US embassy cable - 05PARIS7658

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 007658 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, FR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - France - Suburban Violence 
Public Diplomacy And Social Models Middle East - Syria - Iran 
Trade - Doha Round 
PARIS - Wednesday, November 09, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
France - Suburban Violence 
Public Diplomacy And Social Models 
Middle East - Syria - Iran 
Trade - Doha Round 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
The implementation of the 1955 law allowing curfews receives 
wide coverage, with Le Parisien carrying the results of a poll 
on its front page showing broad public support. Seventy-three 
percent of respondents favor curfews, while 86 percent are 
horrified by the violence. For Le Figaro, the curfews mark 
"the hour of truth" between the government and the suburbs, a 
point of view shared in France Soir which headlines: "PM 
Villepin Plays His All." For Liberation "Curfews Equal Hiding 
Reality." Economic Les Echos enumerates Villepin's measures: 
"Employment, Professional Training: Shock Therapy for the 
Suburbs." While Liberation is critical of the government's 
measure involving apprenticeship for youth as young as 14, Le 
Figaro praises the measure. La Croix in its editorial writes: 
"Curfew means war. It is a hurtful word. It could shock some 
and hide all the other useful measures announced by the 
government." La Croix acknowledges that there is a "state of 
emergency" in the suburbs, but asks: "Why did we have to wait 
so long?" 
 
International stories include the legislative elections in 
Egypt. Le Figaro carries a story on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood 
and their attempt to take over Alexandria, while Liberation 
reports on the "disillusionment of Egyptian youth." La Croix 
interviews Mohammed Habib, Secretary General of the Muslim 
Brotherhood: "Hoping for transparency is something of an 
utopia. We do not want change through pressure. The U.S. has 
not created the popular movement. Even if Washington's 
pressure for democratization has helped the movement to speak 
up. But let's face it, the U.S. is not a charitable 
organization: its intent is to get a foothold in the region." 
 
The incident involving El Baradei who was searched at the 
Boston airport "simply because of his Arab-sounding name" is 
reported in Le Figaro in an article on Iran and its "refusal 
to give up on uranium enrichment." Les Echos carries an op-ed 
on Syria by Jacques Hubert-Rodier about the "enigma of Bachar 
al-Assad and the isolation of Syria." (See Part C) 
 
Le Monde carries an opinion column by Sylvie Kauffman on U.S. 
Public Diplomacy, Karen Hughes and image making in the U.S. 
and France. (See Part C) 
 
Alexandrine Bouilhet in Le Figaro reports on "France's loss of 
influence in Brussels." Manuel Barroso is expected to announce 
today a number of cabinet changes: "This big game of musical 
chairs confirms France's loss of influence to the advantage of 
the Anglo-Saxons and the liberals." 
 
Jean-Pierre Robin in Le Figaro analyzes the Greenspan years in 
an op-ed titled: "Greenspan, An Uncommon Bandleader." Robin 
suggests that Greenspan's departure "raises as many questions 
as the death of Pope John Paul II. Everyone always forgave the 
Maestro, because his leadership has led to magnificent 
results." 
 
Le Monde devotes an editorial to "Saving Doha." (See Part C) 
and also carries an interview with the EADS co-Chairman, Noel 
Forgeard: "The U.S. has opted for a massive effort to return 
to the moon. I am surprised to see the Europeans do not have 
the same dream. Europe must invest in space, because enjoying 
one's own autonomy in accessing space is a fundamental stake 
of sovereignty." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
"Agitation" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in a front-page editorial (11/09): 
"The Prime Minister appears to have lost his cool. Opting for 
a state of emergency and reviving a law that reminds us of the 
worst period of our history stand as proof that Villepin does 
not yet have the nerves of steel required of a State leader. 
Reviving the law of 1955 is sending youth a message of 
astounding brutality. Fifty years after the Algerian years, 
France is treating them as it treated their grand parents. The 
Prime Minister should remember that at the time the cycle of 
incomprehension, agitation and impotence led France to 
terrible incidents." 
 
"Apprenticeship: A Good Idea" 
Jean-Paul Mulot in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/09): "Putting 
an end to the myth of a unified and compulsory educational 
system for all until the age of 16 is a welcome change. Of all 
the Prime Minister's measures, this is the one that is the 
most promising." 
 
"A State of Emergency" 
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (11/09): "Curfew means 
war. It is a hurtful word. It could shock some and hide all 
the other useful measures announced by the government. Will 
the measures be enough to resolve the situation? To be 
effective they need to be implemented for the long term 
because the ills go deep and have been around for years. These 
towns are indeed in a state of emergency. They have been for 
years. Why did we have to wait so long? Why did we have to 
wait for a crisis?" 
 
Public Diplomacy And Social Models 
 
"France, U.S.: Two Contested Social Models" 
Sylvie Kauffmann in left-of-center Le Monde (11/09)"The 
outbreak of urban violence and the image of France that this 
creates abroad is a slap in the face to the media and 
authorities who were recently outraged by the poverty and race 
relations in the United States. Our two countries have another 
thing in common, they both proclaim to have the universal 
mission to spread their own social and cultural models. But 
how can these countries profess to have this ambition when 
they are incapable of implementing it at home?. Abroad, Bush 
has to deal with a degree of hostility that is quasi-universal 
and that today has impacted on the very essence of the 
American system. Every initiative coming from Washington is a 
struggle. Condoleezza Rice, who is more inclined than her 
predecessor to travel, sees each of her trips turn into an 
obstacle course where she must alternately charm, convince or 
threaten depending on her interlocutor. The White House seems 
to have gauged the gap that divides the U.S. from the rest of 
the world by appointing Karen Hughes. to succeed in an area 
where others before her, since September 11 had failed. Her 
Middle East tour turned out to be such a fiasco that today 
Hughes hesitates to come to Europe. France doesn't have a 
Karen Hughes, and for the time being has never felt the need 
for one. Can France consider itself to be the moral victor of 
the transatlantic confrontation over Iraq and simultaneously 
remain silent about the disastrous revelations of corruption 
of its former Ambassadors?" 
 
Middle East - Syria - Iran 
"Bachar al-Assad: The Enigma and Syria's Isolation" 
Jacques Hubert-Rodier in right-of-center Les Echos (11/09): 
"Syria remains an enigma and a pariah. It was a nasty surprise 
for the regime to have both Russia and China join with the 
U.S., France and others to vote together on UN Security 
Council Resolution 1636. While France's main concern is 
Syria's interference in Lebanon, for Washington it is Syria's 
behavior regarding its borders with Iraq. However, the U.S. is 
not talking of regime change. It is up to the great powers to 
continue to display unity, all the while making some 
compromises to continue to isolate the regime." 
 
"Iran Refuses to Give Up Uranium Enrichment" 
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/09): "Last 
Sunday Mohammed el-Baradei was subjected to a most 
inappropriate body search at the Boston airport. because his 
name was Arab-sounding. The incident is a serious one. It 
happened as el-Baradei was on his way to meet with Secretary 
Rice to discuss Iran. But the incident did not keep the UN 
high official from expressing a severe warning against Iran 
and the need for transparency. The Mullahs, who this week 
asked the EU to resume the negotiations, are in fact blowing 
hot and cold: they simultaneously announced they are launching 
their new phase in uranium enrichment. The concrete gesture 
which the Europeans were waiting for is obviously not coming. 
And the tension is mounting before the November 24 meeting in 
Vienna." 
 
Trade - Doha Round 
 
"Saving Doha" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (11/09): "The outcome 
of the November 7 meeting in London is rather encouraging. 
Even France seems prepared to make some concessions on the 
agricultural issue. The possibility of an agreement between 
the United-States and China on the question of textiles also 
looks promising. Let us hope that this is the spirit that will 
carry the negotiations in Hong Kong. Otherwise the temptation 
towards protectionism, with its nationalist undertones, could 
dominate. France is being perceived as the champion of 
agricultural protectionism. It is time for France to stop 
adopting a defensive stance which ends in vain aggressions 
against Brussels and to systematic backtracking. France will 
have no other choice but to sign the Doha round. Alone, its 
veto carries no power." STAPLETON