US embassy cable - 05PARIS6230

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006230 
 
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 - UN Summit 
Katrina 
PARIS - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
UN Summit 
Katrina 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
The UN Summit is one of today's major stories eliciting wide 
coverage as well as numerous editorial commentaries. 
Liberation headlines "At the UN, All Bets Are Off" while the 
report from New York is titled "The United States Prefer a 
Disunited Nations." In his editorial Gerard Dupuy emphasizes 
the UN's usefulness as a "buffer between nations" having kept 
"conflicts from developing between member nations." Dupuy, 
like Pierre Rousselin in Le Figaro, points to the 
responsibility of "stingy nations" happy to use "Bush as a 
scapegoat." Rousselin in Le Figaro underscores the "triumph of 
conservatism" and Daniel Vernet in Le Monde analyzes the UN 
Summit in a report titled: "UN Reform, Indispensable and 
Impossible." (See Part C) 
 
The second major international story today is Katrina and 
President Bush's statement taking responsibility for his 
administration's failings. France Soir selects his remarks as 
the sentence of the day, while Liberation reports on a "small 
`mea culpa'." The economic press and Le Monde report on the 
high costs of the tragedy for insurance companies. Le Monde 
headlines: "Katrina: The Most Costly Hurricane in History for 
Insurers." 
 
Le Monde interviews NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop 
Scheffer on Afghanistan: "The NATO mission in Afghanistan will 
need to be included in a wider international mission. but it 
is up to the UN to reflect upon the global action that needs 
to be carried out in Afghanistan. Drugs are the number one 
problem in the country, a problem that affects not only the 
country but the western world as well. There is a need for a 
single joint mission with the U.S. military, with a single 
structure of command and a single definition of the rules of 
engagement." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
UN Summit 
 
"UN: Triumph of Conservatism" 
Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/14): "The 
principle obstacle to the UN reforms are the 191 members 
themselves. In this age of globalization. the ills affecting 
us all have taken on a worldwide dimension. The UN is 
increasingly becoming indispensable. The UN is first and 
foremost the guarantor of international legitimacy. We must 
grant the UN uncontested representation. But this is easier 
said than done. If reforming the UNSC appears stalled, it is 
because its members have only one obsession: keeping their 
rivals away. No one will admit it, but this triumph of 
conservatism sits well with the five UNSC members, including 
France and the U.S. For Washington, the UN reform was 
acceptable only if it fit with its own interests. The summit 
will end with a very disappointing conclusion. These 
difficulties prove to what extend the international community 
is divided because of national interests. But the anticipated 
failure at the summit may be explained by the excessive 
ambition of the reforms proposed. Maybe the answer lies in 
gradual reforms that will progressively confer effectiveness 
to a diplomatic institution which is irreplaceable." 
 
"Selfishness" 
Gerard Dupuy in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/14): "What's the 
use of the UN? Not much according to Bush, who is suspected, 
with reason, of wanting to sabotage it. Others say that at 
least the UN serves to annoy Bush. The UN, which is indeed 
dysfunctional, reflects in fact the position of its members 
and their selfishness. Yet the UN, lame as it is, has helped 
in keeping war between its members at bay, which is the main 
reason for its creation. The UN as buffer does not cost that 
much when one thinks of its usefulness. After having served 
international peace, the UN is now invested with the mission 
of serving development and worldwide prosperity. The UN 
progresses slowly. But it progresses despite Bush, who sooner 
or later will be left by the side of the road and in spite of 
those who use him as a scapegoat to serve their own 
stinginess." 
 
"UN Reform: Indispensable and Impossible" 
Daniel Vernet in left-of-center Le Monde (09/14): "For the 
sake of effectiveness, the U.S. does not want an enlarged 
UNSC. For the sake of legitimacy, the Bush administration does 
not want to depend on an institution where non-democratic 
countries have a seat. Without regard for universalism, the 
U.S. would prefer a union of democracies. The Americans do not 
want the death of the UN. They want an organization that will 
not hinder them, and in this regard today's UN is not so bad. 
While they have criticized Annan, they are pretty well 
satisfied with a Secretary General who is weakened. There is 
no reason for them not to ratify the final declaration. After 
all, interpretation and implementation of the text will depend 
on the UNSC, where U.S. power remains intact." 
 
Katrina 
 
"A Momentary Breakdown" 
Right-of-center Les Echos's editorial board comments (09/14): 
"In the face of Katrina's huge destruction, America was for a 
time in the grips of a temporary breakdown. The gap between 
high-tech simulation and real-time human response became 
apparent. The social ills of the nation were also made 
apparent. The obvious shortcomings of the federal government, 
added to President Bush's initial and prolonged lack of focus 
have fueled political controversies. And finally, the 
difficulty in mobilizing sufficient personnel has cast doubt 
on the resources of the nation, which are reputed to be 
bottomless. But to those who are eager to give lessons, we say 
that nature does not inflict the same harsh treatment to our 
tempered regions. We must not be surprised in the hardened 
attitude of American society to the tragedy: it is its usual 
attitude in day-to-day events. It is probably this hard 
approach which explains the extraordinary performances of the 
U.S. economy, even at the cost of these failures. After these 
initial and spectacular failings America will know how to re- 
organize itself. If its administration learned some measure of 
humility on the way, all would not be lost." STAPLETON