US embassy cable - 05PARIS4061

UNCLAS PARIS 004061 
 
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 - GUANTANAMO 
PARIS - FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
GUANTANAMO 
 
(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
THE BUDGET BATTLE BETWEEN PRESIDENT CHIRAC AND PRIME MINISTER 
BLAIR THAT HAS ARISEN FROM JACQUES CHIRAC'S  CALL ON LONDON TO 
MAKE A "GESTURE OF SOLIDARITY" WITH THE EU BY GIVING UP ITS 
"REBATE" ON AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES NEGOTIATED IN 1984 BY 
MARGARET THATCHER, THE FRANCO-GERMAN TENSIONS FOLLOWING OVER 
THE FUTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION AND AIRBUS-BOEING CONFLICT IN 
LIGHT OF OPENING OF THE 2005 PARIS AIR SHOW DOMINATE HEADLINES 
TODAY. 
 
CENTRIST ECONOMIC LA TRIBUNE CARRIES A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON 
THE PARIS AIR SHOW IN WHICH THE A380 IS FEATURED AS THE "STAR 
ATTRACTION." IN THE AREA OF MILITARY AVIATION, LA TRIBUNE'S 
THIERRY DEL JESUS NOTES "THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS YEAR'S AIR 
SHOW HAVE EVERY REASON TO REJOICE WITH THE MASSIVE MILITARY 
PARTICIPATION OF THE UNITED STATES. AFTER ITS NOTEWORTHY 
ABSENCE IN 2003 AS A RESULT OF THE DISAGREEMENTS CONCERNING 
THE WAR IN IRAQ. THIS IS A COMMERCIAL AND DIPLOMATIC TURN OF 
EVENTS THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRESTIGIOUS IMAGE OF THE 
AIR SHOW BUT ALSO ADD TO THE SUSPENSE. THE MILITARY CONTRACTS 
THAT WILL BE NEGOTIATED, NAMELY SINGAPORE'S CHOICE BETWEEN 
BOEING'S F15 AND DASSAULT'S RAFALE, REPRESENT BILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS." 
 
 
ECONOMIC DAILIES REPORT THE OPENING OF THE G-7 FINANCE 
MINISTERS MEETING WHICH IS TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND IN LONDON. 
THE MINISTERS WILL HAVE "PLENTY ON THEIR PLATE" ACCORDING TO 
CENTRIST ECONOMIC LA TRIBUNE, BUT ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL TOPICS 
FOR DISCUSSIONS WILL CENTER ON THE U.S. PROPOSAL TO CANCEL THE 
DEBT OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES. LA TRIBUNE WARNS: "WASHINGTON'S 
CONCESSIONS ARE TOO RECENT AND TOO IMPRECISE TO HOPE FOR AN 
AGREEMENT TO BE REACHED THIS WEEKEND." 
 
THE FRONT-PAGE OF RIGHT-OF CENTER LE FIGARO CARRIES A REPORT 
ON INTERIOR MINISTER NICOLAS SARKOZY'S PROPOSALS MADE 
YESTERDAY AT A UMP CONVENTION AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON 
IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRATION.  SARKOZY'S PROPOSALS CALLS FOR A 
"50 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ESCORTED 
BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN." THE INTERIOR MINISTER ALSO 
ADVOCATES SELECT IMMIGRATION IN ORDER TO "CONTROL THE FLOW OF 
IMMIGRANTS RATHER THAN BE SUBJECTED TO IT." THE NEW POLICY 
WOULD IN EFFECT ALLOW FRANCE TO ACCEPT ONLY THOSE NEW 
IMMIGRANTS IT NEEDS FOR ITS ECONOMY. 
 
LIBERATION CARRIES A FULL-PAGE REPORT PENNED BY FABRICE 
ROUSSELOT AND PASCAL RICHE ENTITLED "IN THE U.S. PRESSURE IS 
MOUNTING ON GUANTANAMO" FOLLOWING THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 
REPORT THAT QUALIFIED GUANATAMO BAY AS A `MODERN-DAY GULAG.' 
PRIVATE TF1 TELEVISION FEATURED A REPORT DURING THE EVENING 
NEWSCAST LAST NIGHT ON THE POLITICAL PRESSURE MOUNTING IN THE 
U.S. AGAINST THE GUANTANAMO DETENTION CENTER.  THE REPORT 
UNDERSCORED THAT IT IS THE PENTAGON THAT INVENTED THE TERM 
"ENEMY COMBATANT" AND CALLED THE CENTER A "TIME BOMB" THAT THE 
WHITE HOUSE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DEFUSE. (SEE PART C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
GUANTANAMO 
 
"IN THE U.S. PRESSURE IS MOUNTING ON GUANTANAMO" 
FABRICE ROUSSELOT AND PASCAL RICHE IN LEFT-OF-CENTER 
LIBERATION (06/10): "IN WASHINGTON THE APPEALS ARE INCREASING 
NUMEROUS AND LOUD TO SHUT DOWN THIS PRISON THAT OPENED IN 
JANUARY 2002. ACCORDING TO ITS DETRACTORS, GUANTANAMO FUELS 
THE RISK OF ATTACKS AGAINST AMERICANS RATHER THAN THE 
CONTRARY. IN THE STATE OF LAW THAT IS THE UNITED STATES, 
GUANTANAMO IS AN ABOMINATION THAT SHOCKS A GOOD DEAL OF 
AMERICANS." WOLFF