MEDIA REACTION REPORT - MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 004354

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 - MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL
TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES:
TURKEY
PARIS - TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT

2. U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES: TURKEY

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

DOMESTIC ECONOMIC ISSUES DOMINATE FRONT-PAGES, EXCEPT FOR LA
CROIX WHICH DEVOTES ITS LEAD TO THE SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT AND
THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA. A NUMBER OF REPORTS AND
COMMENTARIES ARE DEVOTED TO SECRETARY RICE'S MIDDLE EAST TOUR,
INCLUDING YESTERDAY'S POLICY SPEECH IN CAIRO. LE FIGARO TITLES
"RICE CALLING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY IN CAIRO" AND LA CROIX "RICE
PRAISES DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST." (SEE PART C) LE
PARISIEN INTERVIEWS GEO-STRATEGY EXPERT PASCAL BONIFACE: "FOR
THE FIRST TIME, ISRAEL WILL GIVE BACK ALL TERRITORIES TO THE
PALESTINIANS. THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT. THE AMERICANS HAVE
BEEN MORE INVOLVED IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ISSUE SINCE
PRESIDENT BUSH'S SECOND TERM, WITH A MORE BALANCED APPROACH.
WHILE THEY ARE CONSCIOUS OF ISRAEL'S SECURITY DEMANDS, THEY
ARE ALSO TELLING ISRAEL: IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL
WITH HAMAS, YOU MUST GIVE ABBAS TOKENS PROVING THAT HIS
APPROACH IS WORKING."

LE MONDE, WHICH HEADLINES "EUROPE'S BREAKDOWN WORRIES ITS
PARTNERS," QUOTES ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE DAN FRIED
EXTENSIVELY ON AMERICA'S WISH FOR EUROPE TO BE A "STRONG
PARTNER," IN CONNECTION WITH THE U.S.- EU SUMMIT. LE FIGARO
AND MOST MEDIA QUOTE PRESIDENT BUSH WHEN HE SAID TO HIS THREE
EU GUESTS: "WE WANT A STRONG EUROPE." THE EDITORIAL IN LE
FIGARO IS TITLED "EUROPE VIEWED IN THE U.S. MIRROR." (SEE PART
C)

ECONOMIC LES ECHOS DEVOTES A MAJOR EDITORIAL TO TURKEY'S
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, POINTING THAT ITS ECONOMY COULD BECOME
EUROPE'S EQUIVALENT OF CHINA'S ECONOMY FOR THE REST OF THE
WORLD. (SEE PART C)

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

MIDDLE EAST: RICE REGIONAL TOUR - SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT

"AMERICA'S WAGER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST"
BERNARD GUETTA ON GOVERNMENT-RUN FRANCE INTER RADIO (06/21):
"HOW IS ONE TO INTERPRET RICE'S SPEECH IN CAIRO AS IRAQ
CONTINUES TO PLUNGE DEEPER INTO VIOLENCE.? AS IF BLIND TO
REALITY, CONDOLEEZZA RICE REAFFIRMED IN CAIRO WASHINGTON'S
SUPPORT TO THE `DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST.' IT WAS AN ODE TO DEMOCRACY, LYRICAL BUT ALSO
STRONG AND CRITICAL OF TWO OF ITS REGIONAL ALLIES: SAUDI
ARABIA AND EGYPT. THE QUESTION ONE CANNOT HELP TO ASK IS WHAT
DOES THE U.S. WANT? UPON READING AND RE-READING THE TEXT OF
RICE'S SPEECH THE IMPRESSION IS THAT THE U.S. KNOWS THESE
REGIMES ARE DOOMED AND WANTS TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THEM,
TAKING SIDES WITH FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. IN SHORT, INVESTING
IN THE FUTURE WHILE HOPING THESE SAME REGIMES WILL STAY LONG
ENOUGH TO COUNTER ISLAMIC FANATICISM. A HIGH RISK WAGER, WHICH
IS NOT ALL THAT LUDICROUS."

"RICE CALLING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY IN CAIRO"
TANGI SALAUN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21): "EGYPT
CANNOT COMPLETELY HIDE THE IRRITATION IT FEELS ABOUT AMERICA'S
AMBITIONS IN THE REGION AND WHAT IT CONSIDERS TO BE UNBEARABLE
`INTERFERENCE.'"

"RICE PRAISES DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST"
DENISE AMOUN IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (06/21): "ONLY DEMOCRACY
SEEMS TO INTEREST CONDOLEEZZA RICE, WHO DURING THE PRESS
CONFERENCE DID NOT ELABORATE ON HER TALKS WITH SHARON AND
ABBAS. A STUDENT ATTENDING HER POLICY SPEECH WAS BITTER: `SHE
CAME TO GIVE US A LESSON ON DEMOCRACY, INSTEAD OF SPEAKING
ABOUT A SOLUTION FOR THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.' BUT
HER VISIT TO EGYPT MARKS AN IMPORTANT TURNING POINT IN AMERICA-
EGYPTIAN RELATIONS. AFTER A PERIOD OF TENSION. IT IS THE END
OF THE FIRST SERIOUS CLASH BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS
PRINCIPAL ARAB ALLY IN ITS QUEST FOR A JUST AND GLOBAL PEACE
FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. ON THE EVE OF THE SHARON-ABBAS SUMMIT IT
IS INCONCEIVABLE TO THINK RICE DID NOT SPEAK WITH MUBARAK
ABOUT THE ISRAELI PULLOUT. BUT IT IS AT TIMES RECOMMENDED TO
KEEP SILENT BEFORE THE MEDIA."

U.S. - EU SUMMIT / EU ISSUES: TURKEY

"BUSH WANTS A STRONG EUROPE"
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21):
"TRADITIONALLY, THE YEARLY U.S.-EU SUMMIT IS NOT WIDELY
PUBLICIZED IN THE U.S. MEDIA. WHILE THE MAIN SUBSTANCE OF
RELATIONS LINKING EUROPE AND THE U.S. IS OF AN ECONOMIC
NATURE., THE REASON FOR PRESIDENT BUSH'S PRESENCE WAS
ESSENTIALLY POLITICAL. HIS INTERLOCUTORS NEEDED TO BRING
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OF THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION. FOLLOWING HIS GESTURE TO THE EU AT THE
BEGINNING OF HIS SECOND TERM, PRESIDENT BUSH HAS EVERY RIGHT
TO BE WONDERING WHETHER HE IS NOT ON THE ROAD TO CRUEL
DISAPPOINTMENTS. THE PRESIDENT REITERATED HIS SUPPORT TO
EUROPE'S INTEGRATION AND EXPRESSED HIS WISH FOR A `STRONG
EUROPE AS PARTNER.' A PARTNER RATHER THAN A `COUNTERWEIGHT,'
WHICH IS THE MUCH-HATED EXPRESSION ATTRIBUTED TO FRENCH
LEADERS. THE LIST OF TRANSATLANTIC COOPERATION INITIATIVES IS
LONG, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ'S
RECONSTRUCTION. BUT THERE IS A FEAR (IN WASHINGTON) THAT THE
PARTNERSHIP COULD DISINTEGRATE IF EUROPE BECOMES TOO
INTROSPECTIVE AND GIVES WAY TO INTERNAL SQUABBLES. WASHINGTON
IS ALSO AFRAID THAT EUROPE'S EXPANSION, A PROCESS THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION SEES AS CRUCIAL FOR REGIONAL STABILIZATION,
WILL SUFFER. `WE DO NOT WANT THE EU TO CLOSE ITS DOORS TO
TURKEY AND THE BALKANS,' SAYS DAN FRIED, `BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY
NOT GOING TO ADVERTISE IT.'"

"EUROPE VIEWED IN THE U.S. MIRROR"
NICOLAS BARRE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (06/21): "THE
EUROPEAN VERSION OF GEORGE WASHINGTON IS NOT FOR TOMORROW.
WORSE THAN THAT, EUROPEANS ARE WONDERING IF EUROPE IS STILL
CAPABLE OF SENDING MESSAGES, ALBEIT WEAK ONES, TO THE REST OF
THE WORLD. EUROPE'S WEAKNESS IS A DOUBLE DISAPPOINTMENT. FIRST
BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING JUST WHEN THE U.S. IS ATTEMPTING TO
EXTEND ITS HAND TO THE EUROPEANS. THE CHALLENGES THE AMERICANS
AND THE EUROPEANS ARE FACING ARE INDEED COLOSSAL:
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION, UN REFORMS,
THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT. SECOND, BECAUSE EUROPE IS BEING
ROBBED OF SOME OF ITS SYMBOLIC AND UNIVERSAL HISTORY - ITS
ROLE AS A BEARER OF FREEDOM IN THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL FOR
EXAMPLE - BY A CLEVERER AMERICA IN THE USE OF SYMBOLS. THIS
(EUROPEAN) HISTORY IS WELL KNOWN TO THE AMERICAN NEO-CONS,
HUNGRY FOR `REGIME CHANGE.' BUT IT IS THEY WHO ARE HERALDING
FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD. EUROPE NEEDS TO REDEFINE THE TWO
PILLARS ITS PROJECT: INTEGRATION AND EXPANSION. ONLY THEN WILL
ITS MESSAGE BE CLEAR AND HEARD AS IT DESERVES TO BE. HERE AND
ON THE BANKS OF THE POTOMAC."

"THE U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT A WITHDRAWN EUROPE"
CORINE LESNES IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (06/21): "THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION IS WORRIED ABOUT EUROPE'S PERSISTENT WEAKNESS.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS DAN FRIED
SAYS: `NO ONE WANTS A WEAKENED PARTNER.' DAN FRIED DOES NOT
WANT A EUROPE `INVOLVED IN DEEP INTROSPECTION, WITHDRAWN ONTO
ITSELF RATHER THAN TURNED TOWARDS OUTSIDE CHALLENGES.' `WE
NEED EUROPE AS A PARTNER TO ADVANCE PROSPERITY, FREEDOM AND
SECURITY.' ACCORDING TO FRIED THE MESSAGE THAT PRESIDENT BUSH
WANTS TO DELIVER ON JUNE 20 TO HIS EUROPEAN INTERLOCUTORS IS
THIS MESSAGE OF `A STRONG' PARTNERSHIP. M. FRIED IS BACK FROM
A EUROPEAN TOUR WHERE SECRETARY RICE SENT HIM TO EXPLAIN THAT,
ALTHOUGH SOME IN WASHINGTON WERE NOT UNHAPPY TO SEE
YESTERDAY'S OPPONENTS BITING THE DUST, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT
THE POSITION OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. `WE DO NOT REJOICE
OVER THE FAILURE OF THE REFERENDUM. NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A
POSITION ON THE CONSTITUTION, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A POSITION
ON EUROPE. NO ONE WANTS A WEAKENED PARTNER.' SAYS FRIED. CHINA
AND KOSOVO, SAYS FRIED, ARE AREAS WHERE THE EUROPEAN
CONTRIBUTION IS NECESSARY. `THE QUESTION IS HOW TO ENSURE THAT
CHINA'S RISE TO POWER HAPPENS IN A CONTEXT OF PROSPERITY AND
STABILITY.' TALKS ON THE CHINESE ARMS EMBARGO HAVE BEEN PUT ON
A BACK BURNER, ACCORDING TO FRIED, `IN FAVOR OF A STRATEGIC
DIALOGUE' ON THE ASIAN QUESTION IN GENERAL WITH THE EU BUT
ALSO WITH NATO AND ON A BILATERAL LEVEL. `WE WERE SPEAKING OF
THE EMBARGO WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE CONTEXT. WE WERE
HANDLING THE DISCUSSION BACKWARDS.' FOR A MONTH NOW THE
AMERICANS HAVE OBSERVED THE EUROPEAN CRISIS, STEP BY STEP,
WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MEASURE THE CONSEQUENCES. FOR THE TIME
BEING THE CONFERENCE ON IRAQ CONTINUES TO BE PREPARED AS
PLANNED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE U.S. AND EUROPE ARE
IMPLEMENTING TOGETHER A JOINT INITIATIVE ON IRAQ."

"TURKEY, EUROPE'S CHINA"
FRANCOISE CROUIGNEAU IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS (06/21):
"TURKEY'S ECONOMY IS GOING THROUGH A PROFOUND MUTATION.
ALTHOUGH IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS, EUROPE WOULD BE MISTAKEN TO
TURN ITS BACK ON A COUNTRY THAT COULD BECOME TOMORROW EUROPE'S
CHINA. THE EUROPEAN CRISIS, AND THE NEW POSITIONS ADOPTED IN
FRANCE BY SARKOZY AND IN GERMANY BY ANGELA MERKEL COULD MEAN
THAT TURKEY IS FACING A NEW EQUATION. THE DAYS AHEAD WILL BE
FULL OF DANGERS. ONE OF THESE DANGERS RESIDES IN IGNORANCE
ABOUT A SECULAR COUNTRY WHERE ISLAM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
NATIONAL IDENTITY AND WHICH MUST NOT BE ASSIMILATED TO
FUNDAMENTALISM. EUROPE'S SERIOUS CRISIS IS ACUTELY NARROWING
TURKEY'S MARGIN FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS STARTING IN OCTOBER."
WOLFF