US embassy cable - 05PARIS7613

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 007613 
 
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 - Summit of the Americas 
Paris Violence India-Pakistan U.S.- China Relations 
PARIS - Tuesday, November 08, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Summit of the Americas 
Paris Violence 
India-Pakistan 
U.S.- China Relations 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
PM Villepin's televised performance last evening and the 
measures he announced to "ensure that security returns" to the 
troubled suburbs make up today's almost unanimous headlines. 
The revival of a 1955 law allowing mayors to impose a curfew 
is widely reported. The tone of today's titles and the 
pictures alongside them illustrate France's "State of 
Emergency" (Le Parisien.) Liberation headlines: "Villepin On 
The Warpath" and France Soir titles "Cities Gripped By Fear." 
The economic press also zeroes in on the curfew: "Villepin 
Announces Curfews." (Les Echos) 
 
Economic writer Pierre-Yves Dugua pens an op-ed in Le Figaro 
titled "In the U.S., the Capitalistic Carrot and the Security 
Stick." Dugua analyses the basic differences between the 
French and U.S. social models: "The U.S. model, even if it is 
not equalitarian, favors integration." (See Part C) 
 
Today's exception in media coverage is marker by Catholic La 
Croix, which devotes its lead to "Forgotten Kashmir" and the 
lack of solidarity to help the survivors of the earthquake. In 
her editorial Dominique Quinio writes: "Last evening in Paris, 
the well-known singer Francis Cabrel gave a concert for his 
New Orleans musician friends." "Who will sing for Kashmir?" 
she asks. Le Figaro analyzes the persisting rift between Delhi 
and Islamabad, "despite the tragedy, the most politicized 
ever." (See Part C) 
 
Jean-Jacques Mevel in Le Figaro comments on China-U.S. 
relations, "the only ones that really count for Beijing. While 
the EU is a trade and technology partner, it has disappointed 
China politically." (See Part C) 
 
Le Monde headlines that the 4th Summit of the Americas "Ended 
in Failure for Bush." (See Part C) 
 
FM Douste-Blazy is said to "be baring his teeth" about the 
WTO. Liberation reports that France "is increasing the 
pressure on Mandelson: yesterday the FM accused Peter 
Mandelson of going beyond his mandate by making increasing 
concessions on the CAP." "No one should have any doubts about 
France's determination," he said during a press conference. 
Economic Les Echos interviews FM Douste-Blazy: "After all, 
President Bush is defending America's `green power.' Why 
couldn't the EU do the same? . No one should doubt France's 
determination to disapprove a Hong Kong agreement if it 
undermines the CAP. We do not agree with Peter Mandelson's 
stance." 
 
Le Figaro Economie reports that the IMF has "for the first 
time acknowledged that France's reforms are going in the right 
direction." The IMF has also "invited France to pursue 
structural reforms" in order to stabilize its public spending. 
 
In an analysis entitled "Dr. Greenspan's Testament," Daniel 
Cohen writes in Le Monde: "The end of the Greenspan years 
marks not only a change of leadership but the end of an era. 
Greenspan, the man, had more luck than talent. But if 
Greenspan's time in office serves as a model it is especially 
because he was able to prove that a centralized bank could be 
interventionist and remain credible so long as it did not 
cater to the political ambitions of the powers that be." 
 
A report in Le Figaro notes that Culture Minister Donnedieu de 
Vabres who recently visited the U.S. is a proponent of 
"cultural diplomacy:" "Culture is a means for rapprochement." 
Le Figaro notes that he is the first member of the government 
to visit New Orleans after Katrina. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Summit of the Americas 
 
"In the Americas, Free Trade Fails" 
Christine Legrand in left-of-center Le Monde (11/08): "The 
Summit is a diplomatic failure for George Bush. He was not 
able to convince his neighbors in South America who, for the 
most part, have veered to the left politically and outwardly 
criticized the war in Iraq. The Summit was a failure for the 
American continent as a whole because what should have been 
the main themes of the discussions; the fight against poverty 
and unemployment, were overwhelmingly eclipsed." 
 
Paris Violence 
"From Words to Action" 
Pascal Aubert in centrist La Tribune (11/08): "No one expected 
PM Villepin to take ready-made measures out of his hat. But 
what he did announce needed to be said. The first measures 
will not suffice. What is needed is the political will to go 
from words to actions: a step that takes political courage." 
 
"Restoring Order" 
Francoise Fressoz in right-of-center Les Echos (11/08): "PM 
Villepin's task is more difficult than PM Pompidou's during 
the May 68 student revolt. because there are no clear demands. 
His only weapons are his words and determination. Even if 
words in themselves are not sufficient, it was necessary to 
recall the need for order." 
 
"A Sad Farce" 
Jean-Michel Thenard in left-of-center Liberation (11/08): "The 
use of curfews and other legal measures set forth by the Prime 
Minister, which recall those used during the Algerian war, are 
the signs that France has made little progress in security 
issues. Villepin's answer is a poor one when in fact France's 
main problem is the failure of its social model of 
integration." 
 
"In the U.S., the Capitalistic Carrot and the Security Stick" 
Pierre-Yves Dugua in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/08): 
"America's model may not be equalitarian, but it is 
integrationist. While the U.S. may not have resolved the 
matter of its ghettos, it has reduced unemployment among its 
minorities. Capitalism does incite minorities to integrate 
into the economic system. In a nation where private enterprise 
is encouraged, the gratuitous destruction of private property 
is not tolerated. Capitalism also dictates the need to defend 
private property: Americans have a different relationship than 
the French to their police force. and the prolonged detention 
of delinquents is considered a positive measure for the 
protection of honest citizens." 
 
India-Pakistan 
 
"So Far" 
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (11/08): "Pakistan does 
not elicit the interest of far-way donors. Pakistan's 
controversial relationship with its Indian neighbor is present 
in everyone's mind as is Pakistan's relationship to terrorism. 
Nevertheless there was a small ray of hope as the two enemies 
recently agreed to open a border point for humanitarian 
reasons." 
"In Spite of the Tragedy, India and Pakistan Remain Divided" 
Marie-France Calle in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/08): 
"Never before had a natural disaster been as politicized as 
the Kashmir earthquake. Yesterday, the line of control was not 
opened to the Kahmiri, despite the high-profile announcement 
made by Islamabad and Delhi. It may be opened soon. Musharraf 
is playing his own game: he knew when he made his announcement 
that India would be embarrassed into reacting. The missed 
opportunity of the LOC confirms, if confirmation were needed, 
that the hastily-reached agreement between the two capitals 
was more of a symbolic gesture than proof of a true desire to 
reshape history. The peaceful dividends of the earthquake are 
melting before our eyes." 
 
U.S.- China Relations 
 
"The Embargo Controversy Revived by Beijing" 
Jean-Jacques Mevel in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/08): 
"China is pampering its relationship with the EU, all the 
while preparing to welcome the only interlocutor it considers 
worthwhile: President George Bush. China's busy touring of 
European capitals is not enough to hide its bitterness towards 
the EU. While Europe remains a financial, technological and 
trade partner, the EU-25 have fallen short of their political 
promises to China. Beijing is re-opening an old wound that 
internal European divisions will not be able to heal: the arms 
embargo, which the Chinese see as `political discrimination.' 
Meanwhile, the Bush administration, which did everything it 
could to keep the embargo from being lifted, enjoys China's 
good graces. Beijing is about to sign an agreement on textiles 
with Washington. But of course this has nothing to do with 
President Bush's forthcoming trip to China." STAPLETON