US embassy cable - 05PARIS7118

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007118 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, FR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iraq - Saddam Trial Middle 
East - Abbas to Paris- Washington 
PARIS - Tuesday, October 18, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq - Saddam Trial 
Middle East - Abbas to Paris- Washington 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Domestic economic stories dominate today's front pages as 
Finance Minister Breton's budget for 2006 comes under review 
at the National Assembly. Right-of-center Le Figaro headlines: 
"A Budget Under Surveillance." Employment is one of the major 
issues under scrutiny as new figures show that hiring is on 
the rise. Popular right-of-center Le Parisien headlines: 
"Jobs: Things Are Moving." 
 
Today's major international story is Saddam Hussein's trial. 
Left-of-center Le Monde carries a front-page op-ed by former 
`60 minutes' producer Barry Lando titled "A Trial Under the 
Influence" in which Lando explains why certain international 
figures will not appear as co-defends: "The Americans and 
their Iraqi allies have discreetly resolved the problem by 
creating their own tribunal with its own rules, one of which 
stipulates that only Iraqi citizens and residents can be 
tried. World spectators of the trial will be looking at a re- 
writing of history." In left-of-center Liberation editorialist 
Gerard Dupuy "regrets the hasty" organization of a trial 
"guided not by legal imperatives but political ones decided in 
Washington." (See Part C) Catholic La Croix interviews Gareth 
Evans of the International Crisis Group on the political 
process in Iraq: "The Sunnis must not be locked in a part of 
Iraq without natural resources, caught between the Kurds in 
the North and the Shiites in the South. Iraq must have a 
viable government, an army and an operational police force. 
Unless this is implemented there is the risk of Iraq 
disintegrating. But neighboring Arab countries must play an 
active and constructive role rather than trying to take 
advantage of the situation by supporting one Iraqi faction 
rather than another." 
 
China's achievement in space is the basis for the editorial in 
Le Figaro, titled "Chinese Revolution." "The West's embargo on 
dual technologies. The threat of U.S. sanctions and Moscow's 
desire to contain the ambitions of its neighbor have penalized 
China's conquest of space. Yet the space program `made in 
China' is moving ahead. China is a source of concern for its 
neighbors, including Japan, not only because of its ambitions 
in the space sector. but also because of its increasing 
mastery of all technological sectors." 
 
Mahmud Abbas's visit to Paris yesterday and his forthcoming 
visit to Washington are noted in Le Figaro: "Abbas, unlike 
Arafat, does not naturally lean towards France. In his view 
only Washington's support carries weight to make things move 
forward in creating a Palestinian state." Catholic La Croix 
devotes its editorial to "The Palestinians' Search for 
Support." (See Part C) 
 
Financial La Tribune interviews France's Trade Minister 
Christine Lagarde, in answer to the position adopted by EU 
Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on agricultural subsidies 
and the request by 14 EU members that he `not cross the yellow 
line': "Mandelson is operating outside the limits we consider 
desirable. Before his last statement the least one can say is 
he did not engage in too many consultations. The meeting today 
will help to define the perimeter of his mandate. The offers 
he made in answer to the American proposal suggest he went 
outside that perimeter. The American offer is at this point an 
opening. It is a step forward. But of course the Americans 
reserved for themselves a margin for maneuver." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq - Saddam Trial 
 
"Hastiness" 
Gerard Dupuy in left-of-center Liberation (10/18): "The 
accused is too important, the accusations too serious and the 
defense too weak. From the start the scales are tipping to one 
side. This trial, which should have been an exemplary trial, 
could well end up as a trial of the arbitrary dressed up in 
legality. When NGO's complain about the conditions of the 
trial, it is because they are afraid of the image it will be 
giving of the law. The December elections and Sunday's 
referendum prove that the Iraqis have opted for the democratic 
process. Justice is not revenge. Anyone who opposes the death 
penalty will find something to say against the penalty of 
death in Saddam Hussein's case if it is the result of an 
expeditious implementation of a shaky legislation. Because the 
Iraqis suffered at the hands of Saddam Hussein, an Iraqi Court 
needed to judge him. This will be done hastily, before even 
Iraq's new institutions have had a chance to stabilize. And 
the reasons for this have nothing to do with the law, but with 
political imperatives dictated not by Iraqi requirements but 
Washington's requirements." 
 
"Washington: A Worried Spectator of the Trial" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (10/18): "The 
trial opening tomorrow carries for Washington as much risk of 
fueling tension as it does of creating an opportunity to turn 
the page. How Saddam is preparing for his defense is putting 
Washington in a cold sweat, all the while saying that the 
trial is in the hands of the Iraqis. The U.S. finds itself the 
spectator of a process it was only able to guide from behind 
the scenes. While it waits for the outcome, Washington is 
staying aloof to see whether the trial will give a new boost 
to the rebellion or turns in favor of the accused. If the 
debates are properly orchestrated, they can use the dictator's 
crimes as a much needed `booster shot' for the December 
legislative elections and the principles of democracy." 
 
Middle East - Abbas to Paris- Washington 
 
"The Palestinians in Search of Support" 
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (10/18): "Cairo, Paris, 
Madrid and Washington on October 20. The world tour Abbas is 
making gives us a chance to once again look at a region of the 
world we should never turn away from. The Israeli pull out 
from Gaza, although spectacular, was not enough to put the 
negotiations back on track and relax the tension. The 
Palestinian President, like the Israeli Prime Minister, needs 
to be supported and encouraged, particularly by the members of 
the Quartet. He is in search of political support, diplomatic 
recognition and economic commitments. The obstacles he is 
facing are huge. He must fight on two fronts: abroad he must 
be convincing about his determination in favor of peace and 
his ability to disarm the terrorists; on the home front he 
must fight the extremist movements which, through violence, 
want to undermine the chances of a dialogue. After this world 
tour, there may be chance for Abbas and Sharon to finally 
meet. This will be one more step, a symbolically important 
one." STAPLETON