Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS1094
2005-02-22 11:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION REPORT - PRESIDENT BUSH IN EUROPE

Tags:  OPRC KMDR FR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001094

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 - PRESIDENT BUSH IN EUROPE
PARIS - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

PRESIDENT BUSH IN EUROPE

(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

WITH THE PRESIDENT'S DAY WEEKEND, TODAY'S MEDIA REACTION
REPORT WILL RECAP THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY PRESS.

THREE OF MONDAY'S DAILIES DEVOTE THEIR FRONT-PAGES TO
PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO EUROPE. ECONOMIC RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES
ECHOS LEADS: "EUROPEAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS: BUSH LOOKING FOR A
NEW BOOST," WHILE CATHOLIC LA CROIX PUTS FORWARD THAT "BUSH IS
IN EUROPE TO CONVINCE" AND COMMUNIST L'HUMANITE CALLS THE
VISIT: "BUSH'S EUROPEAN EXPEDITION."

OTHER NEWSPAPERS ANNOUNCE: "BUSH - CHIRAC: THE
RECONCILIATION," (RIGHT-OF-CENTER POPULAR DAILIES LE PARISIEN
AND FRANCE SOIR) "EUROPE: BUSH MAKES PEACE" (LEFT-OF-CENTER
LIBERATION) AND "CHIRAC - BUSH: MEET AGAIN WITHOUT
BITTERNESS." (RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE JOURNAL DU DIMANCHE)

COMMENTATORS AGREE THAT THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO EUROPE IS A
"MARKED SIGN OF HIS RECENT DESIRE TO RE-ESTABLISH CLOSE
CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC." (CATHOLIC
LA CROIX) (SEE PART C)

TWO OP-EDS IN THE MONDAY EDITION OF RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO
PRESENT ANALYSES OF THE TRANS-ATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP. ANDRE
KASPI, PROFESSOR AT THE SORBONNE, SEES THE "COOPERATION"
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ON "AFGHANISTAN, HAITI, EX-
YUGOSLAVIA, IVORY COAST, THE WAR ON TERRORISM OR BUSINESS AND
TRADE EXCHANGES AS MORE THAN SATISFACTORY." HE ADDS THAT THIS
IS NOT SO MUCH A SIGN OF "WARMING RELATIONS" AS IT A SIGN OF
"PRAGMATISM." JAVIER SOLANA, EU HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR
FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY, FOR HIS PART SAYS THAT "EUROPE
SHOULD SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND CONVINCE THE REMAINING
SKEPTICS THAT A STRONG AND UNIFIED EUROPE IS THE BEST POSSIBLE
GLOBAL PARTNER FOR THE U.S."

THE ROLE OF NATO IN THE WORLD, WHICH COMMENTATORS SAY SHOULD
HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN SUBJECTS OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE
FRENCH AND AMERICAN PRESIDENTS IN BRUSSELS, IS ANALYZED IN
MONDAY AND TUESDAY'S PRESS. GERARD DUPUY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER
LIBERATION PUTS FORWARD THAT "NATO TODAY SEEMS ABOUT AS USEFUL
AS A BICYCLE TO A FISH. BUT THAT IT IS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION

TO BE AVOIDED IN ORDER TO AGREE FOR THE SAKE OF AGREEING." THE
TUESDAY EDITION OF COMMUNIST L'HUMANITE CALLS NATO "THE
AMERICAN TROJAN HORSE." "WITH THE REFORM OF THE ATLANTIC
ALLIANCE, THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO CUSTOM-BUILD AN
INSTRUMENT THAT WILL SERVE ITS OWN PURPOSES."

THE SPANISH "YES" TO THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION IS THE FOCUS OF
A NUMBER OF TUESDAY'S FRONT PAGES AND SOME NEWSPAPERS ANALYZE
PRESIDENT BUSH'S TRIP TO EUROPE IN LIGHT OF THE VOTE. CATHOLIC
LA CROIX'S BRUNO FRAPPAT LAMENTS "AT A TIME WHEN FROM UKRAINE
TO LEBANON, FROM THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY TO IRAQ. THE RIGHT
TO VOTE FREELY APPEARS AS A BRAND-NEW RIGHT TO BE CHERISHED.
THREE FIFTHS OF THE SPANISH POPULATION DID NOT TAKE PART IN
THE VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF EUROPE'S CONSTITUTION. AT A
TIME WHEN GEORGE W. BUSH IS IN EUROPE TO HIGHLIGHT HIS FAITH
IN DEMOCRACY. IT IS VEXING FOR THE ENTIRE EUROPEAN CONTINENT
THAT THE EU CANNOT MOBILIZE MORE PEOPLE."

TUESDAY'S RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO LEADS: "BUSH AND CHIRAC:
THE LIMITATIONS OF A RECONCILIATION." CORRESPONDENT PHILIPPE
GELIE REMARKS THAT "GEORGE W. BUSH MAY KNOW HOW TO GET HIMSELF
ELECTED AT HOME BUT HAS TROUBLE SELLING HIMSELF ABROAD.
HOWEVER, HE IS AWARE OF THIS HANDICAP AND HAS MADE A LAUDABLE
EFFORT TO [RECONCILE WITH] EUROPE."
THE OPINION PAGE IN THIS EDITION OF LE FIGARO FOCUSES ON
DEFUSING TENSIONS IN THE TRANS-ATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH TWO
OP-EDS. ONE SIGNED BY SECRETARY RUMSFELD, ENTITLED "U.S. -
EUROPE: A VITAL AND STABLE ALLIANCE." THE OTHER BY SOPHIE
MEUNIER, RESEARCHER ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY, UNDER THE TITLE: "DISARMING ANTI-AMERICANISM."
TUESDAY'S LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE CARRIES TWO FULL-PAGES ON
THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT. ONE PAGE IS AN INTERVIEW OF JOSEPH
BIDEN BY LE MONDE'S NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT CORINE LESNES, THE
OTHER AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO
PRESIDENTS ENTITLED: "BUSH AND CHIRAC: FORCED SMILES" CO-
SIGNED BY CORINE LESNES AND CLAIRE TREAN.

LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION ON TUESDAY FOCUSES ON THE
PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO EUROPE IN LIGHT OF THE ISSUE OF SYRIA AND
LEBANON UNDER THE SUBTITLE: "BUSH AND CHIRAC: LONG LIVE A FREE
LEBANON." PATRICK SABATIER IN HIS EDITORIAL NOTES THAT
"LEBANON HAS INVITED ITSELF TO DINNER WITH BUSH AND CHIRAC.
AND THE CRISIS WITH SYRIA WAS ONE OF THE `APPETIZERS' OF THIS
`TETE-A-TETE."


(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

PRESIDENT BUSH IN EUROPE

"PROGRESS"
THE EDITORIAL BY FRANCOIS ERNENWEIN IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX
(02/21): "THIS TRIP, THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST SINCE HIS RE-
ELECTION, HAS NOT EVEN STARTED YET AND IS ALREADY APPEARING TO
BEAR FRUIT. BETWEEN THE NEW WORLD AND THE OLD CONTINENT, SKIES
ARE BLUE AGAIN. CONDOLEEZZA RICE'S CONCILIATORY TONE IN PARIS
TWO WEEKS AGO HAD ESTABLISHED THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR
RECONCILIATION. THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP THIS WEEK WILL PUT IT
INTO PRACTICE."

"EUROPE ACCORDING TO GEORGE W. BUSH"
PATRICK APEL-MULLER IN COMMUNIST L'HUMANITE (02/21): "WE WILL
BE WATCHING JACQUES CHIRAC'S ATTITUDE CLOSELY DURING THIS
VISIT WHICH IS CLEARLY GEORGE BUSH'S ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN
DECLARATIONS OF VASSALAGE CAMOUFLAGED BEHIND PURELY DECORATIVE
REFLECTIONS ON POVERTY, DISEASE AND THE PROGRESS OF FREEDOM."

"BUSH-CHIRAC: TOWARDS A CHANGE IN CLIMATE"
THE ANALYSIS BY JACQUES HUBERT-RODIER IN ECONOMIC RIGHT-OF-
CENTER LES ECHOS (02/21): "FIRST THERE WAS THE ICE AGE IN 2003
AT THE UN OVER IRAQ. THEN THERE WAS A PERIOD OF WARMING IN
2004 IN NORMANDY FOR THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY. TODAY, IN BRUSSELS
THE ERA OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN GEORGE W. BUSH AND JACQUES
CHIRAC SHOULD BEGIN. FRANCE HAS DONE EVERYTHING IT COULD TO
SHOW THAT IT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE AMERICAN OVERTURES, EVEN
REGARDING IRAQ. HOWEVER THERE IS NO REASON TO EXAGGERATE THIS
GOOD `ENTENTE.' THE U.S. HAS NOT SUDDENLY LEFT THE PLANET MARS
TO EMBRACE THE PLANET VENUS. TO CARICATURE ROBERT KAGAN'S
EXPRESSION. BUT MARS PROVED THE LIMITATIONS OF THE USE OF
FORCE IN IRAQ AND TODAY NEEDS VENUS TO RESTORE ITS IMAGE WHICH
HAS HIT BOTTOM IN INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION. THE MEETING IN
BRUSSELS WILL AT LEAST GIVE THE WORLD THE IMPRESSION THAT BUSH
AND CHIRAC CAN WORK TOGETHER WHICH IS A NON-NEGLIGIBLE SIGN."

"BUSH DISCOVERS EUROPE"
PIERRE ROUSSELIN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (02/22): "WHEN
WE LISTEN TO GEORGE BUSH'S FINE WORDS WE ALMOST WONDER WHAT
WAS THE `TEMPORARY DEBATE' THAT [THREATENED OUR RELATIONSHIP].
BUT WE ALSO WONDER IF GEORGE BUSH IS NOT GOING A BIT
OVERBOARD, LIKE A CHILD WHO HAS JUST REALIZED THAT HE HAS
BROKEN HIS FAVORITE TOY. SPEECHES, DINNERS, TOASTS, PRESS
CONFERENCES. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DECIDED THAT NO EFFORT WILL
BE SPARED TO SHOW THAT GEORGE BUSH IS IN HARMONY WITH THE
LIKES OF JACQUES CHIRAC OR GERHARD SCHRODER WHO HAD ONCE STOOD
IN HIS WAY. BUSH HAS DISCOVERED THAT EUROPE EXISTS. IT TOOK
HIM FOUR YEARS TO DO SO BUT THE BLAME IS, IN PART, ON EUROPE
ITSELF WHICH ALSO TOOK FOUR YEARS TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT BUSH
COULD BE ELECTED BY AMERICA. FOLLOWING HIS RE-ELECTION, GEORGE
BUSH RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS URGENT TO RE-ESTABLISH A HEALTHY
TRANS-ATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP. BUT DOES HE REALLY NEED EUROPE?
DESPITE WHAT HE HAS BEEN SAYING REPEATEDLY, IT IS NOT SO
CERTAIN."

"ENDS AND MEANS"
PATRICK SABATIER IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (02/22): "THE
DINNER WAS SYMBOLIC OF THE DESIRE OF THE TWO ALLIES TO MEND
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WAS DAMAGED BY THEIR DISAGREEMENT OVER
THE INTERVENTION IN IRAQ. BUT THE REAL ISSUE WAS TO GAUGE IF
THERE HAS BEEN ANY CHANGE IN U.S. FOREIGN POLICY. THE FRENCH
AND THE AMERICANS SHARE THE SAME WILL TO SEE IRAN AND SYRIA
STOP DESTABILIZING THE REGION BY SUPPORTING TERRORISTS. BUT TO
BRING THIS ABOUT BUSH, THOUGH HE HAS NOT SAID IT YET, IS READY
TO USE THE BIG MILITARY STICK. WHEREAS FRANCE, AND ITS
EUROPEAN PARTNERS, PREFER TO OFFER THE CARROT OF DIPLOMACY.
BUSH WILL HAVE TO BE AS PREPARED TO LISTEN TO HIS ALLIES ON
THE MEANS AS HIS ALLIES WILL HAVE TO PROVE THEIR DETERMINATION
TO BRING ABOUT THE END."

"THE THREAD AND THE WEB"
FRANCOISE CROUIGNEAU IN ECONOMIC RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS
(02/22): "IN A WEARY EUROPE, THE RATE OF ABSTENTION IN SPAIN
FOR THE VOTE TO RATIFY THE EU CONSTITUTION UNDERSCORES THE
DOUBTS THAT REMAIN AS TO EUROPE'S CAPACITY TO DEFINE A CLEAR
DESTINY. AND DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
ATLANTIC TO DETERMINE THE RELIABILITY OF THE EUROPEAN ALLY. WE
HAVE TWO VISIONS OF SOCIETY BASED ON COMMON VALUES THAT EVOLVE
IN DIFFERENT WAYS. EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS HAVE COMMON
OBJECTIVES BUT THE METHODS SIGNIFICANTLY DIVERGE AND THIS IS
WHERE MISUNDERSTANDINGS ARISE. HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN THE
TWO ALLIES SHOOT IN THE SAME DIRECTION NOTHING CAN STAND IN
THEIR WAY." LEACH