Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Lebanon and Syria - Israel
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001412
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY (FRANK); BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU;
AF/PA; EUR/WE (DEBORAH MENNUTI)/P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA
(BERBENA); INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE
HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR AND PASS USTR/PA
(ANN LUZZATO); USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; ROME/PA;
BRUSSELS/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - LEBANON AND SYRIA - ISRAEL
AND PALESTINE - IRAQ: FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT
PARIS - FRIDAY, MARCH 04, 2005
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:
1. LEBANON AND SYRIA
2. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
3. IRAQ - FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT
(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:
ISSUES SURROUNDING FRENCH HOSTAGE FLORENCE AUBENAS HELD IN
IRAQ AND PRIME MINISTER RAFFARIN'S DECISION TO KEEP PARLIAMENT
MEMBER DIDIER JULIA FROM NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE HOSTAGE TAKERS
MAKES THE FRONT PAGES OF A MAJORITY OF DAILIES.
SERGE JULY, PUBLISHER OF LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (AUBENAS'
EMPLOYER) PENS AN EDITORIAL IN WHICH HE PRAISES RAFFARIN FOR
HIS FIRM LINE THAT WILL PREVENT THE HOSTAGE-TAKERS FROM BEING
ABLE TO "PLAY THE FRENCH EMISSARIES AGAINST EACH OTHER WHICH
RESULTS IN INNUMERABLE COLLATERAL DAMAGES." THE EDITORIAL IN
RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO STRESSES THAT "NATIONAL UNITY IS THE
BEST DEFENSE FACED WITH THE HOSTAGE TAKERS."
POPULAR RIGHT-OF-CENTER DAILY FRANCE SOIR CARRIES AN INTERVIEW
WITH ANTOINE BASBOUS, DIRECTOR OF THE OBSERVATORY OF ARAB
COUNTRIES, UNDER THE SUB-HEADING: "THE U.S. IS CAPABLE IF
BOMBING IRANIAN NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS." BASBOUS GIVES AN
OVERVIEW OF THE VARIOUS "HOT SPOTS" IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HE
CALLS THE SITUATION IN LEBANON "VERY PROMISING. THANKS NAMELY
TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICULARLY
THANKS TO THE FRANCO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE THAT HAS UNDERTAKEN TO
FREE LEBANON FROM SYRIAN OCCUPATION." (SEE PART C) REGARDING
IRAN, BASBOUS INSISTS THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS UNDERTAKEN WITH
IRAN BY THE FRENCH, GERMANS AND BRITISH WILL PROVE IN THE LONG
RUN "THAT THE EU DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER NECESSARY TO DISSUADE
TEHERAN. I AM AFRAID THAT THE LIMITS OF DIPLOMACY WILL QUICKLY
BECOME EVIDENT."
"FOUR YEARS TO CHANGE THE WORLD. BUSH'S AMERICA 2005-2008" THE
LATEST WORK BY BRUNO TERTRAIS, RESEARCHER AT THE FOUNDATION
FOR STRATEGIC RESEARCH IS REVIEWED IN LEFT-OF-CENTER
LIBERATION. TERTRAIS WRITES: "EUROPE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
BUSH'S AMERICA POSES LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS CONCERNING WORLD
GOVERNANCE, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE USE OF FORCE. [EUROPE]
HAS THE CHOICE OF EITHER PROMOTING CHANGE IN THE WORLD
ALONGSIDE THE U.S. OR WATCHING THE WORLD CHANGE WITHOUT IT."
TERTRAIS ALSO CALLS FRENCH DIPLOMACY'S PENCHANT FOR
MULTIPOLARITY "ILLUSORY" AND PROMOTES A FORM OF DIPLOMACY THAT
WOULD BE MADE UP OF "TWO THIRDS BLAIR AND ONE THIRD CHIRAC."
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
LEBANON AND SYRIA
"BUSH AND HIS VICTORIES"
IVAN RIOUFOL IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (03/04): "THE SPREAD
OF DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS REACHING LEBANON. WHICH HAS
BEEN INSPIRED BY THE ELECTIONS IN IRAQ. INDEED THE COURAGE OF
THE IRAQI VOTERS ON JANUARY 30, WHO DEFIED THE THREAT OF
TERRORIST ATTACKS IN ORDER TO VOTE HAS PROMPTED THE LEBANESE
TO BRAVE THE BAN ON DEMONSTRATING AND DEMAND THE WITHDRAWAL OF
THE SYRIAN OCCUPIER. TODAY EVENTS PROVE THAT GEORGE BUSH'S
POLICY WITH RESPECT TO TOPPLING TYRANTS THROUGH MILITARY MIGHT
AND THEREBY CREATING A `DOMINO EFFECT' [IN THE MIDDLE EAST] IS
JUSTIFIED. THERE IS A CERTAIN SATISFACTION IN SEEING THE
EMBARRASSMENT THAT THIS CAUSES AMONG THE FRENCH ANTI-BUSHITES,
WHO ABOUND AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND IN THE
PRESS. ALTHOUGH IT IS TOO EARLY TO MAKE A GENERAL ASSESSMENT
OF THE RESULTS OF AMERICAN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. NONE OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LEBANON, IN IRAQ, IN PALESTINE OR IN THE
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF THE
AMERICANS AND THEIR ALLIES HAD NOT SET THE BALL ROLLING. IT IS
HIGH TIME FOR FRANCE. TO GET ON BOARD."
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
"DIPLOMACY BETWEEN WORDS AND DEEDS"
THOMAS FERENCZI IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (03/04): "EUROPEANS
ARE ADAMANT THAT THEY HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN SETTLING THE
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. THEY REFUSE TO LET AMERICA HAVE
THE MONOPOLY IN DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS. BUT EUROPE'S
POWERLESSNESS IS NOT THE RESULT OF INTERNAL DIVISIONS, IT IS
DUE ON THE ONE HAND TO ISRAEL'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW EUROPE TO
PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND ON THE OTHER HAND
TO ITS INABILITY TO BE AT THE SAME LEVEL, MILITARILY OR
FINANCIALLY, AS THE U.S.. NEITHER THE ISRAELIS NOR THE
PALESTINIANS ARE CONVINCED OF THE LEGITIMACY OF EUROPEAN
MEDIATION. THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS CONFLICT REPRESENTS A REAL
TEST FOR THE `EUROPEAN POWER.'"
IRAQ - FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT
"IRAQ: STILL UNCERTAIN"
JEAN-CLAUDE KIEFER IN REGIONAL DAILY LES DERNIERES NOUVELLES
D'ALSACE PENS AN EDITORIAL (03/04): "THE SHIITE AND KURDISH
PARTIES SEEM INCAPABLE OF AGREEING ON A GOVERNMENT, WHICH, IN
ANY CASE, WOULD HAVE NO REAL AUTHORITY.... A FULL MONTH AFTER
THE ELECTIONS, THE SITUATION IS STILL CONFUSING. KURDISH
SEPARATISM IS A REALITY. THE SHIITES ARE STRENGTHENING THEIR
HOLD ON THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, RESULTING IN A STRONGER SUNNI
REBELLION SUPPORTED BY AL-QAIDA-INSPIRED ISLAMISTS AND ALSO BY
"SECULARS" FROM THE FORMER BAAS PARTY. IN IRAQ, NOTHING IS
SETTLED...EVEN IF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AND HIS SECRETARY
OF STATE CONDOLEZZA RICE STRIVE TO MAKE US BELIEVE OTHERWISE."
LEACH