US embassy cable - 05PARIS6644

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006644 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, FR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iraq: Abu Azzam Assassination 
- Al-Zarqawi Tapes- NATO's Training Mission Iran Bush - 
Environmental Policy 
PARIS - Wednesday, September 28, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq: Abu Azzam Assassination - Al-Zarqawi Tapes- NATO's 
Training Mission 
Iran 
Bush - Environmental Policy 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Domestic social and economic news are today's main stories, 
with a tense labor stand-off involving the Minister of 
Transportation Dominique Perben and a state-owned Corsican 
ferry service over the government's plans to privatize the 
company. The Minister's backtracking under pressure from the 
unions is also noted in Le Parisien as one of three examples 
jarring the government this week, with the other two ministers 
in the line of fire being Interior Minister Sarkozy and 
Justice Minister Clement. PM Villepin is announcing the 
government's budget for 2006, his first, under "constraints" 
according to La Tribune and with "little margin of maneuver." 
 
The assassination in Iraq of Abu Azzam, Al-Qaeda's number two 
man is featured on the front page of Le Figaro. France Soir 
titles its report "Al-Qaeda Loses One of Its Heads" but notes: 
"a small consolation for the U.S. because assassinated 
terrorist leaders are soon replaced." The Iranian conflict is 
reported in Le Figaro in connection with Tehran's threats of 
"shutting off oil production" and its capacity for "turning 
Iraq into hell for the GIs." (See Part C) 
 
Liberation reports on George Bush's calls for fuel 
conservation by Americans in the aftermath of Katrina and Rita 
in a story titled: "Bush, the Ecologist of Circumstance." (See 
Part C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq: Abu Azzam Assassination - Al-Zarqawi Tapes - NATO 
Training Mission 
 
"Al-Qaeda Loses One of Its Heads" 
Right-of center France Soir (09/28): "The death of Abu Azzam 
was announced as the Iraqi rebellion continues to suffer 
losses. and reprisal attacks are being mounted. Under the 
circumstances, the death of Abu Azzam is a meager consolation 
for the U.S. because Al-Qaeda is very quick to replace its 
leaders fallen in `combat.' But the Pentagon believes that the 
replacement will be `less qualified.' Meanwhile, the U.S. Army 
continues to be under fire after the Human Rights Watch 
report." 
 
"Death of Al-Qaeda's Number Two Man" 
George Malbrunot in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/28): "The 
neutralization of Abu Azzam come at a crucial time, just when 
Americans continue to show their opposition to the U.S. 
military deployment in Iraq. But what impact, if any, will 
this assassination have on the terrorist network? Previous 
assassinations or the capture of key figures did not produce 
the desired effect because the neutralized terrorists were 
quickly replaced." 
 
"Al-Zawahiri in Arabic With English Sub-Titles" 
Jean-Pierre Milleli in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/28): 
"There is nothing very new in the address from Al-Zawahiri, 
except possibly the lack of comment on Iraq, just when 
Zarqawi's troops are registering victory after victory. Maybe 
this silence is an implicit disapproval of Zarqawi's `total 
war' against the Shiites? Which would explain why Al-Zawahiri 
is calling on Iraq's Mujahidins to unite. What is also new is 
the use of a specialized press agency whose name appears in 
the broadcast and the fact that the declaration was subtitled 
in English. This is a major change, considering the importance 
of Arabic among Islamists. But Arabic is not easily understood 
by all Muslims, especially in Asia and the West. Hence the use 
of the English subtitles." 
 
"NATO Committed in Iraq" 
Arnaud de La Grange in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/28): 
"Finally, the Atlantic Alliance is raising its flag over 
Baghdad. Iraqi soldiers will be trained by NATO. in spite of 
residual opposition from certain countries, including France 
and Germany. Before the intervention in Iraq, Washington had 
officially asked for NATO's support, but the same countries, 
France and Germany had opposed the idea. These days France 
continues to offer help in training Iraqis, but outside Iraq. 
An offer that has not triggered much response. The Americans, 
while they do not oppose this form of training, are not urging 
their Iraqi protgs to rush outside of Iraq. America's 
s 
clearly advertised interest is to have its allies coming to 
Iraq to help. Politically this approach also serves to prove 
the Americans are not alone." 
 
Iran 
 
"Iran Threatens India" 
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/28): "Iran is 
threatening reprisal against the countries supporting the EU-3 
resolution. The Iranian representative at the IAEA did not 
mince words when he spoke of the dangers of a confrontation at 
the UN. Even if his response was somewhat confused, his 
message is clearly addressed to Washington: Iran has the 
capacity to turn Iraq into an absolute hell for the GIs. As 
usual Tehran is sending out contradictory messages in order to 
confuse the issue. For the time being Iran's threats are just 
empty words considering that the crisis has not been taken 
from Vienna to New York." 
 
Bush - Environmental Policy 
 
"Bush, the Ecologist of Circumstance" 
Pascal Riche in left-of-center Liberation (09/28): "The rising 
price of gas in the U.S. has led President Bush to make 
surprising recommendations. Has President Bush turned 
ecologist? Something is definitely wrong here. For the past 
weeks the U.S. administration has been at a loss. The rising 
cost of energy is politically devastating because in U.S. 
public opinion energy policy is tied to the government's 
Middle East policy. More than a third of the Americans 
disapprove the administration's energy policy. Concerned by 
this growing discontent, President Bush and his team have 
decided to slightly shift their energy policy approach. This 
new approach has somewhat surprised John Snow's counterparts 
who were in Washington for the G7. France's Thierry Breton 
indicated that the U.S. position meant that `for the first 
time we have harmonized views on energy conservation.'" 
STAPLETON