EU IN NATO'S FOOTSTEPS OVER DARFUR", by correspondent in 
     Brussels Alexandrine Bouilhet 
 
*** LE FIGARO 5/18/2005 
  -    "KHADAFI MANEUVRES TO RE-OPEN DARFUR NEGOCIATIONS", by 
     Thierry Oberle 
-    "NATO, READY TO INTERVENE `ASAP'", by correspondent in 
Brussels Alexandrine Bouilhet 
 
*** LE MONDE 5/19/2005 
  -    "AFRICAN UNION REQUESTS NATO AND EU PARTICIPATION IN 
     DARFUR", by correspondent in Nairobi Jean-Philippe Remy 
 
11. ETHIOPIA 
*** LE MONDE 5/17/2005 
  -    "AFTER MASS ELECTION, POST-ELECTORAL TROUBLE IS BREWING", by 
     correspondent in Nairobi Jean-Philippe Remy 
 
*** LIBERATION 5/16/2005 
  -    "ETHIOPIA'S SMALL STEPS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY", by Christophe 
     Ayad 
 
12. Minimize considered. 
(ARS) WOLFF