MEDIA REACTION REPORT - NORTH KOREA - SIX PARTY TALKS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 004162

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; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - NORTH KOREA - SIX PARTY TALKS
LEBANESE ELECTIONS GUANTANAMO EU AFFAIRS - TURKEY
PARIS - TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. NORTH KOREA - SIX PARTY TALKS

2. LEBANESE ELECTIONS

3. GUANTANAMO

4. EU AFFAIRS - TURKEY

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

THE AFTERMATH OF THE LIBERATION OF FLORENCE AUBENAS STILL
CAPTURES THE MOST FRONT-PAGE ATTENTION TODAY. THE CONDITIONS
UNDER WHICH THE FRENCH HOSTAGE WAS RELEASED LEAD MANY
COMMENTATORS TO WONDER ABOUT HER CAPTORS, ABOUT THE ROLE OF
SYRIA IN HER LIBERATION, AND ABOUT WHETHER A RANSOM WAS PAID.
LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION, LIKE YESTERDAY'S LE FIGARO, REPORTS
ON "SYRIA'S SHADY ROLE IN THE KIDNAPPING." THE ROLE OF PUBLIC
AND MEDIA SUPPORT FOR HOSTAGES IS ALSO ANALYZED, WITH SOME
COMMENTATORS ARGUING THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT BOOSTS THE HOSTAGES'
MORALE, WHILE OTHERS CONTEND THAT IT GIVES HOSTAGE-TAKERS
HIGHER VISIBILITY. LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE CARRIES AN
INTERVIEW OF HUSSEIN HANOUN, AUBENAS'S IRAQI GUIDE AND
INTERPRETER, TITLED: "OUR KIDNAPERS WERE ANTI-AMERICAN
ISLAMISTS."

THE TIME MAGAZINE REPORT ON GUANTANAMO IS THE SUBJECT OF TWO
ARTICLES, IN LE FIGARO AND LA CROIX ABOUT "INTIMIDATION
TECHNIQUES" AND "AMERICA'S IMAGE WAR." (SEE PART C)

THE RE-ELECTION OF MOHAMMED EL-BARADEI IS NOTED IN LE FIGARO:
"HE STARTED OUT WITH A TERRIBLE HANDICAP: THE IRE OF
WASHINGTON'S `HAWKS.' FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS HE WAS THEIR BETE
NOIRE FOR HAVING AIRED HIS DOUBTS ABOUT THE WAR IN IRAQ. NOW
THAT HE HAS BEEN RE-ELECTED, EL-BARADEI KNOWS WHAT IS AT
STAKE: REVIVE THE NPT AND FORCE IRAN AND NORTH KOREA TO FALL
IN STEP. AND HE MUST DO THIS WITHOUT ALIENATING THE U.S."

THE SITUATION WITH NORTH KOREA IS THE SUBJECT OF A MAJOR
REPORT IN LA CROIX, WHICH CONTENDS THAT WASHINGTON "HAS
SOFTENED ITS POSITION VIS-A-VIS PYONGYANG." (SEE PART C)

THE PARIS AIR SHOW CONTINUES TO BE WIDELY COVERED, WITH THE
BOEING-AIRBUS COMPETITION SERVING AS BACKDROP. POPULAR RIGHT-
OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR HEADLINES "WHEN FRANCE CHALLENGES
AMERICA." THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE A350 AND B787 IS A MAJOR
STORY IN LE FIGARO ECONOMIE, WHICH QUOTES AIRBUS PRESIDENT
NOEL FORGEARD: "THE A350 WILL FLY WITH OR WITHOUT PUBLIC
SUBSIDIES."

LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE CARRIES A FRONT-PAGE OP-ED BY FORMER
FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON FRANCOIS BUJON DE L'ESTANG
TITLED: "A POLITICAL SPACE STRATEGY: TIME FOR MAKING
DECISIONS." "THE U.S. HAS OPERATED A MAJOR REVOLUTION IN
MILITARY AFFAIRS WHERE SATELLITE SPACE SYSTEMS PLAY A MAJOR
ROLE: SPACE OPERATIONS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICA'S
DETERRENCE SYSTEM. THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN FRANCE AND EUROPE ON
ONE SIDE AND THE U.S. ON THE OTHER, IN MATTERS OF STRATEGY AS
WELL AS PROGRAMS. THIS SITUATION EXPOSES FRANCE TO THE RISK OF
NOT BEING ABLE TO CONCRETELY PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL
POLICE OPERATIONS. THERE IS A NEED FOR A REAL DUAL SPACE
STRATEGY THAT CAN HELP OUR FORCES AND BE ATTRACTIVE TO OUR
PARTNERS. BUT IT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR FRANCE TO OPERATE
THIS EFFORT ON ITS OWN. THIS MUST BE A COMBINED EUROPEAN
EFFORT INTEGRATING THE `CIVILIAN-MILITARY DUALITY.' IT WILL BE
THE TASK OF THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE AGENCY TO RELAY THE NECESSARY
POLITICAL IMPETUS. THE STAKES IN TERMS OF DEFENSE STRATEGY AND
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ARE MAJOR. UNLESS DECISIONS ARE MADE
RAPIDLY, THE GAP WITH THE U.S. WILL BECOME EVEN GREATER."

GENERAL AOUN'S ELECTORAL VICTORY IN LEBANON IS ONE OF TODAY'S
INTERNATIONAL STORIES (SEE PART C),WHILE LIBERATION CARRIES
AN OP-ED TITLED "TURKEY: AN ALIBI FOR THE `YES' AND `NO'
VOTERS TO THE REFERENDUM." (SEE PART C)

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
NORTH KOREA - SIX PARTY TALKS

"SOUTH KOREA AND U.S. WANT TO REASSURE PYONGYANG"
DORIAN MALOVIC IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (06/14): "IT IS CLEAR THAT
THE TONE HAS CHANGED. AFTER THE SUMMIT IN WASHINGTON BETWEEN
SOUTH KOREA AND THE U.S., THE IMPRESSION IS THAT THE
DIFFERENCES HAVE BEEN ERASED, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING, IN
ORDER TO FACILITATE NORTH KOREA'S RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING
TABLE. THE U.S., WHICH FOR THE PAST WEEKS HAS BEEN PARALYZED
IN ITS APPROACH, SEEMS TO SHOW A DESIRE TO SOFTEN ITS APPROACH
AND TO STOP ITS THREAT AND VERBAL ABUSE. A NEW STRATEGY
APPEARS TO BE IN THE WORKS IN ORDER NOT TO PROVOKE PYONGYANG.
THUS PRESIDENT BUSH HAS STOPPED TALKING ABOUT COERCIVE
MEASURES. AND ADDRESSED KIM JONG-IL AS `SIR.'"

LEBANESE ELECTIONS
"FRAGILE LEBANON"
GUILLAUME GUIBERT IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (06/14): "THE ATTENTION
FOCUSED ON LEBANON CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY EITHER ITS SIZE OR
THE SIZE OF ITS POPULATION. ITS BOUNDARIES WITH ISRAEL AND THE
MANY PALESTINIAN REFUGEES LIVING IN LEBANON ARE A PARTIAL
EXPLANATION. BUT IT IS MAINLY THE DIVERSE RELIGIOUS MAKE UP OF
ITS POPULATION, WHICH IS MAINLY MUSLIM, THAT EXPLAINS WHY
LEBANON IS SEEN AS AN EXAMPLE THAT CAN PROVE WHETHER A PEOPLE
MADE UP OF CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS CAN, OR NOT, LIVE IN PEACE.
THE WIND OF HOPE FOR NATIONAL UNITY THAT BEGAN THIS SPRING DID
NOT SURVIVE THE TEST OF THE BALLOTS. THE POLITICAL
ARRANGEMENTS THAT HAVE LED TO AN ELECTORAL VICTORY WEAKEN THE
COUNTRY. AOUN'S VICTORY WAS ACHIEVED THANKS TO HIS ALLIANCE
WITH SUPPORTERS OF THE SYRIAN NEIGHBOR. THIS IS A SAD PARADOX
FOR THE MAN WHO, FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, SYMBOLIZED
RESISTANCE TO DAMASCUS."

"AOUN'S NEWS ALLIES"
ISABELLE DELLEBRA IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/14):
"GENERAL AOUN, WHO DID NOT MANAGE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH
THE OPPOSITION, DECIDED TO GO IT ALONE, BUT NOT TOTALLY ALONE.
IN REALITY HE HAS MADE A PACT WITH PRO-SYRIAN FORMER LEADERS
WHO LAST MARCH WERE PARADING IN THE STREETS IN SUPPORT OF
SYRIA."

GUANTANAMO

"NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT GUANTANAMO INTERROGATION METHODS"
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/14): "THE
DEBATE IN THE U.S. OVER METHODS USED IN GUANTANAMO WAS SLOW TO
START BUT IT IS NOW LAUNCHED IN THE POLITICAL ARENA. WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION BEING OPENED.
WHILE THE PENTAGON HAS DECLARED THAT ITS PRISON IN CUBA `HAS
HELPED TO SAVE AMERICAN LIVES,' THE REVELATIONS MADE IN TIME
MAGAZINE LEAD ONE TO AMBIGUOUS CONCLUSIONS: WHILE IT IS CLEAR
THAT THE DETAINEES IN GUANTANAMO ARE NO ANGELS, THE METHODS
USED BY THE ARMY ARE UNJUSTIFIABLE."

EU AFFAIRS - TURKEY

"TURKEY: AN ALIBI FOR THE `YES' AND `NO' VOTERS TO THE
REFERENDUM"
MICHEL WIEVIORKA IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/14): "A
PROCESS OF CLARIFICATION CONCERNING TURKEY AND ITS REJECTION
MUST BE CLARIFIED. THE FIRST STEP IS TO WEED OUT WHAT, IN
TURKEY'S REJECTION, STEMS FROM RACISM, EXCESSIVE NATIONALISM
OR XENOPHOBIA. THIS IS THE EASIEST, AND IT SHOULD BE
RECOGNIZED BY ALL DEMOCRATIC AND PRO-EUROPEAN PROTAGONISTS IN
THE DEBATE ON TURKEY. LATER IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO CLARIFY
WHAT ARE VIABLE PROJECTS FOR EUROPE. IN THIS RESPECT TURKEY
MUST NOT SERVE AS THE SCARECROW FOR SOME AND THE FAVORITE
CHILD FOR OTHERS. IT IS NOT THE ROLE OF THOSE WHO TRULY WANT
TO BUILD EUROPE TO GIVE GOOD OR BAD MARKS TO TURKEY. THEIR JOB
IS TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT KIND OF EUROPE THEY WANT. IT WILL BE
UP TO TURKEY LATER TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
CLARIFIED EUROPEAN PROJECT, IF IT STILL WANTS TO." WOLFF