MEDIA REACTION REPORT - German Elections Katrina and

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 006349

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 - German Elections Katrina and
the U.S. Model Iran
PARIS - Monday, September 19, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

German Elections
Katrina and the U.S. Model
Iran

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Ambassador Craig Stapleton is interviewed in Sunday's Le
Journal du Dimanche in a lengthy interview, which covers
Franco-American relations, America's image in France, Katrina
and the President's `mea culpa', and the situation in Iraq.
The interview is picked up in wires from Agence France Presse
and AP.

Today's front pages and editorials are overwhelmingly devoted
to this weekend's German elections. The tone is best
illustrated in the analysis of Le Monde: "The Germans have
chosen not to chose." The lack of a clear winner and the
political consequences for Germany, but beyond Germany to
Europe, are the subjects of today's commentaries. "Confusion"
in Germany is Le Figaro's take, while Liberation headlines:
"Two Losers For One Seat." Financial La Tribune titles its
editorial: "Fog Over Berlin." (See Part C)

Nuclear threat from Iran after President Ahmadinejad's UN
speech elicits several articles in Le Figaro, (See Part C)
which also interviews Hans Blix: "Negotiations with Iran are
at a standstill. While negotiations is the answer, negotiating
under threat of UN sanctions make things difficult. We must
not forget that for the Iranians this is also a matter of
pride. They resent the West's non-recognition of their
achievement. Expanding the circle of nuclear nations poses a
danger. I would prefer for Israel to abandon nuclear weapons
rather than accept a new member into the club. The more people
have a finger on the trigger the bigger the danger. Including
America's finger on the trigger."

The Afghan elections are widely reported, mostly factually,
with Le Figaro noting that "50 percent of registered voters
participated in the elections which the Taliban were unable to
sabotage." Liberation reports on the war against the Taliban,
"who are like ghosts, appearing and then disappearing."
Popular Le Parisien devotes a two-page report to Islamic
terrorists recruited in France and sent for training in Syria
and then to serve as suicide bombers in Iraq. Says Christophe
Chaboud of the anti-terrorist cooperation unit: "To date, we
have identified seven Frenchmen dead in Iraq, three of them in
suicide attacks. As long as the conflict lasts, the recruiting
should continue. We are not talking about massive recruiting,
but it is a reality that is a source of concern."

A number of commentaries are devoted to the U.S., the fallout
from Katrina, and the suggestion that the American model will
need to change. (See Part C) Le Figaro interviews philosopher
Alain Finkielkraut: "Everyone who talks about Katrina has
focused on the President and his administration's negligence.
But everyone is missing the main point: these tragedies will
increase because of climate change. If I have one criticism to
make against the Americans it is this: I regret their
obstinacy in their rejection of the Kyoto protocol. even if
Europe has no lessons to give America."

Le Figaro carries an op-ed by U.S. professor Ezra Suleiman in
which he analyzes French criticism of the U.S. in light of
Hurricane Katrina: "Certain political forces in France are
using the tragedy not only to criticize American society. but
also to ask for more Welfare state in France. But a Welfare
state is not synonymous with effectiveness. The Americans,
more so than the French, think in terms of the cost/advantage
ratio. The bigger the role of the State, the less room there
is for creativity and wealth. France's aspirations for
equality are an illusion if there is nothing to re-
distribute."
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

German Elections
"A Blockage in Germany"
Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/19): "One
hoped that the German elections would have given new momentum
to European reforms. But political Europe, which is stalled
since the French referendum, could be more paralyzed than
ever. With anticipated elections Schroeder hoped to implement
his reform program. After the elections it is to be feared
that Germany has indeed become un-governable. This is too bad
for Europe in general."

"Paralysis"
Jean-Michel Helvig in left-of-center Liberation (09/19):
"Beyond the oddity of these elections, what stands out is that
Europe is emerging as even more undecided. The Franco-German
engine is sure to trigger more pity than envy. with nothing
changing until the French presidential elections of 2007."

"Negotiations"
Francois Ernenwein in Catholic La Croix (09/19): "Germany's
uncertainties prior to the elections have been made even worse
with the election results. And the negotiations will be
arduous before the proper alchemy to govern Germany can be
found."

Katrina and the U.S. Model

"Time to Choose for President Bush"
Sylvie Kauffmann in left-of-center Le Monde (09/19): "The
tragedy has unleashed Colin Powell's criticism of the Bush
administration. and in passing he revisited the war in Iraq
and the `blot' on his reputation. With just a few words, Colin
Powell has shifted into the opposition and this is not good
for President Bush. Not because he represents a political
threat, but because he stands as a moral authority in the U.S.
. Powell touched on two of President Bush's failures:
`compassionate conservatism' and the war in Iraq. President
Bush has been shaken by the fallout from Katrina. The natural
disaster has opened a breach in which the media and the
opposition have entered with the outrage of those who have
kept silent for too long. Katrina has tarnished the image
which President Bush wanted to promote by including ethnic
minorities in his administration. The hurricane has shed new
light on the lack of progress made in the U.S. in fighting
poverty. The Americans, for their part, are beginning to have
the answer: 45 percent think that to repair the damages caused
by Katrina, the U.S. needs to reduce the costs of financing
the war in Iraq."

"Bush and Katrina: Fatal Attraction"
Gilles Delafon in right-of-center Le Journal du Dimanche
(09/19): "In spite of taking responsibility for his
administration's failings, President Bush is caught in a zone
of great turbulence. While he previously saw his role as that
of a global missionary promoting democracy, domestic issues
are now calling for his attention. Like 9/11, Katrina has been
a trauma for America. And the shame felt by America's public
opinion is fueled by the anger generated by the situation in
Iraq. Two U.S. polls show that the situation is a dire one:
the war is squandering money which the country needs
desperately. And so a majority of Americans would like to see
the reconstruction of the Gulf States financed by a reduction
in military spending in Iraq. One thing is certain: in the
last years of his term, President Bush will not be able to use
the emotion triggered by Katrina the way he used 9/11 and the
feelings it generated."

"Towards the End of the American Model"
Michel Drancourt in Catholic La Croix (09/19): "The French are
defending a French model which no longer attracts anyone and
which is on the wane. American officials flaunt the American
model, which is greatly imitated, but do not acknowledge that
its foundation is sinking. Of the French model we will say
little because it is failing. Let us talks about the American
model whose future is uncertain. The American model is based
on the exploitation, without caution, of natural energies. The
Americans have been the masters of productivity. To remain the
masters they will have to modify their habits and accept to
finance the long term rather than the short term. In time it
will be necessary to include in the price of all goods and
services the cost of using nature. Changes will have to be
implemented in the daily life of all Americans. For the time
being President Bush's AMERICA does not appear ready to
implement these changes. But the growing cost of energy could
change this."

Iran

"Iran Challenges the International Community"
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/19): "Is Iran
on the way to becoming a second North Korea? On Saturday, in
New York, Iran's President challenged both the U.S. and Europe
as he proclaimed Iran's `inalienable right' to develop its
commercial nuclear capabilities. The `proposals' everyone
awaited to defuse the crisis were disappointing: he did not re-
open the door to negotiations. The EU-3 have begun to draft a
resolution to bring the issue before the UNSC, even if a new
deadline was set to give Iran time to come out of the
stalemate. And the U.S., which has been pushing for the issue
to be brought before the UN, surprised everyone by accepting
the new deadline. Both the EU and the Americans are showing
their determination. but behind the determination what
transpires is a feeling of awkwardness. Meanwhile, Iran is
everyday more isolated in its race for the bomb." STAPLETON