US embassy cable - 05PARIS5592

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005592 
 
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 - GAZA 
DISENGAGEMENT IRAN 
PARIS - FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
MIDDLE EAST- GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
IRAN 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
A VARIETY OF STORIES MAKE TODAY'S FRONT PAGES, WITH THE POPE'S 
VISIT TO COLOGNE THE LEAD IN LE FIGARO AND LA CROIX. 
LIBERATION DEVOTES ITS HEADLINE TO AIRLINE SAFETY AND THE NEED 
FOR A "BLACK LIST" OF UNSAFE AIRLINES, WHILE FINANCIAL LA 
TRIBUNE DEVOTES PROMINENT FRONT-PAGE AND EDITORIAL COVERAGE TO 
CHINA'S "BANKING BIG-BANG." ITS TWO-PAGE INSIDE REPORT 
ANALYZES CHINA'S ATTRACTIVENESS FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN ITS 
BANKING SECTOR. BANK OF AMERICA, WHICH HAS SHARES IN THE CHINA 
CONSTRUCTION BANK, IS NOTED AS A PIONEER. 
 
BUT GAZA'S DISENGAGEMENT AND SHARON'S "POLITICAL REALISM" ARE 
TODAY'S LEAD EDITORIAL STORIES, WITH LE FIGARO, LE MONDE AND 
LES ECHOS SHARING SIMILAR POINTS OF VIEW. (SEE PART C) 
SECRETARY RICE'S INTERVIEW IN THE NEW YORK TIMES IS PICKED UP 
 
SIPDIS 
IN LA CROIX, WHICH TITLES ITS REPORT ON GAZA: "CONDOLEEZZA 
RICE ASKS THAT THE PROCESS `NOT STOP WITH GAZA.'" 
 
THE MILITARY SHOW OF FORCE BY MOSCOW AND CHINA IS REPORTED IN 
LE FIGARO AND LIBERATION, WHICH COMMENTS: "BEIJING AND MOSCOW 
ARE FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES. THEIR JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS ARE 
A DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE AIMED AT WASHINGTON. ACCORDING TO THE 
PARTICIPANTS, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE THEIR COOPERATION IN 
MATTERS OF DEFENSE AND IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM. BUT BEHIND THE DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE THERE IS A 
DESIRE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE U.S., WHICH IS INCREASINGLY 
PRESENT IN CENTRAL ASIA, THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES COUNT FOR 
SOMETHING. THIS DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE IS SURE TO WORRY 
WASHINGTON." 
 
IRAN'S NUCLEAR FUTURE IS THE BASIS FOR AN OP-ED BY RESEARCHER 
THERESE DELPECHE IN LE FIGARO. (SEE PART C) 
 
RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO REPORTS THAT "WASHINGTON WANTS TO 
CHANGE THE IMAGE OF GUANTANMO" IN AN ARTICLE BY WASHINGTON 
CORRESPONDENT GUILLEMETTE FAURE: "THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DOES 
NOT WANT AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY ON GUANTANAMO. IT IS ALSO 
LOOKING TO DEFUSE THE PROJECT BY THREE REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO 
WANT TO DRAFT A BILL MAKING `CRUEL AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING 
TREATMENT OF DETAINEES' ILLEGAL. HENCE THE ADMINISTRATION'S 
SERIOUS PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS TO MAKE GUANTANAMO LOOK 
BETTER. IN THE COMING YEAR, TWO THIRDS OF THE DETAINEES ARE TO 
BE SENT BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
MIDDLE EAST- GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
 
"THE TWO SHARONS" 
LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE IN ITS UNSIGNED EDITORIAL (08/19): 
"WHAT WILL THE POST-GAZA LOOK LIKE? ONE MIGHT BE INCLINED TO 
WONDER WHETHER SHARON'S LATEST DECLARATIONS ABOUT `PURSUING' 
THE SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK WILL NOT GO THE WAY OF PASSED 
DECLARATIONS ABOUT `MAINTAINING AT ALL COSTS' THE SETTLEMENTS 
IN GAZA. EVEN IF SHARON'S UNILATERAL DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA 
WENT PROBABLY AGAINST HIS OWN DEEP BELIEFS, HE HAS, BY GOING 
THROUGH WITH THE PULLOUT, UNLEASHED A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE OF 
HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS FOR HIS COUNTRY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO 
THE PALESTINIANS. SHARON HAS DONE WHAT NONE OF HIS 
PREDECESSORS, WHETHER LABOR OR LIKUD, DID IN 38 YEARS: 
DISMANTLE SETTLEMENTS WITHOUT ANY `COUNTERPART', SIMPLY 
BECAUSE ISRAEL CAN NO LONGER KEEP THEM AND HAS AN OBLIGATION 
TO LEAVE. IN SHORT, SHARON HAS EMBARKED ON A NEW ROAD. 
TOMORROW, SHARON WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF THE 
WEST BANK. IT IS FAIR TO HOPE THAT, AS WAS THE CASE FOR GAZA, 
HE ALREADY KNOWS DEEP DOWN THAT THE FUTURE OF THE ISRAELI- 
PALESTINIAN RELATIONSHIP PASSES NECESSARILY THROUGH THAT SAME 
NEW ROAD." 
"SHARON AND THE TEST OF GAZA" 
YVES THREARD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/19): "THE 
DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA WAS QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. WE MUST 
NEVERTHELESS REMAIN CAUTIOUS. SHARON PREPARED THE MILITARY AND 
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PULLOUT WELL AND FAR IN ADVANCE. ON 
THE PALESTINIAN SIDE, ABBAS IS NOT ARAFAT: HE DEALS IN 
POLITICS, NOT PSYCHOLOGY. FOR HAMAS, IT IS A DAY OF GLORY. IT 
IS SAVORING ITS VICTORY AS IF THE ISRAELI DISENGAGEMENT WAS 
PROOF OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS COMBAT. HAMAS IS A TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION AND WILL REMAIN SO. BOTH SIDES HAVE MUCH AT 
STAKE, BUT MORE IN THE DAYS TO COME THAN TODAY. THE PEACE 
PROCESS IS NOT BACK ON THE RAILS, THE CONFLICT REMAINS, ONLY 
ITS PREMISE HAS CHANGED. THE WEST HAS AN IMPORTANT CARD TO 
PLAY IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF GAZA TO KEEP IT FROM 
FALLING INTO CHAOS AND BECOMING A BREEDING GROUND FOR 
TERRORISTS. SHARON FOR HIS PART HAS MADE A GESTURE NO ONE 
EXPECTED. THE MAN REMEMBERED FOR SABRA AND CHATILA HAS BEEN, 
DURING HIS CAREER, BOTH A HAWK AND A DOVE. MANY ACCUSE HIM OF 
ACTING WITHOUT A PLAN. SHARON HAS NEVER SHARED IN THE DREAM OF 
ERETZ ISRAEL. POLITICAL REALISM IS WHAT DICTATES HIS POLICY. 
AND HE KNOWS THAT IN THE END THE ROAD TO PEACE WILL BEGIN AND 
END IN JERUSALEM." 
 
"FIRST STEP, GAZA" 
RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS'S EDITORIAL (08/19): "SHARON HAS WON 
THE FIRST SET OF HIS GAME PLAN. THE MAIN QUESTION NOW IS 
WHETHER THE SECOND SET WILL BE PLAYED OUT AROUND A NEGOTIATING 
TABLE OR IN THE STREETS. THERE IS LITTLE TIME LEFT BEFORE 
CHOOSING." 
 
IRAN 
 
"FOR IRAN, AUGUST IS THE CRUCIAL MONTH" 
RESEARCHER THERESE DELPECHE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO 
(08/19): "THE QUESTION TODAY IS HOW MUCH MORE TIME DOES IRAN 
NEED FOR ITS URANIUM CONVERSION. ESTIMATES SUGGEST ABOUT A 
MONTH AND A HALF. THE OTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT WHEN THE ISSUE 
WILL BE PUT BEFORE THE UNSC. THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S AGENDA 
FOR SEPTEMBER IS UN REFORM. SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC CANNOT BE 
`POLLUTED' WITH THE IRANIAN ISSUE. THEREFORE NOTHING WILL BE 
DONE BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER. BY THEN, IT WILL BE TOO LATE 
TO THREATEN IRAN, WHATEVER THE DETERMINATION OF THE VARIOUS 
PLAYERS. IRAN WILL THEREFORE HAVE ITS BOMB, AND ALL THOSE WHO- 
EUROPEANS, AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS- HAVE DECLARED THAT THIS IS 
`UNACCEPTABLE' WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE 
CHOICES THEY MADE IN AUGUST 2005." HOFMANN