US embassy cable - 05PARIS4302

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004302 
 
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 - IRAN ELECTIONS INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM - GUANTANAMO - IRAQ HOSTAGES EU ISSUES - EU 
ENLARGEMENT - TURKEY 
PARIS - FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. IRAN ELECTIONS 
2. INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM - GUANTANAMO - IRAQ HOSTAGES 
3. EU ISSUES - EU ENLARGEMENT - TURKEY 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
THE ELECTIONS IN IRAN ARE ONE OF TODAY'S LEAD INTERNATIONAL 
STORIES. LE FIGARO EMPHASIZES ON ITS FRONT PAGE THE CENTRAL 
ROLE PLAYED BY RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. IN THE CAMPAIGN: "IRAN 
VOTES FOR A THAWING WITH AMERICA." RELATED STORIES REPORT THAT 
IRANIAN YOUTH WANTS TO BOYCOTT THE ELECTIONS AND THAT THE 
IRANIANS IN GENERAL WANT CHANGE. THE EDITORIAL IN LIBERATION, 
TITLED "NUANCES," NOTES "IT IS NOT EASY GOING FROM `MOLLAH- 
CRACY' TO DEMOCRACY.(SEE PART C) 
 
THE VISIT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALEZ TO BRUSSELS IS AMPLY 
REPORTED IN LE MONDE, WHICH INSISTS ON "THE CONCILIATORY TONE" 
OF ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES. (SEE PART C) THE REPORT IS 
TITLED "U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT EXCLUDE CLOSING DOWN 
GUNATANAMO." ANOTHER LE MONDE STORY IS DEVOTED TO THE TIME 
MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON GUANTANAMO AND THE LATEST PENTAGON 
RESPONSE: "FACED WITH GROWING CRITICISM, THE U.S. 
ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO BUILD COUNTER-FIRES. AND FOR THE 
FIRST TIME THE PENTAGON HAS TRIED TO JUSTIFY ITS STANCE 
THROUGH A COMMUNIQU REVEALING THAT INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED 
BY INTERROGATING MOHAMED AL-QAHTANI." 
 
IN LE FIGARO, COMMENTATOR IVAN RIOUFOL WRITES ABOUT THE FRENCH 
MEDIA'S REPORTING ON THE RELEASE OF FLORENCE AUBENAS AND ITS 
SILENCE ABOUT THE HOSTAGE TAKERS AND THEIR PRACTICES. RIOUFOL 
RECALLS THAT THE FRENCH MEDIA WAS LES CIRCUMSPECT WHEN 
REPORTING ON ABU-GHARAIB OR GUANTANAMO. (SEE PART C) 
 
THE SECOND MAJOR FRONT-PAGE STORY CONCERNS THE EU SUMMIT AND 
PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S STANCE ABOUT EU ENLARGEMENT. LE FIGARO 
HEADLINES: "TURKEY: CHIRAC'S CHANGE OF COURSE." REPORTS NOTE 
THAT ALTHOUGH HE DOES NOT MENTION TURKEY BY NAME, THE FRENCH 
PRESIDENT IS CALLING FOR A REASSESSMENT OF TURKEY'S EU 
MEMBERSHIP. (SEE PART C) 
 
THE ECONOMIC PRESS NOTES THAT AIRBUS YESTERDAY PASSED BOEING 
IN TERMS OF FIRM AIRCRAFT ORDERS, REGISTERING A TOTAL OF 300 
ORDERS AGAINST THE 148 REGISTERED BY BOEING. 
 
LE FIGARO CARRIES A SMALL ITEM CONFIRMING THAT THE U.S. HAS 
POSTPONED THE DEADLINE FOR BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS TO OCTOBER 
2006. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
IRAN ELECTIONS 
 
"BUSH'S AMERICA AT THE HEART OF IRANIAN CAMPAIGN" 
GEORGES MALBRUNOT IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO 906/17): "THE 
`GREAT SATAN' HAS MANAGED TO IMPOSE ITSELF IN IRANAN'S 
ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN. THREE THIRDS OF IRANIANS, ACCORDING TO 
VARIOUS POLLS, ARE FAVORABLE TO A DIALOGUE WITH THE U.S. AND 
IN THEIR EYES THE BEST CANDIDATE TO RE-ESTABLISH THOSE TIES IS 
RAFSANDJANI. IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON NUCLEAR ISSUES, WHICH WILL 
DETERMINE THE NATURE OF RELATIONS BETWEEN IRAN AND THE WEST, 
RAFSANDJANI WAS FINALLY ABLE TO CONVINCE KHAMENEI OF THE NEED 
TO TALK WITH THE EUROPEANS. AND IF HE IS ELECTED HE CAN 
CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE HIM ON IRANIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS. IN 
THEIR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EUROPEANS, THE IRANIANS ARE TRYING 
TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE AMERICANS. SAYS A DIPLOMAT: `WHAT THEY 
WANT IS U.S. TECHNOLOGY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE EUROPEANS 
CANNOT DELIVER AND THAT IRAN REJECTS THE SLIGHTEST GESTURE IN 
FAVOR OF A DIALOGUE WITH THE AMERICANS.' BUT MANY EXPERTS FEEL 
THAT RAPPROCHEMENT WITH THE U.S. CAN ONLY BE OF A `TACTICAL' 
NATURE. `FOR BUSH, THE PRIORITY IS FOR IRAN TO EXERCISE ITS 
MODERATING INFLUENCE ON IRAQ.'" 
"NUANCES" 
PATRICK SABATIER IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/17): "IT IS 
NOT EASY TO GO FROM `MOLLAH-CRACY' TO DEMOCRACY. MANY WILL 
BOYCOTT THE ELECTION. BUT THE ELECTION CAN STILL MARK A 
TURNING POINT. THE RETURN TO MODERN METHODS OF CAMPAIGNING. IS 
ONE SIGN AMONG OTHERS THAT A DEEP AND IRREVERSIBLE MUTATION IS 
OCCURRING IN IRANIAN SOCIETY. THIS SPECTACULAR MUTATION OF 
IRAN IS DUE TO ONE REASON ONLY: ITS YOUNG PEOPLE. WHICH HAS 
EYES ONLY FOR THE WEST. IF THE MULLAHS WANT TO SAVE THEIR 
TURBANS, THEY WILL HAVE TO OPEN THEMSELVES TO THE WORLD, 
INCLUDING TO THE GREAT AMERICAN SATAN AND ITS LITTLE EUROPEAN 
IMPS. IN IRAN, IT MAY BE ONLY A MATTER OF NUANCE BETWEEN 
`REFORMERS' AND `CONSERVATIVES,' BUT THE NUANCE CAN MAKE A BIG 
DIFFERENCE." 
 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM - GUANTANAMO - IRAQ HOSTAGES 
 
"THE FORGOTTEN JAILERS" 
IVAN RIOUFOL IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/17): "THE 
MEDIA'S REFUSAL TO CARRY JUDGMENT OVER THE HOSTAGE TAKERS (IN 
IRAQ) IS NOT WITHOUT MEANING. THE SAME MEDIA WAS QUICK TO 
DENOUNCE THE AMERICAN HUMILIATIONS IMPOSED AT ABU GHARAIB. DID 
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS CRITICIZE THE CONDITIONS OF DETENTION 
OF AUBENAS AND HANOUN? THIS SILENCE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH 
FRANCE'S RETICENCE TO TAKE THE REAL MEASURE OF ISLAMIC 
TERRORISM, WHICH IS TRYING TO STOP THE TIMID PROGRESS OF 
DEMOCRATIZATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE RECENT CARNAGE OF 
IRAQI CIVILIANS HAS AWAKENED NO EMOTION IN OUR MORALISTS. THEY 
PREFER TO CALL THESE ACTS `ACTS OF RESISTANCE.' THIS TYPE OF 
ATTITUDE IS ALREADY A FORM OF CAPITULATION IN THE FACE OF THIS 
NEW TOTALITARIANISM AND ITS JIHAD LAUNCHED SINCE 9/11. WITH 
THE PRETEXT OF NOT WANTING TO HURT THE SENSIBILITY OF THE 
JAILERS, THE MEDIA IS GIVING THE IMPRESSION IT IS EXCUSING 
THEIR IDEOLOGY AND THEIR PRACTICES OR AT LEAST GRANTING THEM 
EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE NAME OF THEIR FIGHT AGAINST 
`THE AMERICAN OCCUPIER.' THIS SURRENDER IS ALREADY A FORM OF 
VICTORY FOR ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM." 
 
"ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT PRECLUDE CLOSING GUANTANAMO" 
JEAN-PIERRE STOOBANTS IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (06/17): "'WE 
WANT TO LISTEN TO OUR FRIENDS AND OUR ALLIES' SAID ALBERTO 
GONZALEZ IN BRUSSELS. `WE CONTINUE TO EXAMINE THE SITUATION' 
(IN GUANTANAMO) HE ADDED, AND DID NOT EXCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY 
OF CLOSING THE CAMP `ONE DAY.' EVERYONE IN BRUSSELS PRAISED 
THE POSITIVE BALANCE SHEET OF EU-U.S. COOPERATION SINCE 9/11, 
EVEN IF EVERYONE NOTED THAT GUANTANAMO WAS ONE OF THE MAIN 
OBSTACLES TO A FULL ANTI-TERRORIST COOPERATION. THE GENERAL 
TONE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, WHO PRAISED THE `EXCELLENT 
COOPERATION' BETWEEN THE EU-25 AND THE U.S., WAS CONCILIATORY. 
ABOUT FRANCE, HE ALSO PRAISED THE `REMARKABLE LEVEL OF 
COOPERATION, IN SPITE OF WHAT SOME MAY THINK.'" 
 
EU ISSUES - EU ENLARGEMENT - TURKEY 
 
"TURKEY: CHIRAC'S CHANGE OF COURSE" 
PHILIPPE GOUILLAUD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/17): 
"YESTERDAY PRESIDENT CHIRAC PUT IN QUESTION EUROPE'S CONTINUED 
EXPANSION `WITHOUT THE PROPER INSTITUTIONS TO ALLOW AN 
EXPANDED EU TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.' WITHOUT HAVING MENTIONED 
TURKEY, THE FRENCH PRESIDENT INSISTED THAT THE `EU 
CONSTITUTION WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT AS BEING INDISPENSABLE TO 
ALLOW THE EXPANDED EU TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.' YET CHIRAC WAS 
ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS OF TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP, 
BRAVING HIS OWN PARTY AND HIS PUBLIC OPINION. CHIRAC AND HIS 
PM HAVE DRAWN THE LESSON FROM THE MAY 29 REFERENDUM AND THE 
MESSAGE THAT THEIR VOTERS ARE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO TURKEY'S 
MEMBERSHIP." WOLFF