US embassy cable - 05PARIS4354

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 004354 
 
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 - MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL 
TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES: 
TURKEY 
PARIS - TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT 
2. U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES: TURKEY 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
DOMESTIC ECONOMIC ISSUES DOMINATE FRONT-PAGES, EXCEPT FOR LA 
CROIX WHICH DEVOTES ITS LEAD TO THE SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT AND 
THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA. A NUMBER OF REPORTS AND 
COMMENTARIES ARE DEVOTED TO SECRETARY RICE'S MIDDLE EAST TOUR, 
INCLUDING YESTERDAY'S POLICY SPEECH IN CAIRO. LE FIGARO TITLES 
"RICE CALLING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY IN CAIRO" AND LA CROIX "RICE 
PRAISES DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST." (SEE PART C) LE 
PARISIEN INTERVIEWS GEO-STRATEGY EXPERT PASCAL BONIFACE: "FOR 
THE FIRST TIME, ISRAEL WILL GIVE BACK ALL TERRITORIES TO THE 
PALESTINIANS. THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT. THE AMERICANS HAVE 
BEEN MORE INVOLVED IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ISSUE SINCE 
PRESIDENT BUSH'S SECOND TERM, WITH A MORE BALANCED APPROACH. 
WHILE THEY ARE CONSCIOUS OF ISRAEL'S SECURITY DEMANDS, THEY 
ARE ALSO TELLING ISRAEL: IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL 
WITH HAMAS, YOU MUST GIVE ABBAS TOKENS PROVING THAT HIS 
APPROACH IS WORKING." 
 
LE MONDE, WHICH HEADLINES "EUROPE'S BREAKDOWN WORRIES ITS 
PARTNERS," QUOTES ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE DAN FRIED 
EXTENSIVELY ON AMERICA'S WISH FOR EUROPE TO BE A "STRONG 
PARTNER," IN CONNECTION WITH THE U.S.- EU SUMMIT. LE FIGARO 
AND MOST MEDIA QUOTE PRESIDENT BUSH WHEN HE SAID TO HIS THREE 
EU GUESTS: "WE WANT A STRONG EUROPE."  THE EDITORIAL IN LE 
FIGARO IS TITLED "EUROPE VIEWED IN THE U.S. MIRROR." (SEE PART 
C) 
 
ECONOMIC LES ECHOS DEVOTES A MAJOR EDITORIAL TO TURKEY'S 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, POINTING THAT ITS ECONOMY COULD BECOME 
EUROPE'S EQUIVALENT OF CHINA'S ECONOMY FOR THE REST OF THE 
WORLD. (SEE PART C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT 
 
"AMERICA'S WAGER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST" 
BERNARD GUETTA ON GOVERNMENT-RUN FRANCE INTER RADIO (06/21): 
"HOW IS ONE TO INTERPRET RICE'S SPEECH IN CAIRO AS IRAQ 
CONTINUES TO PLUNGE DEEPER INTO VIOLENCE.? AS IF BLIND TO 
REALITY, CONDOLEEZZA RICE REAFFIRMED IN CAIRO WASHINGTON'S 
SUPPORT TO THE `DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST.' IT WAS AN ODE TO DEMOCRACY, LYRICAL BUT ALSO 
STRONG AND CRITICAL OF TWO OF ITS REGIONAL ALLIES: SAUDI 
ARABIA AND EGYPT. THE QUESTION ONE CANNOT HELP TO ASK IS WHAT 
DOES THE U.S. WANT? UPON READING AND RE-READING THE TEXT OF 
RICE'S SPEECH THE IMPRESSION IS THAT THE U.S. KNOWS THESE 
REGIMES ARE DOOMED AND WANTS TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THEM, 
TAKING SIDES WITH FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. IN SHORT, INVESTING 
IN THE FUTURE WHILE HOPING THESE SAME REGIMES WILL STAY LONG 
ENOUGH TO COUNTER ISLAMIC FANATICISM. A HIGH RISK WAGER, WHICH 
IS NOT ALL THAT LUDICROUS." 
 
"RICE CALLING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY IN CAIRO" 
TANGI SALAUN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21): "EGYPT 
CANNOT COMPLETELY HIDE THE IRRITATION IT FEELS ABOUT AMERICA'S 
AMBITIONS IN THE REGION AND WHAT IT CONSIDERS TO BE UNBEARABLE 
`INTERFERENCE.'" 
 
"RICE PRAISES DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST" 
DENISE AMOUN IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (06/21): "ONLY DEMOCRACY 
SEEMS TO INTEREST CONDOLEEZZA RICE, WHO DURING THE PRESS 
CONFERENCE DID NOT ELABORATE ON HER TALKS WITH SHARON AND 
ABBAS. A STUDENT ATTENDING HER POLICY SPEECH WAS BITTER: `SHE 
CAME TO GIVE US A LESSON ON DEMOCRACY, INSTEAD OF SPEAKING 
ABOUT A SOLUTION FOR THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.' BUT 
HER VISIT TO EGYPT MARKS AN IMPORTANT TURNING POINT IN AMERICA- 
EGYPTIAN RELATIONS. AFTER A PERIOD OF TENSION. IT IS THE END 
OF THE FIRST SERIOUS CLASH BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS 
PRINCIPAL ARAB ALLY IN ITS QUEST FOR A JUST AND GLOBAL PEACE 
FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. ON THE EVE OF THE SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT IT 
IS INCONCEIVABLE TO THINK RICE DID NOT SPEAK WITH MUBARAK 
ABOUT THE ISRAELI PULLOUT. BUT IT IS AT TIMES RECOMMENDED TO 
KEEP SILENT BEFORE THE MEDIA." 
 
U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES: TURKEY 
 
"BUSH WANTS A STRONG EUROPE" 
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21): 
"TRADITIONALLY, THE YEARLY U.S.-EU SUMMIT IS NOT WIDELY 
PUBLICIZED IN THE U.S. MEDIA. WHILE THE MAIN SUBSTANCE OF 
RELATIONS LINKING EUROPE AND THE U.S. IS OF AN ECONOMIC 
NATURE., THE REASON FOR PRESIDENT BUSH'S PRESENCE WAS 
ESSENTIALLY POLITICAL. HIS INTERLOCUTORS NEEDED TO BRING 
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OF THE BUSH 
ADMINISTRATION. FOLLOWING HIS GESTURE TO THE EU AT THE 
BEGINNING OF HIS SECOND TERM, PRESIDENT BUSH HAS EVERY RIGHT 
TO BE WONDERING WHETHER HE IS NOT ON THE ROAD TO CRUEL 
DISAPPOINTMENTS. THE PRESIDENT REITERATED HIS SUPPORT TO 
EUROPE'S INTEGRATION AND EXPRESSED HIS WISH FOR A `STRONG 
EUROPE AS PARTNER.' A PARTNER RATHER THAN A `COUNTERWEIGHT,' 
WHICH IS THE MUCH-HATED EXPRESSION ATTRIBUTED TO FRENCH 
LEADERS. THE LIST OF TRANSATLANTIC COOPERATION INITIATIVES IS 
LONG, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ'S 
RECONSTRUCTION. BUT THERE IS A FEAR (IN WASHINGTON) THAT THE 
PARTNERSHIP COULD DISINTEGRATE IF EUROPE BECOMES TOO 
INTROSPECTIVE AND GIVES WAY TO INTERNAL SQUABBLES. WASHINGTON 
IS ALSO AFRAID THAT EUROPE'S EXPANSION, A PROCESS THAT THE 
ADMINISTRATION SEES AS CRUCIAL FOR REGIONAL STABILIZATION, 
WILL SUFFER. `WE DO NOT WANT THE EU TO CLOSE ITS DOORS TO 
TURKEY AND THE BALKANS,' SAYS DAN FRIED, `BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY 
NOT GOING TO ADVERTISE IT.'" 
 
"EUROPE VIEWED IN THE U.S. MIRROR" 
NICOLAS BARRE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21): "THE 
EUROPEAN VERSION OF GEORGE WASHINGTON IS NOT FOR TOMORROW. 
WORSE THAN THAT, EUROPEANS ARE WONDERING IF EUROPE IS STILL 
CAPABLE OF SENDING MESSAGES, ALBEIT WEAK ONES, TO THE REST OF 
THE WORLD. EUROPE'S WEAKNESS IS A DOUBLE DISAPPOINTMENT. FIRST 
BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING JUST WHEN THE U.S. IS ATTEMPTING TO 
EXTEND ITS HAND TO THE EUROPEANS. THE CHALLENGES THE AMERICANS 
AND THE EUROPEANS ARE FACING ARE INDEED COLOSSAL: 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION, UN REFORMS, 
THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT. SECOND, BECAUSE EUROPE IS BEING 
ROBBED OF SOME OF ITS SYMBOLIC AND UNIVERSAL HISTORY - ITS 
ROLE AS A BEARER OF FREEDOM IN THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL FOR 
EXAMPLE - BY A CLEVERER AMERICA IN THE USE OF SYMBOLS. THIS 
(EUROPEAN) HISTORY IS WELL KNOWN TO THE AMERICAN NEO-CONS, 
HUNGRY FOR `REGIME CHANGE.' BUT IT IS THEY WHO ARE HERALDING 
FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD. EUROPE NEEDS TO REDEFINE THE TWO 
PILLARS ITS PROJECT: INTEGRATION AND EXPANSION. ONLY THEN WILL 
ITS MESSAGE BE CLEAR AND HEARD AS IT DESERVES TO BE. HERE AND 
ON THE BANKS OF THE POTOMAC." 
 
"THE U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT A WITHDRAWN EUROPE" 
CORINE LESNES IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (06/21): "THE BUSH 
ADMINISTRATION IS WORRIED ABOUT EUROPE'S PERSISTENT WEAKNESS. 
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS DAN FRIED 
SAYS: `NO ONE WANTS A WEAKENED PARTNER.' DAN FRIED DOES NOT 
WANT A EUROPE `INVOLVED IN DEEP INTROSPECTION, WITHDRAWN ONTO 
ITSELF RATHER THAN TURNED TOWARDS OUTSIDE CHALLENGES.' `WE 
NEED EUROPE AS A PARTNER TO ADVANCE PROSPERITY, FREEDOM AND 
SECURITY.' ACCORDING TO FRIED THE MESSAGE THAT PRESIDENT BUSH 
WANTS TO DELIVER ON JUNE 20 TO HIS EUROPEAN INTERLOCUTORS IS 
THIS MESSAGE OF `A STRONG' PARTNERSHIP. M. FRIED IS BACK FROM 
A EUROPEAN TOUR WHERE SECRETARY RICE SENT HIM TO EXPLAIN THAT, 
ALTHOUGH SOME IN WASHINGTON WERE NOT UNHAPPY TO SEE 
YESTERDAY'S OPPONENTS BITING THE DUST, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT 
THE POSITION OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. `WE DO NOT REJOICE 
OVER THE FAILURE OF THE REFERENDUM. NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A 
POSITION ON THE CONSTITUTION, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A POSITION 
ON EUROPE. NO ONE WANTS A WEAKENED PARTNER.' SAYS FRIED. CHINA 
AND KOSOVO, SAYS FRIED, ARE AREAS WHERE THE EUROPEAN 
CONTRIBUTION IS NECESSARY. `THE QUESTION IS HOW TO ENSURE THAT 
CHINA'S RISE TO POWER HAPPENS IN A CONTEXT OF PROSPERITY AND 
STABILITY.' TALKS ON THE CHINESE ARMS EMBARGO HAVE BEEN PUT ON 
A BACK BURNER, ACCORDING TO FRIED, `IN FAVOR OF A STRATEGIC 
DIALOGUE' ON THE ASIAN QUESTION IN GENERAL WITH THE EU BUT 
ALSO WITH NATO AND ON A BILATERAL LEVEL. `WE WERE SPEAKING OF 
THE EMBARGO WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE CONTEXT. WE WERE 
HANDLING THE DISCUSSION BACKWARDS.' FOR A MONTH NOW THE 
AMERICANS HAVE OBSERVED THE EUROPEAN CRISIS, STEP BY STEP, 
WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MEASURE THE CONSEQUENCES. FOR THE TIME 
BEING THE CONFERENCE ON IRAQ CONTINUES TO BE PREPARED AS 
PLANNED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE U.S. AND EUROPE ARE 
IMPLEMENTING TOGETHER A JOINT INITIATIVE ON IRAQ." 
 
"TURKEY, EUROPE'S CHINA" 
FRANCOISE CROUIGNEAU IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS (06/21): 
"TURKEY'S ECONOMY IS GOING THROUGH A PROFOUND MUTATION. 
ALTHOUGH IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS, EUROPE WOULD BE MISTAKEN TO 
TURN ITS BACK ON A COUNTRY THAT COULD BECOME TOMORROW EUROPE'S 
CHINA. THE EUROPEAN CRISIS, AND THE NEW POSITIONS ADOPTED IN 
FRANCE BY SARKOZY AND IN GERMANY BY ANGELA MERKEL COULD MEAN 
THAT TURKEY IS FACING A NEW EQUATION. THE DAYS AHEAD WILL BE 
FULL OF DANGERS. ONE OF THESE DANGERS RESIDES IN IGNORANCE 
ABOUT A SECULAR COUNTRY WHERE ISLAM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE 
NATIONAL IDENTITY AND WHICH MUST NOT BE ASSIMILATED TO 
FUNDAMENTALISM. EUROPE'S SERIOUS CRISIS IS ACUTELY NARROWING 
TURKEY'S MARGIN FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS STARTING IN OCTOBER." 
WOLFF