US embassy cable - 05PARIS6683

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006683 
 
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 - Nuclear Issues - North Korea 
European Issues - Turkey 
PARIS - Thursday, September 29, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Nuclear Issues - North Korea 
European Issues - Turkey 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Front pages and most editorials are overwhelmingly devoted to 
France's economic situation after Finance Minister Breton 
announced his budget plans for 2006. For Le Figaro "France Is 
Settled in Its Deficits" while Liberation headlines "A Budget 
and No Credit." With a tinge of irony, La Croix headlines 
"Economic Shipwreck and Social Mutiny" in reference to 
yesterday's high-jacking of a Corsican ferry in the labor 
stand-off between the company's employees and the government. 
The spectacular outcome of the high-jacking and the continuing 
negotiations with the unions are today's second major story. 
In her editorial, Dominique Quinio asks: "Why does social 
negotiation have to turn into guerrilla warfare (in France?) 
While no one can predict how the SNCM deal will turn out, the 
damages are already visible as far as France's image is 
concerned. This act of piracy by a labor union will not help 
convince foreign investors to come to France, and those 
already here, to stay." The editorial in weekly L'Express 
comments: "France is not advancing in step with the 
international economy. Airbus, the swallow, does not make an 
economic summer! It is time to acknowledge that time is 
against us and the more we wait the more difficult it will be 
for France to catch up with the world." 
 
On the international front, Algeria and today's referendum 
vote on a "charter for peace" are today's widest covered news 
story. 
Europe's position on Turkey, as the October 3 negotiations 
near, is the second most important international story. Le 
Monde reports that 43 National Assembly Representatives have 
written to President Chirac to alert him to their "serious 
reticence, aversion even, to the idea of opening negotiations" 
with Turkey. They explain that their reticence is "all the 
more intense because the Turkish government is rejecting all 
other options besides a full EU membership." Several articles 
report on Strasbourg's Euro-Deputies "warning" to Turkey. (See 
Part C) 
 
Liberation carries an op-ed by senior columnist Jacques 
Amalric on "Kim Jong-il's Nuclear Game." (See Part C) 
 
Both France Soir and Liberation report on NOAA'a latest 
figures on gas emissions. For France Soir, which quotes NOAA 
Director David Hofmann, the conclusion is that "the planet is 
being asphyxiated." Both Liberation and France Soir point out 
that China's gas emissions will be replacing those previously 
emitted over Europe and the U.S. 
 
Liberation carries a report on FM Douste-Blazy titled "The 
Minister of Affairs Foreign to Him." The gently critical 
portrait of Douste-Blazy recalls his recent diplomatic 
blunders, but is not overwhelmingly nasty, acknowledging that 
the FM has Chirac's confidence. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Nuclear Issues - North Korea 
 
"The Nuclear Game" 
Jacques Amalric in left-of-center Liberation (09/29): "In 
spite of the initial euphoria that followed the agreement with 
North Korea, it can be said that nuclear proliferation still 
has a future. This was confirmed by the shaky deal that was 
signed after the Six Party talks. The agreement was too good 
to be true. North Korea's turnaround led to a cynical remark 
by Christopher Hill about life being too short to react to 
every North Korean turnaround. The cat and mouse game between 
the U.S. and North Korea will resume next month, if Kim Jong- 
il deigns to send a negotiator to the next round of talks. 
Jong-il can count on China and South Korea's support, all the 
more so because President Bush continues to do battle on two 
fronts: the Iraqi quagmire and domestic issues. This also 
explains the less demanding stance adopted by Secretary Rice 
since she took over as Secretary of State and sent John Bolton 
to the UN. It is more than likely that America's new realism 
will be interpreted by the Korean as a sign of weakness and an 
invitation to close his country even more to the West. 
Meanwhile, on the Iranian front, things are not going any 
better." 
 
European Issues - Turkey 
 
"A Warning to Turkey" 
Pierre Avril in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/29): "The 
prospect of the October 3rd negotiations with Turkey hit a 
sensitive nerve yesterday in Strasbourg among the European 
Parliamentarians who voted and adopted a firm resolution 
criticizing the dilly dallying of the Turkish government 
regarding Cyprus and its policies on freedom of speech. In so 
doing they also insisted on the `open' nature of the process 
of negotiations. Under pressure from the French socialists, 
they also stipulated that recognizing the Armenian genocide 
would be a prerequisite to the EU membership. Although EU 
Parliamentary positions are not legally binding, the 
recommendations will make the negotiations even tougher." 
STAPLETON