US embassy cable - 05PARIS3779

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003779 
 
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 REFERENDUM - GOVERNMENT 
RESHUFFLE AIRBUS-BOEING 
PARIS - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 01, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. EU REFERENDUM - GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE 
2. AIRBUS-BOEING 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
LEAD STORIES IN TODAY'S MEDIA ARE DEVOTED TO THE AFTERMATH OF 
FRANCE'S NEGATIVE VOTE ON THE EU REFERENDUM, THE RESIGNATION 
OF PRIME MINISTER RAFFARIN AND PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S NOMINATION 
OF DOMINIQUE DE VILLEPIN TO REPLACE HIM, WITH SARKOZY AS 
INTERIOR MINISTER. WHILE LE FIGARO AND LE MONDE LEAD WITH 
NEUTRAL HEADLINES, "DE VILLEPIN TO MATIGNON" (LE MONDE) AND 
"THE DE VILLEPIN-SARKOZY TANDEM" (LE FIGARO), LEFT-OF-CENTER 
LIBERATION HEADLINES OVER A PHOTO OF BOTH MEN: "THE 
PRESIDENT'S CRUTCHES." FINANCIAL LA TRIBUNE HEADLINES: "A TOP- 
NOTCH DUO TO ADDRESS UNEMPLOYMENT" WHILE LES ECHOS TITLES: 
"CHIRAC PICKS DE VILLEPIN AND MAKES EMPLOYMENT HIS PRIORITY." 
EDITORIALS ARE EQUALLY DEVOTED TO THE PRESIDENT'S CHOICES AND 
THE TASK AHEAD. (SEE PART C) 
 
THE CHOICE OF DE VILLEPIN FOR PRIME MINISTER ELICITS SEVERAL 
ARTICLES RECALLING THE TUG-OF-WAR BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND THE 
THEN FOREIGN MINISTER OVER THE WAR IN IRAQ. LE FIGARO CARRIES 
TWO ARTICLES: "DE VILLEPIN, THE MAN BEHIND THE CONFRONTATION 
WITH THE U.S." AND "WASHINGTON HAS YET TO FORGIVE." FOR 
LIBERATION, "VILLEPIN IS AMERICA'S BETE NOIRE." (SEE PART C) 
 
COMMENTARIES CONTINUE IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE REASONS 
BEHIND THE "NO" VOTE. FOR ALEXANDRE ADLER IN LE FIGARO: "HATE 
FOR THE U.S., OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT, MUST NOT BE THE CEMENT 
THAT CAN FEDERATE EUROPE." (SEE PART C) 
 
LE FIGARO INTERVIEWS FERNANDO SAVATER, A SPANISH INTELLECTUAL 
KNOWN FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM: "LET 
US MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE STAUNCH OPPONENTS OF A EUROPE-POWER, 
WHO ARE NUMEROUS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC, MUST BE 
GLOATING. WHAT A CURIOUS RESULT OF THE ANTI-AMERICAN HATE THAT 
FLOURISHES AMONG THE OPPONENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHETHER 
THEY ARE FROM THE POLITICAL LEFT OR THE RIGHT! THE `NO' VOTE 
IS A GREAT GIFT MADE TO BUSH." 
 
THE MEDIA ALSO REPORTS EXTENSIVELY ON TODAY'S EU TREATY VOTE 
IN THE NETHERLANDS, WHICH ACCORDING TO LIBERATION IS THE 
"OTHER COUNTRY OF THE NO" EVEN IF THERE IS "NO DOMINO EFFECT," 
ACCORDING TO EDITORIALIST PATRICK SABATIER, "BECAUSE THE 
NETHERLANDS' POSITION HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN." 
 
THE LATEST CONFRONTATION BETWEEN BOEING AND AIRBUS IS FRONT- 
PAGED IN LE FIGARO, LE MONDE AND ECONOMIC LES ECHOS. (SEE PART 
C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
EU REFERENDUM - GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE 
 
"WASHINGTON HAS YET TO FORGIVE" 
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/01): 
"WASHINGTON'S POLITE CONGRATULATIONS FOOL NO ONE. SINCE THAT 
FATEFUL DAY IN FEBRUARY WHEN AT THE UNSC DE VILLEPIN OPPOSED 
THE WAR IN IRAQ WITH STAUNCH CONVICTION, HE HAS BECOME 
AMERICA'S BETE NOIRE. THE EPISODE LEFT ITS MARK IN THE U.S. DE 
VILLEPIN'S HEATED SPEECH ELICITED LITTLE ADMIRATION IN THE 
U.S., BOTH BECAUSE OF FORM AND CONTENT. BUT BEHIND THE MAN, 
WHAT THE AMERICANS REJECTED WAS A POLICY. SINCE THEN, RANCOR 
HAS SUBSIDED AND FM BARNIER WAS ABLE TO START ON A DIFFERENT 
FOOTING WITH SECRETARY RICE. BUT SUSPICION OVER FRANCE'S 
INTENTIONS TOWARDS AMERICA REMAINS. LAST EVENING THE U.S. 
INDICATED IT WAS READY TO WORK WITH THE NEW PRIME MINISTER, 
BUT MADE IT CLEAR IT DID NOT FORGET HIS OPPOSITION TO THE WAR 
IN IRAQ." 
 
"THE `YES' CAMP ON THE ATTACK" 
ALEXANDRE ADLER IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/01): "HATE 
FOR THE U.S., OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT, MUST NOT BE THE CEMENT 
THAT CAN FEDERATE EUROPE. THE CEMENT OF THE FRANCO-GERMAN 
RELATIONSHIP CANNOT BE THE REJECTION OF PRESIDENT BUSH AND HIS 
POLITICS. IT MUST BE MADE OF THE DETERMINATION TO ADOPT THE 
SAME AVENUES AS THOSE OF AMERICA: AN ENERGETIC INDUSTRIAL 
POLICY WITH RESEARCH AS ITS MAIN GOAL AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF 
A COMMON MILITARY FORCE." 
 
"COURAGE" 
MICHEL SCHIFRES IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/01): "SINCE, 
AFTER THE VICTORY OF THE `NO,' POLITICAL CONDITIONS ARE NOT AT 
THEIR BEST, LET US SHOW SOME DETERMINATION AND DARING. DE 
VILLEPIN LACKS NEITHER." 
 
"INCOHERENCE AND CONTRADICTIONS" 
JEAN-MICHEL THENARD IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/01): 
"CHIRAC AND SARKOZY SHARE THE SAME TALENT FOR CONTRADICTING 
THEMSELVES. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING INCOHERENT, CHIRAC IS 
WAY AHEAD. PAST SQUABBLES BETWEEN SARKOZY AND DE VILLEPIN DO 
NOT PRESAGE A HAPPY END FOR THIS UNNATURAL UNION. CHIRAC IS 
PERFECTLY AWARE OF THIS. HE IS SIMPLY GAINING SOME TIME WHILE 
OFFERING THE FRENCH AN ILLUSION OF CHANGE THAT COULD SOON 
TRIGGER A DOSE OF REJECTION. THE FRENCH, EXASPERATED BY TEN 
YEARS OF CHIRAC'S RULE, WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE PATIENCE WITH DE 
VILLEPIN. THE MAN HAS ALLURE AND KNOWS HOW TO TALK, BUT NO 
PARTICULAR TALENT TO OVERCOME UNEMPLOYMENT." 
 
"AMERICA'S BETE NOIRE" 
FABRICE ROUSSELOT IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/01): "FOR 
MONTHS BEFORE THE AMERICAN INTERVENTION IN IRAQ, DE VILLEPIN 
WAS A THORN IN WASHINGTON'S SIDE. HE BECAME THE FLAMBOYANT 
SYMBOL OF  `FRENCH RESISTANCE.' YESTERDAY, WASHINGTON REMAINED 
DISCREET AFTER HIS NOMINATION AS PRIME MINISTER." 
 
AIRBUS-BOEING 
 
"AN OPEN WAR BETWEEN BOEING AND AIRBUS" 
RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/01): "WASHINGTON STARTED THE 
HOSTILITIES WHEN IT ASKED THE WTO TO SANCTION AIRBUS FOR ITS 
SUBSIDIES. THE ANSWER FROM BRUSSELS CAME VERY QUICKLY IN THE 
FORM OF A SIMILAR REQUEST REGARDING BOEING'S OWN SUBSIDIES. 
THIS NEW EPISODE IN THE TUG-OF-WAR BETWEEN BOEING AND AIRBUS 
MEANS THAT BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAVE 
FAILED. THE DATE CHOSEN, DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE PARIS 
AIR SHOW, IS NOT COINCIDENTAL. IF THE U.S. AND EUROPE CANNOT 
GO BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, THEY WILL BE COMMITTED TO A 
PROCEDURE THAT COULD TAKE YEARS, WITH THE RISK OF HAVING TO 
START FROM SCRATCH. WTO JUDGES HAVE EVERY REASON TO POINT A 
FINGER AT BOTH PLAINTIFFS FOR OVERRIDING THE LEGISLATION ON 
PUBLIC SUBSIDIES." 
 
"AN OPEN WAR BETWEEN BOEING AND AIRBUS" 
ERIC LESER IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (06/01): "WASHINGTON 
BELIEVES THAT THE EUROPEANS ARE PURPOSELY DRAGGING OUT THE 
PROCEDURE SO THAT CERTAIN PUBLIC SUBSIDIES BECOME 
AUTOMATICALLY IRREVERSIBLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE CONCERNING THE 
NEW A380. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO PROVE ITS 
DETERMINATION AS IT WATCHES FOR SIGNS OF WEAKNESS FROM 
BRUSSELS, IN THE WAKE OF THE FRENCH VOTE ON THE EU 
CONSTITUTION. IT ALSO BELIEVES THAT IT HAS A STRONGER CASE 
THAN THE EUROPEANS. BRUSSELS SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE 
WASHINGTON'S CONCERNS REGARDING BOEING'S FUTURE. THE U.S 
AEROSPACE SECTOR IN GENERAL IS IN POOR SHAPE. UNDER PRESSURE 
FROM CONGRESS, THE ADMINISTRATION IS DETERMINED TO HELP ITS 
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER." WOLFF