Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS4258
2005-06-16 11:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION REPORT - UN REFORM - OIL FOR FOOD

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 02 PARIS 004258 

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 - UN REFORM - OIL FOR FOOD
SCANDAL EU ISSUES - EU SUMMIT - EU CONSTITUTION U.S.-ISRAEL
RELATIONS: TENSION OVER CHINA
PARIS - THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004258

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 - UN REFORM - OIL FOR FOOD
SCANDAL EU ISSUES - EU SUMMIT - EU CONSTITUTION U.S.-ISRAEL
RELATIONS: TENSION OVER CHINA
PARIS - THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. UN REFORM - OIL FOR FOOD SCANDAL

2. EU ISSUES - EU SUMMIT - EU CONSTITUTION

3. U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS: TENSION OVER CHINA

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

"EUROPE PARALYZED" AND "EUROPE IN CRISIS" ARE TWO OF TODAY'S
MOST USED HEADLINES TO CHARACTERIZE THE STATUS OF THE EU AS
THE EUROPEAN SUMMIT GETS UNDERWAY TODAY IN BRUSSELS. FOR LE
FIGARO IT IS "A CRISIS SUMMIT" WHILE FOR LIBERATION CHIRAC "IS
ARRIVING AT THE SUMMIT VERY MUCH WEAKENED." THE STORY IN
FRANCE SOIR IS TITLED: "EUROPE IN TWENTY-FIVE PIECES." LE
PARISIEN REPORTS: "THE SUMMIT IS SAID TO BE DIPLOMATICALLY
DIFFICULT." IN ITS EDITORIAL TITLED "EUROPE AT A STANDSTILL,"
LE FIGARO CALLS FOR A "FUNDAMENTAL DEBATE ON THE EU'S BORDERS"
WHILE LIBERATION WARNS THAT "WE ARE ENTERING A GLACIAL ERA."
IN AN OP-ED IN LIBERATION, JACQUES AMALRIC COMMENTS ON
WASHINGTON'S CONCERNS OVER THE STALLED EU CONSTRUCTION. (SEE
PART C)

LE FIGARO CARRIES A MAJOR INTERVIEW OF KOFI ANNAN: "I AM
DETERMINED TO WORK WITH MEMBER COUNTRIES TO IMPLEMENT UN
REFORMS. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION OF RESIGNING." (Q: ARE
THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORT A SIGN OF CONSTANT
PRESSURE EXERCISED BY THE U.S.?) A: "THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
TODAY WE ARE FACING A NEW THREAT FROM CONGRESS ABOUT THE U.S.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UN IN ORDER TO GET THE REFORMS
(WASHINGTON WANT.) THIS DOES NOT FACILITATE THE PROCESS. IT IS
GOOD FOR A COUNTRY LIKE THE U.S. TO PROPOSE REFORMS AND SHOW
ITS COMMITMENT. BUT THE PROPOSALS MUST BE DISCUSSED WITH ALL
THE MEMBER COUNTRIES. WITHOUT BEING SUBJECTED TO THREATS".
JEAN-LOUIS TURLIN REPORTS ON THE CONGRESSIONAL STUDY MADE
PUBLIC YESTERDAY ON UN REFORMS. THE ARTICLE IS TITLED
"REBUILDING UNDER U.S. PRESSURE." (SEE PART C)

A "CHILL" IS REPORTED IN LE FIGARO IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
U.S. AND ISRAEL FURTHER TO ISRAEL'S SALE OF A STEALTH FIGHTER
AIRCRAFT TO CHINA. (SEE PART C) MOST OUTLETS ANNOUNCE
PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S INVITATION MADE TO ISRAELI PM SHARON TO
VISIT PARIS TO `CONSOLIDATE THE FRANCO-ISRAELI PARTNERSHIP'

AND TO DISCUSS THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA. SHARON HAS
ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE, BUT NO DATE HAS BEEN SET.
A REPORT IN LE MONDE ON THE LUIS POSADA CARRILES CONTROVERSY
BETWEEN CASTRO AND THE U.S. IS TITLED: "CASTRO WANTS TO
EMBARRASS BUSH." "JUST LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO, WITH THE CASE OF
ELIAN GONZALEZ, CASTRO HAS IN HIS HANDS A NEW AFFAIR THAT CAN
MOBILIZE SYMPATHIZERS AND CAUSE EMBARRASSMENT TO THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT."

THE ECONOMIC PRESS REPORTS EXTENSIVELY ON THE AIRBUS-BOEING
DUEL AT THE PARIS AIR SHOW. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST FIGURES
FROM YESTERDAY, AND AS REPORTED IN LIBERATION AND LE FIGARO
ECONOMIE, AIRBUS IS SAID TO BE AHEAD OF BOEING IN FIRM SALES,
BOOSTED BY THE FIRST ORDER FOR A380 AIRCRAFT FROM A LOW COST
AIRLINE, KINGFISHER.

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

UN REFORM - OIL FOR FOOD SCANDAL

"REBUILDING UNDER U.S. PRESSURE"
JEAN-LOUIS TURLIN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/16): "KOFI
ANNAN HAS REASONS TO REJOICE AND TO FEEL UNHAPPY UPON READING
THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON UN REFORMS. HE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE
THAT A LARGE PORTION OF HIS OWN PROPOSALS FOR REFORMS ARE
ADOPTED IN THE REPORT. BUT THE DOWN SIDE IS THAT THE `UN'S
RECEPTIVENESS TO REFORMS' IS CONSIDERED TO BE A DIRECT
CONSEQUENCE OF THE SCANDALS THAT HAVE SHAKEN THE UN. THE
REPORT IS CONSTRUCTIVE AND INVITES KOFI ANNAN TO PURSUE HIS
EFFORTS. AND WHILE THE REPORT DOES NOT TAKE A STAND ON THE
EXPANSION OF THE UNSC, IT IS GENERALLY A PUSH IN FAVOR OF KOFI
ANNAN'S PLANS."

EU ISSUES - EU SUMMIT - EU CONSTITUTION

"EUROPE'S RETREAT"
JACQUES AMALRIC IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (06/16): "THE
EU'S RETREAT AND THE OPEN FIGHT OVER THE EU BUDGET COULD WELL
PARALYZE EUROPE'S CONSTRUCTION FOR A LONG TIME AND SEND THE
DREAM OF A EUROPE-POWER INTO THE TRASHCANS OF HISTORY.
PARADOXICALLY, THIS COULD ALSO SLOWDOWN THE DE-CONSTRUCTION OF
EUROPE AS A VAST MARKET. THIS IS WHAT WASHINGTON SEEMS TO FEAR
AT THIS POINT, WHERE MANY ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT THE
U.S. DESIRE OF A DOCILE EUROPE SPREADING FROM TURKEY TO
UKRAINE AND GEORGIA IS NOT AS REALISTIC AS IT FIRST APPEARED."

"EUROPE AT A STANDSTILL"
PIERRE ROUSSELIN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/16): "THE
`PAUSE' SUGGESTED BY TONY BLAIR SHOULD FIRST AND FOREMOST
CONCERN THE ISSUE OF NEW EU MEMBERSHIPS. THE DEBATE ABOUT EU
BOUNDARIES CANNOT BE POSTPONED. THE RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE
AND TURKEY MUST BE REDEFINED IN REALISTIC TERMS AND IT MUST BE
DONE AFTER LISTENING TO PUBLIC OPINION. FOR EUROPE NOT TO
REVISE ITS APPROACH WOULD MEAN TO ACT AS IF MAY 29 NEVER
HAPPENED. WILL THE EU-25 HAVE THE COURAGE TO SEND A CLEAR
MESSAGE ABOUT THIS?"

"BARTERING"
DOMINIQUE QUINIO IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (06/16): "IT IS NORMAL
FOR EVERY COUNTRY TO DEFEND ITS NATIONAL INTERESTS. BUT IN
EVERY NEGOTIATION THERE IS A NEED FOR COMPROMISE. THE QUESTION
IS WHETHER THE 25 MEMBERS OF THE EU STILL WANT TO TAKE FURTHER
STEPS TOGETHER. A PAUSE IS NEEDED. BUT A PAUSE TO BOUNCE BACK
OR A PAUSE TO GIVE UP?"

U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS: TENSION OVER CHINA

"A CHILL BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ISRAEL"
PATRICK SAINT-PAUL IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/16):
"ISRAELI INDUSTRIALISTS IN THE WEAPONS SECTOR PRESENT AT THE
PARIS AIR SHOW ARE CAREFUL NOT TO BE SEEN WITH CHINESE BUYERS.
THIS IS THE LATEST TANGIBLE SIGN OF THE CRISIS BETWEEN ISRAEL
AND THE U.S. AFTER ISRAEL'S WEAPONS SALE TO CHINA. THE STORY
IS MAKING NOISE IN ISRAEL WHERE EVERYONE IS ALWAYS CAREFUL NOT
TO ANTAGONIZE WASHINGTON. BUT ISRAEL CONSIDERS WASHINGTON'S
LATEST ADMONITIONS ON THE SUBJECT TO BE OUT OF PLACE. AN
ISRAELI HIGH OFFICIAL IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT `IT IS TIME FOR
THE PM TO TELL THE AMERICANS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THAT THEY
HAVE GONE TOO FAR AND THAT ISRAEL IS A SOVEREIGN NATION NOT A
LAND OF PUPPETS.' BUT THE U.S. CONTENDS THAT A CONTRACT HAS
BEEN SIGNED BEHIND ITS BACK WITH A POTENTIAL RIVAL. ISRAELI
OFFICIALS, UNDER THE COVER OF ANONYMITY, CLAIM THE U.S.
REACTION IS TRIGGERED SOLELY BY ITS OWN ECONOMIC INTERESTS: IT
IS THREATENED BY THE GROWING ISRAELI WEAPON'S INDUSTRY AND
SALES TO CHINA, A MAJOR POTENTIAL U.S. CUSTOMER." WOLFF