US embassy cable - 05PARIS6807

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006807 
 
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 - European Issues - Turkey 
PARIS - Tuesday, October 04, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
European Issues - Turkey 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Because of today's widely followed social protest movement 
most national dailies were either not published or not 
distributed. Stories and commentaries available on the 
Internet serve as the basis for this report. As expected, many 
editorials and lead stories are devoted to PM Villepin's first 
social test. Left-of-center Le Monde, which came out last 
evening, headlines: "Jobs and Consumer Power: Villepin Faces 
the Unions." Economic Les Echos carries its first monthly poll 
on France's economic barometer: "The French are very critical 
of the government's economic policies. They are showing much 
impatience, which is symptomatic of a lasting social malaise." 
The poll indicates that 62 percent of respondents consider the 
government's economic policies to be "poor." But 
"surprisingly," says Les Echos, Villepin still enjoys a high 
personal rating of good opinions: 49 percent "trust him to 
deal with France's social problems." Seventy-two percent of 
respondents support today's strikes. Popular right-of-center 
Le Parisien, today's only paper edition, headlines: "But Where 
Is Chirac?" Le Parisien speculates about the President's lack 
of official declarations about France's social unrest: "His 
spectacular discretion since his cardiovascular incident is 
feeding the rumor mill." 
 
Europe and Turkey are today's major international stories, as 
negotiations got underway last evening after much speculation 
and bartering. Reports focus on Austria having "caved in" 
after obtaining a go-ahead for negotiations with Croatia, and 
on France's support in spite of the EU referendum on the 
Constitution in May, where Turkey's membership played a 
decisive role. (See Part C) Several reports note a telephone 
conversation between Secretary Rice and Erdogan. Liberation 
writes: "Erdogan called Condoleezza Rice who called Jack 
Straw, whose country presides the EU." But Le Figaro reports: 
"To reassure Turkey's military, who fear Cyprus's NATO 
membership, Condoleezza Rice had to make a very firm call to 
Erdogan." Secretray Rice is quoted: "Negotiations with the EU 
do not interfere with NATO: the two issues are not related." 
Le Monde carries a European poll indicating that the French, 
the Germans and the Poles consider that being part of the EU 
has not improved their lifestyle. Forty-one percent of the 
French say that being part of the EU leaves them feeling their 
living standards have gotten worse; sixty-eight percent of the 
French say that to be more effective in foreign policy it is 
better to follow European rather than national measures. But 
when it comes to social protection 69 percent prefer to be 
under a French rather than a European system. The poll serves 
as the basis for Le Monde's editorial on France and its "euro- 
phobia." 
 
Le Figaro and Liberation note President Bush's nomination of 
Harriet Miers to replace Sandra Day O'Connor. Le Figaro titles 
its report: "Bush Names a Faithful Follower" while Liberation 
titles its story: "Bush Names a `Pitt Bull' to the Supreme 
Court." 
 
Regional L'Alsace carried a story about Karen Hughes over the 
weekend titled: "President Bush's `Lady Truth.'"  "The 
American President is sending a woman he trusts completely to 
change America's image. A `daunting' job according to Hughes, 
after her first visit abroad." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
European Issues - Turkey 
 
"France's Euro-phobia" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (10/04): "France's 
`no' vote to the EU constitution and the stalled EU expansion 
are not an accident. The poll conducted in Europe shows that 
except for Spain, the predominant feeling about Europe is one 
of doubt. Europe is neither reassuring nor does it make anyone 
dream. Worse even, it is a source of worry. This is 
particularly true of France. which was one of the European 
Community's founding nations: for the French, the bottom line 
in the European adventure is mainly negative. This is not only 
a major challenge for France, it is a challenge for Europe. 
Our politicians have the difficult job of convincing the 
French that Europe is a pre-condition for collective 
prosperity." 
 
"Europe, A Foundation for Peace" 
Jean-Claude Arbona in regional La Nouvelle Republique du 
Centre Ouest (10/04): "We must learn to reason in global terms 
and on a wider scale. Closing the door to Turkey would mean 
pushing Turkey away from Europe and towards Asia. Turkey might 
have resented this and maybe made us pay for our gesture 
sometime in the future. Europe/Asia, Christianity/Islam: the 
EU is right to avoid a vain clash between civilizations. Peace 
is the foundation of Europe's construction." 
 
"Turkey and Popular Fears" 
Franck de Bondt in regional Sud Ouest (10/04): "In an open 
world, should not Europe's frontiers be recognizable by its 
common values? Must we, in the name of popular fears, turn our 
backs on Turkey and leave it to seek a relationship with 
Russia or Muslim radicalism? The lack of satisfaction with 
Europe expressed by the Germans and the French does not 
justify our missing this historic opportunity." STAPLETON