MEDIA REACTION REPORT - MIDDLE EAST - GAZA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 005592

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 - GAZA
DISENGAGEMENT IRAN
PARIS - FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

MIDDLE EAST- GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
IRAN

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

A VARIETY OF STORIES MAKE TODAY'S FRONT PAGES, WITH THE POPE'S
VISIT TO COLOGNE THE LEAD IN LE FIGARO AND LA CROIX.
LIBERATION DEVOTES ITS HEADLINE TO AIRLINE SAFETY AND THE NEED
FOR A "BLACK LIST" OF UNSAFE AIRLINES, WHILE FINANCIAL LA
TRIBUNE DEVOTES PROMINENT FRONT-PAGE AND EDITORIAL COVERAGE TO
CHINA'S "BANKING BIG-BANG." ITS TWO-PAGE INSIDE REPORT
ANALYZES CHINA'S ATTRACTIVENESS FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN ITS
BANKING SECTOR. BANK OF AMERICA, WHICH HAS SHARES IN THE CHINA
CONSTRUCTION BANK, IS NOTED AS A PIONEER.

BUT GAZA'S DISENGAGEMENT AND SHARON'S "POLITICAL REALISM" ARE
TODAY'S LEAD EDITORIAL STORIES, WITH LE FIGARO, LE MONDE AND
LES ECHOS SHARING SIMILAR POINTS OF VIEW. (SEE PART C)
SECRETARY RICE'S INTERVIEW IN THE NEW YORK TIMES IS PICKED UP

SIPDIS
IN LA CROIX, WHICH TITLES ITS REPORT ON GAZA: "CONDOLEEZZA
RICE ASKS THAT THE PROCESS `NOT STOP WITH GAZA.'"

THE MILITARY SHOW OF FORCE BY MOSCOW AND CHINA IS REPORTED IN
LE FIGARO AND LIBERATION, WHICH COMMENTS: "BEIJING AND MOSCOW
ARE FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES. THEIR JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS ARE
A DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE AIMED AT WASHINGTON. ACCORDING TO THE
PARTICIPANTS, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE THEIR COOPERATION IN
MATTERS OF DEFENSE AND IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM. BUT BEHIND THE DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE THERE IS A
DESIRE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE U.S., WHICH IS INCREASINGLY
PRESENT IN CENTRAL ASIA, THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES COUNT FOR
SOMETHING. THIS DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE IS SURE TO WORRY
WASHINGTON."

IRAN'S NUCLEAR FUTURE IS THE BASIS FOR AN OP-ED BY RESEARCHER
THERESE DELPECHE IN LE FIGARO. (SEE PART C)

RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO REPORTS THAT "WASHINGTON WANTS TO
CHANGE THE IMAGE OF GUANTANMO" IN AN ARTICLE BY WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT GUILLEMETTE FAURE: "THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DOES
NOT WANT AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY ON GUANTANAMO. IT IS ALSO
LOOKING TO DEFUSE THE PROJECT BY THREE REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO
WANT TO DRAFT A BILL MAKING `CRUEL AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING
TREATMENT OF DETAINEES' ILLEGAL. HENCE THE ADMINISTRATION'S
SERIOUS PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS TO MAKE GUANTANAMO LOOK
BETTER. IN THE COMING YEAR, TWO THIRDS OF THE DETAINEES ARE TO
BE SENT BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

MIDDLE EAST- GAZA DISENGAGEMENT

"THE TWO SHARONS"
LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE IN ITS UNSIGNED EDITORIAL (08/19):
"WHAT WILL THE POST-GAZA LOOK LIKE? ONE MIGHT BE INCLINED TO
WONDER WHETHER SHARON'S LATEST DECLARATIONS ABOUT `PURSUING'
THE SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK WILL NOT GO THE WAY OF PASSED
DECLARATIONS ABOUT `MAINTAINING AT ALL COSTS' THE SETTLEMENTS
IN GAZA. EVEN IF SHARON'S UNILATERAL DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA
WENT PROBABLY AGAINST HIS OWN DEEP BELIEFS, HE HAS, BY GOING
THROUGH WITH THE PULLOUT, UNLEASHED A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE OF
HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS FOR HIS COUNTRY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO
THE PALESTINIANS. SHARON HAS DONE WHAT NONE OF HIS
PREDECESSORS, WHETHER LABOR OR LIKUD, DID IN 38 YEARS:
DISMANTLE SETTLEMENTS WITHOUT ANY `COUNTERPART', SIMPLY
BECAUSE ISRAEL CAN NO LONGER KEEP THEM AND HAS AN OBLIGATION
TO LEAVE. IN SHORT, SHARON HAS EMBARKED ON A NEW ROAD.
TOMORROW, SHARON WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF THE
WEST BANK. IT IS FAIR TO HOPE THAT, AS WAS THE CASE FOR GAZA,
HE ALREADY KNOWS DEEP DOWN THAT THE FUTURE OF THE ISRAELI-
PALESTINIAN RELATIONSHIP PASSES NECESSARILY THROUGH THAT SAME
NEW ROAD."
"SHARON AND THE TEST OF GAZA"
YVES THREARD IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/19): "THE
DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA WAS QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. WE MUST
NEVERTHELESS REMAIN CAUTIOUS. SHARON PREPARED THE MILITARY AND
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PULLOUT WELL AND FAR IN ADVANCE. ON
THE PALESTINIAN SIDE, ABBAS IS NOT ARAFAT: HE DEALS IN
POLITICS, NOT PSYCHOLOGY. FOR HAMAS, IT IS A DAY OF GLORY. IT
IS SAVORING ITS VICTORY AS IF THE ISRAELI DISENGAGEMENT WAS
PROOF OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS COMBAT. HAMAS IS A TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION AND WILL REMAIN SO. BOTH SIDES HAVE MUCH AT
STAKE, BUT MORE IN THE DAYS TO COME THAN TODAY. THE PEACE
PROCESS IS NOT BACK ON THE RAILS, THE CONFLICT REMAINS, ONLY
ITS PREMISE HAS CHANGED. THE WEST HAS AN IMPORTANT CARD TO
PLAY IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF GAZA TO KEEP IT FROM
FALLING INTO CHAOS AND BECOMING A BREEDING GROUND FOR
TERRORISTS. SHARON FOR HIS PART HAS MADE A GESTURE NO ONE
EXPECTED. THE MAN REMEMBERED FOR SABRA AND CHATILA HAS BEEN,
DURING HIS CAREER, BOTH A HAWK AND A DOVE. MANY ACCUSE HIM OF
ACTING WITHOUT A PLAN. SHARON HAS NEVER SHARED IN THE DREAM OF
ERETZ ISRAEL. POLITICAL REALISM IS WHAT DICTATES HIS POLICY.
AND HE KNOWS THAT IN THE END THE ROAD TO PEACE WILL BEGIN AND
END IN JERUSALEM."

"FIRST STEP, GAZA"
RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS'S EDITORIAL (08/19): "SHARON HAS WON
THE FIRST SET OF HIS GAME PLAN. THE MAIN QUESTION NOW IS
WHETHER THE SECOND SET WILL BE PLAYED OUT AROUND A NEGOTIATING
TABLE OR IN THE STREETS. THERE IS LITTLE TIME LEFT BEFORE
CHOOSING."

IRAN

"FOR IRAN, AUGUST IS THE CRUCIAL MONTH"
RESEARCHER THERESE DELPECHE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO
(08/19): "THE QUESTION TODAY IS HOW MUCH MORE TIME DOES IRAN
NEED FOR ITS URANIUM CONVERSION. ESTIMATES SUGGEST ABOUT A
MONTH AND A HALF. THE OTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT WHEN THE ISSUE
WILL BE PUT BEFORE THE UNSC. THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S AGENDA
FOR SEPTEMBER IS UN REFORM. SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC CANNOT BE
`POLLUTED' WITH THE IRANIAN ISSUE. THEREFORE NOTHING WILL BE
DONE BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER. BY THEN, IT WILL BE TOO LATE
TO THREATEN IRAN, WHATEVER THE DETERMINATION OF THE VARIOUS
PLAYERS. IRAN WILL THEREFORE HAVE ITS BOMB, AND ALL THOSE WHO-
EUROPEANS, AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS- HAVE DECLARED THAT THIS IS
`UNACCEPTABLE' WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE
CHOICES THEY MADE IN AUGUST 2005." HOFMANN