CHIRAC LOOKS FORWARD TO 2005: THE TONE CHANGES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000209

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2015
TAGS: PREL EAID PTER EAIR SENV FR
SUBJECT: CHIRAC LOOKS FORWARD TO 2005: THE TONE CHANGES,
THE VIEW REMAINS THE SAME.

REF: PARIS 00081

Classified By: DCM, Alex Wolff, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) SUMMARY. During his traditional New Year's address to
the diplomatic corps in Paris January 6, President Chirac
stated his desire for good relations with the U.S. and
extended "friendly wishes" to President Bush in advance of
his inauguration (President Bush and UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan were the only leaders addressed specifically in
the speech). Chirac said he looks forward to facing the
world's challenges with the U.S., describing these challenges
as "opportunities to illustrate the vitality of the
transatlantic link." While the overall tone of Chirac's
speech was positive and encouraging as regards both the U.S.
and the transatlantic relationship, Chirac took the
opportunity to stress issues on which France and the U.S.
differ -- the importance of the Kyoto protocol and the
establishment of an "international tax" to name two -- he
finished with a reminder that "the multipolar reality of our
world is becoming more and more obvious." Chirac's look
forward to 2005 cites a myriad of challenges, among them how
the international community will prepare for and administer
emergency aid (a challenge brought to the forefront by the
recent tsunami); establishing democracy in Iraq and the
Middle East; bringing stability to the Ivory Coast and
Darfour; reforming the United Nations; and dealing with the
threat of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. END SUMMARY

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Chirac, the U.S. and the Transatlantic Relationship
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2. (U) Chirac's address took a conciliatory tone towards the
U.S. and the transatlantic relationship which were mentioned
specifically five times in the course of Chirac's 30 minute
speech. Firstly, Chirac stated his intention to build a
credible "Europe Defense" that will "contribute to
strengthening the Atlantic Alliance;" he later congratulated
President Bush, framing the world's challenges as
"opportunities to illustrate the vitality of the
transatlantic link;" and then spoke of the U.S. as a partner
in dealing with Iran; a co-contributor with Europe for Global
Fund replenishment and finally as an important world player
which needs to be engaged regarding the Kyoto protocol.
Chirac's opinions were not always in accord with U.S.
positions, but the U.S. was portrayed throughout the speech
as a partner.

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The Tsunami and Administering International Aid
-------------- --


3. (U) Chirac used the recent tsunami as a means to
highlight both French involvement on the world stage and
shortcomings of the international community to act in pursuit
of a common goal. He offered concrete examples of what
France is doing in the region, stating that, at a ministerial
meeting that he chaired just prior to his speech, he and
French ministers decided to focus immediate efforts on
providing access to drinking water and on preventing
epidemics by setting up a field hospital in northern Sumatra
and sending the helicopter carrier Jeanne d'Arc to the area.


4. (U) He followed by stressing France's perspective for
providing aid, stating that at the Paris Club meeting on
January 12, France will call for an immediate and
interest-free moratorium on debt repayment for the countries
of the region. For the worst-affected areas, he said, France
will be proposing additional debt-relief measures following
an assessment of reconstruction needs. He said that he has
already submitted a proposal that the G8 adopt a generous and
coordinated approach to these issues to the British G8
Presidency.


5. (U) Chirac said that in the upcoming January 7 meeting in
Brussels the GOF would support a massive commitment by the EU
to help the region by calling for all of the available
resources to be brought together in a European Reconstruction
Fund (see reftel for French Donor Support). He added that
France, like its European partners, is prepared to mobilize
the financial resources required for reconstruction based on
need assessments that will be announced in donor conferences.



6. (U) However, for Chirac, the tsunami provided not only a
means to discuss the efforts France has made and intends to
make, but also the shortcomings of the international
community to respond to such catastrophes. Chirac dusted off
several long-standing proposals in his call for measures that
he said would better prepare the world for future disasters.
Included in his list of "innovative funding mechanisms"
through which to increase development assistance was his old
idea of "international taxation" which, he said, France would
be raising this year in the G8 and the UN. (Chirac also
brought up the international tax idea when discussing aid for
developing nations in the context of reform of international
institutions later in his speech.) He stated the need for a
worldwide early-warning system and said that France would
contribute to the development of such a network and the
creation of a "humanitarian rapid reaction force" which, he
said, should exist within the framework of the UN.

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The Middle East: Iraq; Israel/Palestine; Lebanon
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7. (U) Chirac said that the Middle East and Iraq are "the
most urgent issues" to be faced in the coming year. He
voiced his support for the political process set out in
Resolution 1546 and the reconstruction of the country but was
also careful to stress that all sectors of Iraqi society be
given the opportunity to participate in that process, "it is
essential that the largest possible number of Iraqis take
part in it, thus demonstrating their rejection of violence."
He underscored this by saying that "all parts of Iraqi
society and all stakeholders in Iraqi political life" must be
guaranteed "their rightful place in the country's future
institutions," implicitly referring to the threatened boycott
by Sunni groups.


8. (U) Chirac was measured and optimistic in his assessment
of the Israeli/Palestinian situation. He praised both the
"maturity of the Palestinian people" in finding a successor
to Yasser Arafat and the "courageous decision by the Israeli
government" to disengage from Gaza. While he stressed the
importance that the withdrawal from Gaza be a success, he
also said that the Palestinian Authority must meet its own
responsibilities and that the withdrawal must be coordinated
with the roadmap which, he said, "must be restarted
immediately."


9. (U) As regards Lebanon, Chirac cited the implementation
of Resolution 1559 as an example of further freeing the
Middle East by "putting an end to outdated arrangements."
Implementation of the resolution, he said, "will require our
full attention, especially in the run-up to the legislative
elections next spring."

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Nonproliferation and Terrorism
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10. (U) The threat of terrorism was not prominently
addressed in his speech, although Chirac mentioned
bioterrorism and cyberterrorism specifically as "new forms
taken by the threat" which demand an increasingly effective
response. He also said that France calls on the EU to be
vigilant in destroying terrorist finance networks ('tax
havens' in the speech) while remaining "in compliance with
our values." The struggle, he added, must "address the roots
of terrorism, which are first and foremost to be found in
unresolved conflicts with their attendant injustice, misery
and despair."


11. (U) Chirac suggested that the EU3's dealings with Iran
is a template to be followed when preventing the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. He said that
countries abiding by their international nonproliferation
obligations must be able to have the benefit of access to
legal technologies while "we must be unwavering towards those
who fail to live up to their commitments." These principles,
he said, guide the EU3 in negotiations of a long-term
agreement with Iran, in cooperation with other partners in
the EU, Russia, the US and China.

-------------- ---
Making International Institutions More Effective
-------------- ---


12. (U) Echoing many of the same sentiments he expressed
when addressing the international community's ability to
respond to disasters, and that he has put forward repeatedly
in speeches over the past year, Chirac stressed the necessity
to make international institutions more efficient and
effective. He said that the United Nations is the only
universal forum for regulating international relations; he
praised Kofi Annan as "a man of peace, conviction, courage
and integrity;" and said "2005 must be the year of UN
reform." He stated that next September's UN summit meeting
will present an opportunity to implement reforms outlined by
the Panel of Eminent Persons. He reiterated France's support
of Security Council expansion in both the permanent and
non-permanent categories; creation of an economic and social
governance policy forum and a UN Environment Organization;
reinforcement of post-conflict management capabilities; and
further progress in the protection of human rights.


13. (U) Chirac mentioned another international tax, this
time in the context of development financing. He said that
the September Summit must be used to make the decision to
double concessional financing and that he would continue to
work with Brazil, Chile, Spain and others to develop this and
other "innovative mechanisms" which are necessary to make
this happen. He argued that an international tax could also
support anti-AIDS initiatives. He said that it is essential
to raise an annual amount of three billion dollars at the
Global Fund Replenishment Conference in March, with the EU,
the US and other donors each contributing a third of the
total amount. Chirac added that France will be hosting an
international conference in June on microcredit, which he
said needs to be increased tenfold in the coming year.


14. (U) Chirac said that the G8 Summit in Gleneagles will
provide an opportunity to engage the US on the Kyoto
Protocol, which will enter into force on February 16. He
said the needs of emerging countries must also be addressed,
as they must in concluding the Doha round of the WTO.


15. (U) In discussing Europe, Chirac mentioned the cultural
diversity convention currently under negotiation in UNESCO.
He said that he has asked the government to organize a
meeting of European cultural leaders in Paris this spring.

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"2005 will be a decisive year for the future of Europe."
-------------- --------------


16. (U) Chirac spoke positively of the European
Constitution, the referendum for which will be held before
the summer break. French citizens, he said, "will look back
and contemplate how far we have come in the last
half-century." The Constitution, he said, will "lend new
force to the European economic and social model to withstand
the strong winds of globalization." The Constitution, he
added, will also give Europe a solid framework through which
to develop ambitious policies, suggesting that the example of
Airbus already points the way (he added he will be in
Toulouse on January 18 with the Federal Chancellor and the
Prime Ministers of Britain and Spain to attend the official
roll-out of the A380). He also noted that the joint fusion
project, ITER, which he said should be located in Cadarche
(France),will place Europe on the cutting edge of the "drive
to acquire energies of the future."


17. (U) As regards the integration of Turkey he said, "our
objective is indeed to prepare for Turkish accession." But,
"we cannot rule out the possibility of a different outcome if
that country is not able, or willing, to see the process
through to its conclusion."

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Media Reaction
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18. (U) French and international press made note of Chirac's
remarks, seeing in them an effort to reach out to the U.S.
Left-leaning Liberation headlined that Chirac was "making
eyes" at the U.S., while the FT concluded: "Chirac keen to
mend relations with the U.S." The Financial Times reported
that Chirac's speech revealed a range of forward-looking
proposals "so freshly designed that they even seemed to catch
some of his own ministers off-guard," while recent reporting
in Liberation suggests that Chirac is pushing his focus on
the coming ten years because he has achieved so little in the
ten years he has already spent in office.

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The Fundamental Shift - Tone
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19. (C) COMMENT. Chirac's views put forward on January 6
are not particularly new -- as he has on many occasions, he
expressed his desire to increase the competitiveness of
Europe and sees the Constitution as a fundamental
prerequisite for doing so. He repeated his view that the UN
is the sole forum for reconciling international disputes and
said he wants to implement reforms that will empower it. He
ratcheted up his rhetoric to generate development funds
through an international tax. There is, however, a new, more
positive tone in his remarks about the U.S., which he
describes as a partner in the effort to meet global
challenges. The question now is whether this change is
merely rhetorical, designed to create a better atmosphere.
Or, whether Chirac intends to take concrete steps to give
substance to the new tone.


20. (U) A copy of the full text of Chirac's speech has been
faxed to EUR/WE.
Leach