MEDIA REACTION REPORT - U.S. REPRESENTATION AT JOHN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002373

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; BRUSSELS/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - U.S. REPRESENTATION AT JOHN
PAUL II FUNERAL IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT
PARIS - FRIDAY, APRIL 08, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. U.S. REPRESENTATION AT JOHN PAUL II FUNERAL

2. IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

THE SEA OF FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS FLOCKING TO ROME IS TODAY'S LEAD
STORY. RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO HEADLINES: "THE WORLD UNITED
AROUND JOHN PAUL II." AN ARTICLE BY WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
PHILIPPE GELIE REPORTING ON THE U.S. DELEGATION TO THE VATICAN
EMPHASIZES THE NEW HISTORIC ERA BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE
VATICAN, IN CONTRAST WITH THE KENNEDY DAYS, "WHEN JFK WAS
SUSPECTED OF BEING MANIPULATED BY ROME." IN POPULAR RIGHT-OF-
CENTER FRANCE SOIR THOMAS DE ROCHECHOUART NOTES THE EARLY
ARRIVAL OF THE U.S. DELEGATION IN ROME, "BEFORE ALL THE
OTHERS" (SEE PART C)

THE SECOND MAJOR STORY ELICITING REPORTS AND COMMENTARIES IS
THE FORMATION OF IRAQ'S NEW GOVERNMENT. AN EDITORIAL IN LEFT-
OF-CENTER LE MONDE UNDERSCORES THE "HISTORIC" NATURE OF IRAQ'S
"REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS RATHER RARE FOR THE
REGION." (SEE PART C)

THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN CAIRO IS WIDELY REPORTED, WITH SOME
STORIES REPORTING THE AS YET UNCONFIRMED DEATH OF AN AMERICAN
IN ADDITION TO THE CONFIRMED DEATH OF A FRENCH WOMAN. POPULAR
RIGHT-OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR INTERVIEWS ROLAND JACQUARD, AN
EXPERT ON ISLAMIC TERRORISM AND A CONSULTANT TO UN SECURITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS: "TERRORIST NETWORKS IN EGYPT CONTINUE TO BE
VERY ACTIVE, IN SPITE OF MAJOR ARRESTS. WE MUST NOT FORGET
THAT AL-QAEDA'S NUMBER TWO IS EGYPTIAN. ACTIVISTS WANT TO HIT
MODERATE ARAB COUNTRIES WHICH COOPERATE WITH THE WEST IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. BECAUSE TOURISM IS CRUCIAL FOR
EGYPT'S ECONOMY, TOURISM HAS BECOME AL-QAEDA'S NUMBER ONE
TARGET. THERE IS AN ULTRA RADICAL BRANCH OF JAMAA ISLAMIYA IN
EGYPT. IT HAS JUST HIT A TOURIST TARGET IN EGYPT, WHICH IS IN
THE MIDST OF A MAJOR DEBATE ABOUT MUBARAK'S POLITICAL
SUCCESSION."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

U.S. REPRESENTATION AT JOHN PAUL II FUNERAL

"THREE U.S. PRESIDENTS PRAYING TOGETHER"
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (04/08): "THE
THREE PRESIDENTS WHO PRAYED TOGETHER BEFORE THE POPE'S REMAINS
ON WEDNESDAY EVENING ILLUSTRATED THAT THE U.S. WAS ONE OF THE
MOST FAITHFUL `DAUGHTERS' OF THE CHURCH. FOR A NATION FOUNDED
ON PROTESTANTS WHO FLED RELIGIOUS REPRESSION, THIS IS QUITE A
CHANGE. IF PRESIDENT BUSH DECIDED TO MAKE THE TRIP, IT WASN'T
JUST TO PLEASE THE HISPANIC AMERICANS, A MINORITY BUT AN
IMPORTANT ONE. THE VALUE OF THE GESTURE GOES WELL BEYOND THAT.
PRESIDENT BUSH'S PRESENCE CONFIRMS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE VATICAN HAS OVERCOME ITS TRADITIONAL
COMPLEX. THIS CONTRASTS WITH THE KENNEDY ERA, WHEN THE
PRESIDENT WAS THEN SUSPECTED OF ` BEING MANIPULATED BY ROME.'"

"BUSH BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE"
THOMAS DE ROCHECHOUART IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR (04/08):
"THE U.S. PRESIDENT'S EAGERNESS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE POPE IS
ALL THE MORE OUT OF PLACE BECAUSE HE IS PROTESTANT. WHILE
PRESIDENT BUSH HAS NEVER HIDDEN HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, THIS
MIXTURE OF THE POLITICAL WITH THE RELIGIOUS IS DANGEROUS. AND
WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THE HOLY SEE GRANTING EARLY PRIVILEGES
FOR THE VISIT, WHICH LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE A `UNION OF
CHRISTIAN FORCES' UNDER THE TWO BANNERS, THE VATICAN'S AND THE
U.S. FLAG.?"

IRAQ - FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT

"A KURD FOR IRAQ"
LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE IN ITS EDITORIAL (04/08): "THE
ELECTION OF JALAL TALABANI IS AN UNPRECEDENTED EVENT IN MORE
THAN ONE WAY. IT IS THE FIRST TIME A KURD BECOMES PRESIDENT OF
IRAQ, AND THE FIRST TIME A NON-ARAB PRESIDES OVER A COUNTRY
WHERE THERE IS A MAJORITY ARAB POPULATION. JALAL TALABANI WILL
ALSO BE THE FIRST DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF IRAQ.
EVEN IF IRAQ'S JANUARY 30 ELECTIONS COULD NEVER SERVE AS A
MODEL FOR WESTERN DEMOCRACIES. BUT IN THE CHAOTIC SITUATION OF
IRAQ, WHERE VIOLENCE HAS NOT RELENTED SINCE THE END OF THE
AMERICAN-LED WAR, THE ELECTIONS HAVE NEVERTHELESS GIVEN THAT
NATION A REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY, A RATHER RARE FEAT FOR THE
REGION. WHILE THE COLLEGIAL NATURE OF THE PRESIDENCY COULD BE
A HANDICAP FOR THE COUNTRY, IT ALSO PROVES THAT THE THREE
COMMUNITIES ARE DETERMINED TO WORK TOGETHER. THE NOMINATION OF
A KURDISH PRESIDENT PROVES ALSO A DESIRE TO MAINTAIN IRAQ'S
UNITY AND TO AVOID, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING, AN
INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN. THE MOST URGENT MATTER AT HAND FOR THE
NEW AUTHORITIES IS CURBING TERRORISM. TALABANI HAS ALREADY
MADE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN TERRORISTS SUPPORTED AND FINANCED
FROM ABROAD, AND `IRAQIS BEARING ARMS AGAINST FOREIGN TROOPS.'
THIS NEW STYLE WOULD INDICATE A DESIRE TO INTEGRATE THE LATTER
GROUP IN THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL PROCESS, IF THE GROUP AGREES
TO GIVE UP ON VIOLENCE. IN THIS CASE A NEW PAGE WOULD BE
TURNED ON THE ROAD TO IRAQ'S STABILIZATION." LEACH