US embassy cable - 05PARIS6046

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 006046 
 
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 - AFTERMATH OF KATRINA 
UN REFORM MIDDLE EAST - IRAQ IRAN 
TUESDAY PARIS - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
AFTERMATH OF KATRINA 
UN REFORM 
MIDDLE EAST - IRAQ 
IRAN 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
A WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS MAKE TODAY'S FRONT PAGES, WITH THE 
RISING COST OF OIL AND ITS IMPACT ON EUROPE'S ECONOMIES 
LEADING IN LE FIGARO AND LES ECHOS. WHILE LE FIGARO 
CONCENTRATES ON THE GOVERNMENT'S TAX REFORMS AIMED AT 
ALLEVIATING THE IMPACT OF HIGH PRICES AT THE PUMP AND ON 
DOMESTIC FUEL, LES ECHOS REPORTS ON THE OECD CONCLUSIONS: 
"WHILE AMERICA'S DYNAMIC ECONOMY WILL NOT SUFFER GREATLY FROM 
THE PRESENT OIL CRISIS, THE EURO ZONE WILL SEE ITS RECOVERY 
SIGNS `STIFLED' BY THE CRISIS." 
 
THE POLITICAL AND HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF KATRINA 
CONTINUE TO ELICIT WIDE COMMENTARY. IN LE FIGARO COLUMNIST 
ALEXANDRE ADLER WRITES: "IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CRISIS, THE 
RESPONSIBILITY LIES MORE WITH THE STRUCTURAL FAILINGS OF THE 
BUSH ADMINISTRATION THAN WITH PRESIDENT BUSH." LEFT-OF-CENTER 
LIBERATION, WHICH TITLES ITS EDITORIAL "COLLATERAL DAMAGE," 
SAYS PRESIDENT BUSH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURES OBSERVED 
IN NEW ORLEANS, WHILE IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX DOMINIQUE QUINION 
ADOPTS A MORE GENEROUS STANCE. (SEE PART C) 
 
UN REFORM IS ALSO A MAJOR STORY. IN LE FIGARO JEAN-LOUIS 
TURLIN REPORTS: "THE UNGA WAS SUPPOSED TO CONFIRM MAJOR 
REFORMS. BUT IN THE END, THESE WILL BE REDUCED TO THEIR 
MINIMUM. BUSH WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP ANNAN UNDER HIS CONTROL 
AND INCREASE U.S. INTERFERENCE IN UN AFFAIRS." LES ECHOS 
TITLES ITS REPORT "THE LOST REFORM OF THE UN" AND COMMENTS: 
"BEFORE THIS HISTORIC MEETING, THE EUROPEANS WOULD LIKE TO 
CONTINUE BELIEVING THAT THE U.S. STILL NEEDS THE UN, EVEN A 
WEAKENED UN. EVEN IF THE UN IS THE CENTER OF SEVERE 
DISAGREEMENTS BECAUSE OF DIFFERING VISIONS, THE FACT REMAINS 
THAT WASHINGTON HAS CONTINUED TO WORK JOINTLY WITH OTHERS AND 
TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO CRISES THROUGH COMMON POSITIONS." LES 
ECHOS CARRIES AN OP-ED ON UN REFORM TITLED "THE NEW OFFENSIVE 
OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY." (SEE PART C) 
 
FRANCE'S NEW ORIENTATION OF ITS MIDDLE EAST POLICY IS ANALYZED 
BY JACQUES HUBERT-RODIER IN CONNECTION WITH FM DOUSTE BLAZY'S 
VISIT TO ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. (SEE PART C) 
 
LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE CARRIES AN ANALYSIS BY DANIEL VERNET 
TITLED "SHOULD WE BE AFRAID OF THE IRANIAN BOMB?" WHICH 
CONCLUDES THAT ALTHOUGH IRAN IS FAR FROM HAVING THE BOMB, THIS 
SHOULD NOT KEEP THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FROM STOPPING 
IRAN. (SEE PART C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
AFTERMATH OF KATRINA 
 
"COLLATERAL DAMAGE" 
GERARD DUPUY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (09/07): "ALREADY WE 
CAN CONCLUDE THAT AMERICA'S PRESTIGE WILL HEAD THE LIST OF 
VICTIMS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH 
PRESIDENT BUSH, WHO HAS CONFIRMED THE WORST CARICATURES: AN 
EMPTY HEAD AND A DRY HEART. THE RESCUED ARE TELLING STORIES 
EMPHASIZING THE LACK OF HUMANITY SHOWN BY THE SECURITY FORCES 
AND THE CONTEMPT FOR VICTIMS WHO CARRIED THE DOUBLE STIGMA OF 
BEING BLACK AND POOR. BUSH AND HIS ADVISERS DID NOT SEE WHAT 
WAS COMING BECAUSE THEY WERE BLINDED. THE NEO-CONSERVATIVES' 
CRUSADE FOR GOOD WAS ALREADY MIRED IN THE SWAMPS OF 
MESOPOTAMIA. IT IS NOW CAUGHT IN THE SLUDGE OF THE LOUISIANA 
BAYOU." 
 
"DIPLOMACY OF COMPASSION" 
DOMINIQUE QUINIO IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (09/07): "DIPLOMACY AND 
POLITICAL DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS ARE NEVER FAR FROM THE GESTURES 
OF COMPASSION LIME-LIGHTED IN THE MEDIA. A RESURGENCE OF ANTI- 
AMERICAN REFLEXES WERE ALSO NOT FAR. BUT WHILE AMERICA'S 
POVERTY AND INEQUALITIES HAVE COME TO THE SURFACE, IT IS A 
FACT THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DIFFICULTIES 
IN THE RESCUING EFFORTS: THE TERRITORY COVERED BY THE TRAGEDY 
IS AS BIG AS HALF OF FRANCE. THE LESSON IS THAT EVEN THE 
POWERFUL ARE VULNERABLE. MULTILATERLISM IS HELPFUL IN GOOD 
TIMES AND BAD TIMES. BUT MOSTLY IN BAD TIMES." 
 
"AMERICA, THE CRISIS" 
ALEXANDRE ADLER IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (09/07): 
"AMERICA'S ALLIES AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN 
WARNING AMERICA ON THE IMPORTANT MUTATIONS CAUSED BY CLIMATE 
CHANGE. URGING THE U.S. TO RATIFY A PROTOCOL CLOSE TO KYOTO. 
THE SAME NATION THAT WAS ABLE TO ANNIHILATE THE TALIBAN AND 
SADDAM'S IRAQ, PROVED INCAPABLE OF MOBILIZING 20 000 TRUCKS 
AND BUSES TO EVACUATE NEW ORLEANS' POOR. HOMELAND SECURITY DID 
NOT REACT FOR FOUR DAYS. THIS SLOW REACTIVITY MAKES US WONDER 
ABOUT THE ABILITY TO REACT IN THE EVENT OF A CHEMICAL ATTACK 
BY THE LIKES OF BIN LADEN. THIS IS WHY BEYOND THE FALSE DEBATE 
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S LACK OF REACTION, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE 
THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES NOT WITH THE PRESIDENT, BUT WITH 
HIS ADMINISTRATION AND ITS STRUCTURAL FAILINGS." 
 
UN REFORM 
 
"THE NEW OFFENSIVE OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY" 
LAURENCE TUBIANA AND THIERRY GIORDANO IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES 
ECHOS (09/07): "UN REFORM LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE 
MISSION CONSIDERING THE DEMANDS OF THE U.S. BEYOND THE SUMMIT, 
WHAT HAS BECOME APPARENT IS THE MULTILATERAL SYSTEM WHICH THE 
U.S. WANTS TO OFFER AS A MODEL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY. THE U.S WANTS TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE DOCTRINE OF 
GEOGRAPHIC EQUILIBRIUM AND ESTABLISH A SYSTEM OF A CLOSED CLUB 
OF NATIONS ABLE TO TAKE AND IMPLEMENT DECISION. ON THE 
MILITARY LEVEL, THE NPT IS THE ANSWER. ON THE POLITICAL LEVEL, 
IT IS THE CENTRAL POSITION ASSIGNED TO THE UNSC AS OPPOSED TO 
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. BEYOND, THERE WILL BE THE HIERARCHY OF 
SOVEREIGN NATIONS ESTABLISHED IN THREE CIRCLES: IN THE FIRST 
CIRCLE THE NATIONS HOLDING THE POWER OF DECISION, IN THE 
SECOND CIRCLE THE NATIONS THAT FOLLOW GOOD GOVERNANCE, AND 
FINALLY THE `FAILED' OR `ROGUE' NATIONS. THE BOLTON AMENDMENTS 
REPRESENT THIS VERY COHERENT VISION, AND MUST BE TAKEN 
SERIOUSLY. THEY UPSET THE INITIAL UN CONCEPT OF EQUALITY 
BETWEEN NATIONS." 
 
MIDDLE EAST - IRAQ 
 
"FRANCE'S NEW MIDDLE EAST POLICY" 
JACQUES HUBERT-RODIER IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS (09/07): 
"FRANCE'S OPPOSITION TO THE IRAQI ADVENTURE HAS RE-ENFORCED 
ITS POPULARITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BUT THIS POPULARITY, WHICH 
IS LIKE A DISTORTING LENS OF POWER, IS BUT AN ILLUSION. IN THE 
END FRANCE HAD TO ALIGN WITH THE U.S. GIVING A LEGAL FRAMEWORK 
TO A FOREIGN PRESENCE IN THE U.S. TWO YEARS AFTER THE START OF 
THE CONFLICT, THE LINE ADOPTED BY FRANCE IS NOT AS HARSH. 
THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY CALLS FOR THE DEPARTURE OF TROOPS FROM 
IRAQ AND AMERICA IS ONCE AGAIN FRANCE'S GREAT FRIEND. IT IS 
ALSO TRUE THAT THE U.S. HAS ADAPTED ITS STANCE AND BECOME MORE 
HUMBLE. IN LIGHT OF ITS INABILITY TO SECURE IRAQ." 
 
IRAN 
 
"SHOULD WE FEAR THE IRANIAN BOMB?" 
DANIEL VERNET IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (09/07): "AT THE 
OUTSET, THE AMERICANS WERE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE EU 3 DIPLOMATIC 
EFFORT, THEY WERE EVEN SUSPICIOUS. LATER, FOR LACK OF A 
POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE, THEY GAVE THEIR SUPPORT, ALBEIT 
DISTANT, CONVINCED THAT THE APPROACH WOULD FAIL. THE WEST 
AGREES THAT IRAN MUST BE KEPT FROM PRODUCING THE A BOMB. BUT 
DOES IRAN REALLY INTEND ON BECOMING A NUCLEAR POWER? AND DOES 
IT HAVE THE CAPABILITIES? THE NON PROLIFERATION TREATY WAS 
IMPLEMENTED BY THE AMERICANS AND THE SOVIETS TO MAINTAIN THEIR 
MONOPOLY. AND TO KEEP THE GERMANS FROM ACQUIRING IT. DE GAULLE 
USED THE SAME RHETORIC IRAN IS USING WHEN HE EXPLAINED WHY 
FRANCE WAS ACQUIRING THE BOMB. IS PROLIFERATION AN EVIL IN 
ITSELF? THIS IS A WIDELY SHARED BELIEF, WHICH IS ALSO LARGELY 
CONTESTED. DETERRENCE HAS WORKED FOR YEARS, AND SOME SAY THAT 
IF INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO A CONFLICT IT IS 
BECAUSE EACH HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. FAR FROM BEING A 
DESTABILIZING FACTOR, THE NUCLEAR CAN SERVE AS AN ELEMENT OF 
STABILITY, IF NOT AS A GUARANTEE. STILL, NUCLEAR DETERRENCE IS 
A GAME THAT DEMANDS FEW PLAYERS. THE DANGER COMES NOT SO MUCH 
FROM THE TECHNOLOGY BUT FROM THE NATURE OF THE REGIME THAT 
MASTERS IT. THIS IS TRUE FOR IRAN AND FOR NORTH KOREA." 
STAPLETON