US embassy cable - 05PARIS8203

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008203 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, FR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Allegations of CIA Flights 
Iraq G-7 Summit Franco-African Summit 
PARIS - Friday, December 02, 2005 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Allegations of CIA Flights 
Iraq 
G-7 Summit 
Franco-African Summit 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
The government's education measures for deprived areas, as a 
response to the recent suburban violence is today's major 
front-page and editorial story. But Le Figaro carries on its 
front page information that a couple of CIA flights transited 
through France. Liberation briefly notes the information 
revealed by the Guardian, and Le Monde also carried the story 
yesterday afternoon: "According to the New York Times and the 
Guardian, numerous flights passed though Europe since 9/11." 
The itemized list includes two alleged flights that landed in 
France. But Le Monde notes "that this does not prove any of 
these flights carried Islamic detainees towards detention 
centers, but adds to the sensitivity, which is already high 
in Europe." All report Secretary Rice's trip to Europe next 
week. (See Part C) 
 
President Bush's "victory for Iraq" speech is noted in Le 
Monde and France Soir (See Part C), which devotes a full page 
to the U.S. policy in Iraq titled: "The U.S. More Than Ever 
Mired in Iraq" and interviews Middle East expert Robert Fisk: 
"Everyone knows that the reason for the war in Iraq is oil. 
But I also think that super powers need to flaunt their 
military might. I don't believe the U.S. is interested in 
exporting democracy to the Middle East. I do not think there 
will be a civil war in Iraq. This is a way of frightening the 
Iraqis into asking the Americans to stay." 
 
On the occasion of the Franco-African summit in Bamako 
attended by President Chirac, La Croix analyzes France's 
Africa policy (See Part C) while communist L'Humanite devotes 
its lead and three pages of reports to the "complex 
relationship" between France and its former colonies. 
 
The G7 meeting of Finance Ministers in London today leads La 
Tribune to ask: "What will be the G7's commitment towards the 
Doha round? The G7 is convinced that failure to reach an 
agreement in Hong Kong will impact negatively on the world's 
economy." In Le Figaro, Jean-Pierre Robin pens an op-ed on an 
"outdated G7." (See Part C 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Allegations of CIA Flights 
 
"CIA Flights in France" 
Thierry Vigoureux in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "Days 
before Secretary Rice's trip to Europe, the story of CIA 
secret prisons is taking a new turn. According to the latest 
 
SIPDIS 
revelations, France served at least twice as a stopover for 
flights chartered by the CIA. The flights were namely used to 
transport Islamic suspects to Guantanamo. It is conceivable 
that many anonymous CIA flights may have transited through 
France and other countries. But it is also conceivable that 
at the time the French authorities knew nothing about such 
flights. The Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that although 
the French government 'wondered' about such flights having 
come through Paris, 'they had found nothing.' The Ministry of 
Defense has not commented. Obviously, France was simply a 
transit point for these flights. It is clear that the 
Americans preferred to use the air routes of closer allies, 
where they have military bases, such as Germany." 
 
Iraq 
 
"President Bush's Victory Speech" 
Eric Leser in left-of-center Le Monde (12/02): "After losing 
control of its won party, the White House is trying to take 
over the initiative and keep the opponents to the war from 
taking the upper hand. Because the Vice President has lost 
all credibility, it is up to the President to try and plug 
the holes. His new communications campaign consists in 
systematically countering every attack in the hopes of 
stopping his falling popularity ratings. His speech and the 
National Security Council's report on national security 
received a rather cold welcome from the Democrats." 
 
G-7 Summit 
 
"The G7: An Aristocracy that Must Accept to Reform" 
Jean-Pierre Robin in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "The 
fundamental question is the level of power that each state 
has in the face of the globalization of world markets. What 
is their true ability to influence the market? . It is clear 
that in the past several years the impact of the G7 on the 
course of events has been rather poor. This is true for the 
price of oil, but also for the economic growth imbalance 
between the U.S. and Europe. The so-called 'board of 
directors of the world economy' must learn to reform and the 
governments that participate in it should be truly 
cooperative. In short, they must accept to alter their 
domestic policies in accordance with the better good of the 
world at large." 
 
Franco-African Summit 
 
"France Opts for Less Interventionism in Africa" 
Laurent d'Ersu in Catholic la Croix (12/02): "The Franco- 
African summit in Bamako will give President Chirac a new 
opportunity to assess France's Africa policy. His two terms 
in office have been marked by a series of African crises, the 
most serious being Cote d'Ivoire., but also by questions 
about France's interventionism. In Bamako, President Chirac 
will insist on 'maintaining solidarity with Africa, but also 
multilateralism.' The most concrete illustration of this new 
policy is probably the reforms of French military presence in 
Africa. It is fashionable these days to steer away from the 
old-style African policy based on personal relationships. 
Chirac will most probably present himself as an advocate for 
Africa, asking for increased development aid, defending 
international trade and urging for wide access to AIDS 
treatment, which he was the first to promote. But the reality 
for Africans on a day-to-day basis is more concrete, dealing 
more with immigration and visas." 
STAPLETON 
 
 
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