US embassy cable - 05PARIS8022

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008022 
 
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 - Iraq Iran CIA - Alleged 
Overseas Prisons 
PARIS - Friday, November 25, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq 
Iran 
CIA - Alleged Overseas Prisons 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Domestic stories dominate with a government bill in the works 
to ensure `equality of chances' for all after France's recent 
suburban violence. International news is dominated by 
Secretary Rice's CNN interview during which she indicated 
 
SIPDIS 
"U.S. forces in Iraq would not to be maintained at the present 
level very much longer." (Le Figaro) Le Figaro and Le Monde 
also devote wide coverage to the alleged CIA transportation of 
detainees through European airports. The Strasbourg Council of 
Europe is to investigate. (See Part C) 
 
On Thursday, Le Figaro led with "Iran Taunts Europe" and its 
editorial, titled "Europe Disarmed In Dealing With Iran," 
stresses that "Europe's role remains humble, while Washington 
is Tehran's principal interlocutor. The Russian proposal gains 
credibility because it has Washington's support." (See Part C) 
 
Weekly Paris Match carries an article titled: "Bush: Four 
Women to His Rescue." Barbara, Laura, Condi and Karen are the 
foursome he counts on, according to the story, which reports 
that "Karen Hughes has replaced `the brain,' Karl Rove,. and 
that Condoleezza Rice exemplifies faithfulness as a cardinal 
virtue." Hughes is said to be the most "influential in terms 
of image building, particularly in the Muslim world. Once 
again the President has confused faithfulness and 
capabilities: Hughes has no experience whatsoever of the 
Middle East, as proven by her blunders during her recent tour. 
Hughes is working blind." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq 
 
"Towards a Pullout From Iraq" 
Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/25): "The 
Americans are preparing their pullout from Iraq much better 
than they prepared their invasion. Everyday U.S. diplomats and 
generals give indications as to the numbers of soldiers that 
can be pulled out, and when. As if they could predict how the 
insurrection was evolving. This is because the front has moved 
from Baghdad to the Washington microcosm. where Bush's ratings 
are dropping. After the December elections Washington can 
begin to plan for a real pullout, having finally accepted the 
idea that the outcome will be more political than military. 
The softening of the U.S. policy is being carefully 
negotiated. General Lynch indicated that the rebels should 
take part in the political negotiations, as long they are 
Sunnis, and not Al-Qaeda Jihaddists. If the U.S. is showing so 
many signs of being ready to negotiate, it must mean that the 
end of the war is near. Bush needs to satisfy his opinion, 
while not giving the Arab world the impression America is 
abandoning Iraq. This will require more nuance than the 
President is used to." 
 
"Washington Thinking About Disengagement" 
Jean-Louis Turlin in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/25): "After 
having fought hard against the increasingly pressing calls for 
a pure and simple military retreat, the Bush administration 
has slightly changed its tone and called for a gradual 
withdrawal of troops from Iraq. After the anonymous Pentagon 
sources mentioned in the Washington Post, it was Secretary 
Rice's turn to confirm on CNN and Fox News that `U.S. forces 
in Iraq would not have to be maintained at the present level 
for very much longer.' While everything will depend on what 
happens on the ground, time is what the Bush administration 
does not have much of." 
 
Iran 
 
"Europe Disarmed in Dealing with Iran" 
Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/24): "All of 
last summer the European-3 tried to negotiate with Tehran. Yet 
nothing has changed in Iran's attitude. If the Europeans have 
been forced to swallow so many bitter pills when it comes to 
their diplomatic forays with Iran, it is essentially because 
they do not have the necessary political means to support 
their ambitions. Their interlocutors in Tehran are well aware 
that what counts are the decisions made in Washington. The 
latest proposal by Moscow is a case in point: it has a chance 
of being successful because it has Washington's support. 
Considering the shared interests of Moscow and Tehran, there 
is a good chance that the Russian proposal will succeed: 
Russian diplomacy will have achieved what European diplomacy 
could not. This latest slap in the face for Europe must not 
affect its efforts. The EU-3 did trigger the negotiations. But 
paradoxically, things became more difficult for them when 
Washington started to support the EU-3 initiative. It is as if 
the real negotiations began then, between Washington and 
Tehran, and involved Iraq's future, of great interest to Iran. 
But Europe must continue with its humble role." 
 
CIA - Alleged Overseas Prisons 
 
"European Council to Investigate Accusations of CIA Dealings" 
Thierry Oberle in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/25): "The 
Strasbourg based European institution will have its say about 
the U.S. outsourcing its war against terror. The European 
Council has just opened the first European-wide investigation 
into CIA-led transit, detention and interrogation of presumed 
Islamic terrorists, in Europe. Dick Marty, the Council's 
rapporteur, who acknowledges that he may face `difficulties in 
his investigation' insists that he will exercise the necessary 
`pressure.'" 
 
"Europe Is Asking Questions About Secret CIA Flights" 
Natalie Nougayrede in left-of-center Le Monde (11/25): "The 
European Council is investigating. The Rapporteur, Dick Marty 
says most of the information is coming from the Human Rights 
Watch, but says he has `other sources' he did not want to 
comment on. He did not want to say whether he had proof about 
countries other than Romania and Poland having been involved. 
He does insist this is a question of principles and democratic 
norms. He says it is `a moral issue.' Marty has also asked for 
verifications concerning Russian detention practices in 
Chechnya, where Moscow claims to be fighting Al-Qaeda. The 
Council of Europe has shown extreme leniency in the past on 
proven torture cases in Chechnya, which contrasts greatly with 
the rigorous approach used in the alleged CIA cases. One of 
the questions raised by Marty is the cooperation between the 
CIA and the Russians in the transfer of prisoners." STAPLETON