MEDIA REACTION REPORT - IRAN NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005443

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 - IRAN NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING
PARIS - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. IRAN

2. NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

IRAN'S RESUMPTION OF ITS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IS ONE OF
TODAY'S MAJOR STORIES, WITH CATHOLIC LA CROIX HEADLINING:
"WORLD PRESSURE ON IRAN." THE EDITORIAL URGES THE EUROPEANS
NOT TO GIVE UP TOO SOON: "IRAN MAY BE BARTERING FOR MORE.
AFTER ALL, THIS IS WHAT NORTH KOREA HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE
U.S." (SEE PART C)

FM DOUSTE BLAZY IS INTERVIEWED IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE PARISIEN:
"IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN. TEHRAN MUST
ACCEPT OUR OFFER TO RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. FRANCE
DOES NOT FAVOR THE OPTION OF SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN BY THE
UNSC."

WHILE POLITICAL ANALYSTS WARN AGAINST THE DANGERS OF IRAN AS A
NUCLEAR POWER, SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS ARE MORE RESERVED. IN LEFT-
OF-CENTER LIBERATION BRUNO TERTRAIS FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR
STRATEGIC RESEARCH SAYS IN AN INTERVIEW: "FOR THE TIME BEING
THERE HAS BEEN NO VIOLATION OF THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY.
LEGALLY, TEHRAN HAS VIOLATED NO INTERNATIONAL TEXT. BUT THE
IRANIANS ARE VERY CLEVER. THEY ARE USING THE SITUATION FOR
DIPLOMATIC ESCALATION." AN OPINION SHARED BY GEORGES LE
GUELTE, A FORMER OFFICIAL OF THE IAEA: "THE IAEA WILL BE ABLE
TO OBSERVE THAT LEGALLY, IRAN HAS NOT TRANSGRESSED
INTERNATIONAL LAW. IT IS RESPECTING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES.
THE IRANIANS HAVE ONLY VIOLATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE
EUROPEANS."

REGIONAL OUEST FRANCE INTERVIEWS A RESEARCHER FROM THE CNRS,
AZADEH KIAN-THIEBAUT: "WHAT THE IRANIANS ARE SEEKING IS DIRECT
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE U.S. AS LONG AS WASHINGTON REJECTS THE
IDEA OF OFFERING DIRECT GUARANTEES, THE IRANIANS WILL CONTINUE
TO USE THE NUCLEAR THREAT."

THE DISCOVERY LANDING MAKES THE FRONT PAGE OF RIGHT-OF-CENTER
LE FIGARO, WHICH DEVOTES ITS EDITORIAL TO NASA'S "BITTER-
SWEET" VICTORY. (SEE PART C)

RIGHT-OF-CENTER ECONOMIC LES ECHOS CARRIES AN EDITORIAL
COMMENTARY ON JOHN BOLTON'S NOMINATION TO THE UN AND KOFI
ANNAN'S "HAWKISH REFORMISM." "HAS ANNAN TURNED HAWKISH TO
WELCOME BOLTON WHO IN TURN MAY BE READY TO BECOME A REFORMER?
ANNAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO INITIATE A WIDER DEFINITION OF
TERRORISM AND TO PUSH THE UN TO ADOPT THE INITIATIVES AGAINST
WMD. HE HAS ALSO INITIATED A STRONG REFORM PROGRAM WHICH IS IN
LINE WITH WHAT THE U.S. ADVOCATES. THE UN HAS BECOME
UNGOVERNABLE BUT IT IS BETTER FOR THE U.S. TO HAVE OPTED TO
REMAIN `INSIDE' EVEN WITH A HAWK THAN TO GO `OUTSIDE' THE
ORGANIZATION."

KOFI ANNAN IS ALSO CENTRAL TO A COMMENTARY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER
LIBERATION BY THE MOROCCAN-BORN FRENCH LANGUAGE AUTHOR TAHAR
BEN JELLOUN: "THE TERRORISTS' DREAM OF REPLACING EGYPT'S
REGIME WITH AN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS THE WORLD'S NIGHTMARE.
BECAUSE EGYPT IS CLOSE TO THE WEST, RECEIVES AMERICAN
FINANCIAL AID, AND HAS SIGNED PEACE WITH ISRAEL, ISLAMISTS
WANT TO DESTROY IT. IF EGYPT FALLS TO FUNDAMENTALISM, THE
ENTIRE REGION WILL BE SHAKEN. THE WEST HAS TO WATCH OUT FOR
TERRORISM BUT IT MUST ALSO QUESTION THE WAY IT LOOKS AT THE
ARAB WORLD AND TO COMMIT ITSELF TO REPAIR THE DEEP WOUNDS THAT
HAVE BEEN INFLICTED ON ARABS. THE RECIPE IS TO BE FAIRER AND
MORE JUST. THE WORLD NEEDS A NEW, VISIONARY LEADER. KOFI ANNAN
COULD BE THAT PROVIDENTIAL LEADER. BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO
RECEIVE A STRONG MANDATE AND BE READY TO LOCK HORNS ONCE AGAIN
WITH THE AMERICANS. THE ARAB WORLD NEEDS MORE JUSTICE. RESPECT
AND DIGNITY."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

IRAN

"EUROPE LOOKING FOR SOLUTION WITH IRAN"
MAURIN PICARD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/10): "EUROPEAN
DIPLOMATS ARE HARBORING GRIM LOOKS IN VIENNA AFTER THE COLD
SHOWER THEY RECEIVED FROM THE IRANIANS. BUT DIPLOMATIC REALITY
CALLS FOR MORE SUBTLETY: NO ONE WANTS TO BRING THE IRANIAN
NUCLEAR ISSUE BEFORE THE UNSC. NOT THE AMERICANS, WHO ARE
MIRED IN IRAQ, NOR THE EUROPEANS FOR WHOM SUCH A STEP WOULD BE
THE PRELUDE TO INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AND THE CONFIRMATION OF
THEIR FAILED DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. IF THE IRANIANS WERE TO CROSS
THE YELLOW LINE WHICH THE AMERICANS AND THE ISRAELIS INTERPRET
AS A `POINT OF NO RETURN,' THE EUROPEANS WOULD BE FACING A
DILEMMA: TO LET THE IRANIANS GO AHEAD WITH THEIR NUCLEAR
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM OR START THE INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS
PROCEDURE."

"NUCLEAR IMPUNITY"
YVES PITETTE IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (08/10): "IRAN'S INITIATIVE
IS NOT GOOD NEWS. WHILE MAJOR POWERS HAVE LEARNED TO
POLITICALLY HARNESS THEIR WEAPONS THROUGH DETERRENCE, WE MUST
TODAY BE MORE CONCERNED WITH REGIONAL FACE-OFFS SUCH AS
CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN OR IRAN AND ISRAEL.
NOTHING INDICATES THAT IRAN IS READY TO GIVE UP ITS HOSTILITY
TOWARDS ISRAEL. BUT BECAUSE THE WORST IS NEVER CERTAIN, THE
EUROPEANS HAVE NOT GIVEN UP THEIR EFFORTS FOR NEGOTIATIONS. IT
IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT IRAN IS PLAYING A GAME OF BLACKMAIL
IN ORDER TO GET MORE FROM THE EUROPEANS. AFTER ALL, NORTH
KOREA IS DOING JUST THAT WITH THE AMERICANS. THE LESSON SHOULD
BE CLEAR: IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEMAND ANYTHING FROM A NUCLEAR
POWER, ALBEIT A LIMITED ONE. THE IRANIANS KNOW IT AND ARE
PLAYING THEIR HAND ACCORDINGLY."

"A PROVOCATION FROM IRAN"
KEN WEINSTEIN FROM THE HUDSON INSTITUTE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE
FIGARO (08/10): "IRAN'S DECISION TO RESUME ITS URANIUM
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IS BOTH A THREAT AND A PROVOCATION. IT
MARKS THE FAILURE OF EUROPE'S U.S.- SUPPORTED EFFORTS. IRAN
MUST IN NO WAY BE RECOMPENSED FOR ITS NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL. THE
U.S. AND THE EUROPEAN TROIKA MUST REMAIN FIRM. NEGOTIATIONS
AND/OR GOING BEFORE THE UNSC CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE IF
NEGOTIATING NATIONS ARE NOT READY TO USE FORCE IN CASE OF
FAILURE. JUST WHEN THE MIDDLE EAST IS IN THE MIDST OF MAJOR
CHANGES, IRAN'S GAME AIMS TO SLOW DOWN THAT PROCESS. A NUCLEAR
BOMB CONTROLLED BY IRAN WOULD BE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE
ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALL EXTREMISTS. IRAN'S NUCLEAR THREAT WEIGHS
NOT ONLY ON THE MIDDLE EAST BUT ALSO ON EUROPE. FRENCH AND
AMERICAN OBJECTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE GREATLY THREATENED
BY IRAN'S AMBITIONS. WE MUST BE READY TO DEAL WITH THIS
CHALLENGE."

NASA - DISCOVERY LANDING

"AN OBSOLETE SHUTTLE"
JEAN-MICHEL SALVATOR IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/10):
"WITH THE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S RETURN, NASA IS REGISTERING ITS
OWN LITTLE REVENGE. THE IMAGES WERE BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY WERE
ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ADMISSION OF IMPOTENCE. THE BILLION
DOLLARS SPENT WERE NOT ENOUGH TO REPAIR THE SHUTTLE'S THERMAL
SHIELD. YESTERDAY'S MISSION APPEARS VERY MUCH LIKE A SWAN SONG
FOR NASA. IN SPITE OF YESTERDAY'S SUCCESS, SPACE SHUTTLES WILL
BE REMEMBERED LIKE A FALSE GOOD IDEA. IN THIS ADVENTURE, NASA
HAS LOST LOTS OF MONEY, PART OF ITS PRESTIGE AND ITS DREAMS OF
SPACE CONQUESTS." HOFMANN