US embassy cable - 05PARIS5443

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005443 
 
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 NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING 
PARIS - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
1. IRAN 
2. NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
IRAN'S RESUMPTION OF ITS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IS ONE OF 
TODAY'S MAJOR STORIES, WITH CATHOLIC LA CROIX HEADLINING: 
"WORLD PRESSURE ON IRAN." THE EDITORIAL URGES THE EUROPEANS 
NOT TO GIVE UP TOO SOON: "IRAN MAY BE BARTERING FOR MORE. 
AFTER ALL, THIS IS WHAT NORTH KOREA HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE 
U.S." (SEE PART C) 
 
FM DOUSTE BLAZY IS INTERVIEWED IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE PARISIEN: 
"IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN. TEHRAN MUST 
ACCEPT OUR OFFER TO RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. FRANCE 
DOES NOT FAVOR THE OPTION OF SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN BY THE 
UNSC." 
 
WHILE POLITICAL ANALYSTS WARN AGAINST THE DANGERS OF IRAN AS A 
NUCLEAR POWER, SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS ARE MORE RESERVED. IN LEFT- 
OF-CENTER LIBERATION BRUNO TERTRAIS FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR 
STRATEGIC RESEARCH SAYS IN AN INTERVIEW: "FOR THE TIME BEING 
THERE HAS BEEN NO VIOLATION OF THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY. 
LEGALLY, TEHRAN HAS VIOLATED NO INTERNATIONAL TEXT. BUT THE 
IRANIANS ARE VERY CLEVER. THEY ARE USING THE SITUATION FOR 
DIPLOMATIC ESCALATION." AN OPINION SHARED BY GEORGES LE 
GUELTE, A FORMER OFFICIAL OF THE IAEA: "THE IAEA WILL BE ABLE 
TO OBSERVE THAT LEGALLY, IRAN HAS NOT TRANSGRESSED 
INTERNATIONAL LAW. IT IS RESPECTING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES. 
THE IRANIANS HAVE ONLY VIOLATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE 
EUROPEANS." 
 
REGIONAL OUEST FRANCE INTERVIEWS A RESEARCHER FROM THE CNRS, 
AZADEH KIAN-THIEBAUT: "WHAT THE IRANIANS ARE SEEKING IS DIRECT 
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE U.S. AS LONG AS WASHINGTON REJECTS THE 
IDEA OF OFFERING DIRECT GUARANTEES, THE IRANIANS WILL CONTINUE 
TO USE THE NUCLEAR THREAT." 
 
THE DISCOVERY LANDING MAKES THE FRONT PAGE OF RIGHT-OF-CENTER 
LE FIGARO, WHICH DEVOTES ITS EDITORIAL TO NASA'S "BITTER- 
SWEET" VICTORY. (SEE PART C) 
 
RIGHT-OF-CENTER ECONOMIC LES ECHOS CARRIES AN EDITORIAL 
COMMENTARY ON JOHN BOLTON'S NOMINATION TO THE UN AND KOFI 
ANNAN'S "HAWKISH REFORMISM." "HAS ANNAN TURNED HAWKISH TO 
WELCOME BOLTON WHO IN TURN MAY BE READY TO BECOME A REFORMER? 
ANNAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO INITIATE A WIDER DEFINITION OF 
TERRORISM AND TO PUSH THE UN TO ADOPT THE INITIATIVES AGAINST 
WMD. HE HAS ALSO INITIATED A STRONG REFORM PROGRAM WHICH IS IN 
LINE WITH WHAT THE U.S. ADVOCATES. THE UN HAS BECOME 
UNGOVERNABLE BUT IT IS BETTER FOR THE U.S. TO HAVE OPTED TO 
REMAIN `INSIDE' EVEN WITH A HAWK THAN TO GO `OUTSIDE' THE 
ORGANIZATION." 
 
KOFI ANNAN IS ALSO CENTRAL TO A COMMENTARY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER 
LIBERATION BY THE MOROCCAN-BORN FRENCH LANGUAGE AUTHOR TAHAR 
BEN JELLOUN: "THE TERRORISTS' DREAM OF REPLACING EGYPT'S 
REGIME WITH AN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS THE WORLD'S NIGHTMARE. 
BECAUSE EGYPT IS CLOSE TO THE WEST, RECEIVES AMERICAN 
FINANCIAL AID, AND HAS SIGNED PEACE WITH ISRAEL, ISLAMISTS 
WANT TO DESTROY IT. IF EGYPT FALLS TO FUNDAMENTALISM, THE 
ENTIRE REGION WILL BE SHAKEN.  THE WEST HAS TO WATCH OUT FOR 
TERRORISM BUT IT MUST ALSO QUESTION THE WAY IT LOOKS AT THE 
ARAB WORLD AND TO COMMIT ITSELF TO REPAIR THE DEEP WOUNDS THAT 
HAVE BEEN INFLICTED ON ARABS.  THE RECIPE IS TO BE FAIRER AND 
MORE JUST. THE WORLD NEEDS A NEW, VISIONARY LEADER. KOFI ANNAN 
COULD BE THAT PROVIDENTIAL LEADER. BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO 
RECEIVE A STRONG MANDATE AND BE READY TO LOCK HORNS ONCE AGAIN 
WITH THE AMERICANS. THE ARAB WORLD NEEDS MORE JUSTICE. RESPECT 
AND DIGNITY." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
IRAN 
 
"EUROPE LOOKING FOR SOLUTION WITH IRAN" 
MAURIN PICARD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/10): "EUROPEAN 
DIPLOMATS ARE HARBORING GRIM LOOKS IN VIENNA AFTER THE COLD 
SHOWER THEY RECEIVED FROM THE IRANIANS. BUT DIPLOMATIC REALITY 
CALLS FOR MORE SUBTLETY: NO ONE WANTS TO BRING THE IRANIAN 
NUCLEAR ISSUE BEFORE THE UNSC. NOT THE AMERICANS, WHO ARE 
MIRED IN IRAQ, NOR THE EUROPEANS FOR WHOM SUCH A STEP WOULD BE 
THE PRELUDE TO INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AND THE CONFIRMATION OF 
THEIR FAILED DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. IF THE IRANIANS WERE TO CROSS 
THE YELLOW LINE WHICH THE AMERICANS AND THE ISRAELIS INTERPRET 
AS A `POINT OF NO RETURN,' THE EUROPEANS WOULD BE FACING A 
DILEMMA: TO LET THE IRANIANS GO AHEAD WITH THEIR NUCLEAR 
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM OR START THE INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS 
PROCEDURE." 
 
"NUCLEAR IMPUNITY" 
YVES PITETTE IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (08/10): "IRAN'S INITIATIVE 
IS NOT GOOD NEWS. WHILE MAJOR POWERS HAVE LEARNED TO 
POLITICALLY HARNESS THEIR WEAPONS THROUGH DETERRENCE, WE MUST 
TODAY BE MORE CONCERNED WITH REGIONAL FACE-OFFS SUCH AS 
CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN OR IRAN AND ISRAEL. 
NOTHING INDICATES THAT IRAN IS READY TO GIVE UP ITS HOSTILITY 
TOWARDS ISRAEL. BUT BECAUSE THE WORST IS NEVER CERTAIN, THE 
EUROPEANS HAVE NOT GIVEN UP THEIR EFFORTS FOR NEGOTIATIONS. IT 
IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT IRAN IS PLAYING A GAME OF BLACKMAIL 
IN ORDER TO GET MORE FROM THE EUROPEANS. AFTER ALL, NORTH 
KOREA IS DOING JUST THAT WITH THE AMERICANS. THE LESSON SHOULD 
BE CLEAR: IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEMAND ANYTHING FROM A NUCLEAR 
POWER, ALBEIT A LIMITED ONE. THE IRANIANS KNOW IT AND ARE 
PLAYING THEIR HAND ACCORDINGLY." 
 
"A PROVOCATION FROM IRAN" 
KEN WEINSTEIN FROM THE HUDSON INSTITUTE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE 
FIGARO (08/10): "IRAN'S DECISION TO RESUME ITS URANIUM 
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IS BOTH A THREAT AND A PROVOCATION. IT 
MARKS THE FAILURE OF EUROPE'S U.S.- SUPPORTED EFFORTS. IRAN 
MUST IN NO WAY BE RECOMPENSED FOR ITS NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL. THE 
U.S. AND THE EUROPEAN TROIKA MUST REMAIN FIRM. NEGOTIATIONS 
AND/OR GOING BEFORE THE UNSC CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE IF 
NEGOTIATING NATIONS ARE NOT READY TO USE FORCE IN CASE OF 
FAILURE. JUST WHEN THE MIDDLE EAST IS IN THE MIDST OF MAJOR 
CHANGES, IRAN'S GAME AIMS TO SLOW DOWN THAT PROCESS. A NUCLEAR 
BOMB CONTROLLED BY IRAN WOULD BE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE 
ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALL EXTREMISTS. IRAN'S NUCLEAR THREAT WEIGHS 
NOT ONLY ON THE MIDDLE EAST BUT ALSO ON EUROPE. FRENCH AND 
AMERICAN OBJECTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE GREATLY THREATENED 
BY IRAN'S AMBITIONS. WE MUST BE READY TO DEAL WITH THIS 
CHALLENGE." 
 
NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING 
 
"AN OBSOLETE SHUTTLE" 
JEAN-MICHEL SALVATOR IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/10): 
"WITH THE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S RETURN, NASA IS REGISTERING ITS 
OWN LITTLE REVENGE. THE IMAGES WERE BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY WERE 
ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ADMISSION OF IMPOTENCE. THE BILLION 
DOLLARS SPENT WERE NOT ENOUGH TO REPAIR THE SHUTTLE'S THERMAL 
SHIELD. YESTERDAY'S MISSION APPEARS VERY MUCH LIKE A SWAN SONG 
FOR NASA. IN SPITE OF YESTERDAY'S SUCCESS, SPACE SHUTTLES WILL 
BE REMEMBERED LIKE A FALSE GOOD IDEA. IN THIS ADVENTURE, NASA 
HAS LOST LOTS OF MONEY, PART OF ITS PRESTIGE AND ITS DREAMS OF 
SPACE CONQUESTS."  HOFMANN