MEDIA REACTION REPORT - France - Suburban Violence

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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - France - Suburban Violence
Public Diplomacy And Social Models Middle East - Syria - Iran
Trade - Doha Round
PARIS - Wednesday, November 09, 2005


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

France - Suburban Violence
Public Diplomacy And Social Models
Middle East - Syria - Iran
Trade - Doha Round

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

The implementation of the 1955 law allowing curfews receives
wide coverage, with Le Parisien carrying the results of a poll
on its front page showing broad public support. Seventy-three
percent of respondents favor curfews, while 86 percent are
horrified by the violence. For Le Figaro, the curfews mark
"the hour of truth" between the government and the suburbs, a
point of view shared in France Soir which headlines: "PM
Villepin Plays His All." For Liberation "Curfews Equal Hiding
Reality." Economic Les Echos enumerates Villepin's measures:
"Employment, Professional Training: Shock Therapy for the
Suburbs." While Liberation is critical of the government's
measure involving apprenticeship for youth as young as 14, Le
Figaro praises the measure. La Croix in its editorial writes:
"Curfew means war. It is a hurtful word. It could shock some
and hide all the other useful measures announced by the
government." La Croix acknowledges that there is a "state of
emergency" in the suburbs, but asks: "Why did we have to wait
so long?"

International stories include the legislative elections in
Egypt. Le Figaro carries a story on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood
and their attempt to take over Alexandria, while Liberation
reports on the "disillusionment of Egyptian youth." La Croix
interviews Mohammed Habib, Secretary General of the Muslim
Brotherhood: "Hoping for transparency is something of an
utopia. We do not want change through pressure. The U.S. has
not created the popular movement. Even if Washington's
pressure for democratization has helped the movement to speak
up. But let's face it, the U.S. is not a charitable
organization: its intent is to get a foothold in the region."

The incident involving El Baradei who was searched at the
Boston airport "simply because of his Arab-sounding name" is
reported in Le Figaro in an article on Iran and its "refusal
to give up on uranium enrichment." Les Echos carries an op-ed
on Syria by Jacques Hubert-Rodier about the "enigma of Bachar
al-Assad and the isolation of Syria." (See Part C)

Le Monde carries an opinion column by Sylvie Kauffman on U.S.
Public Diplomacy, Karen Hughes and image making in the U.S.
and France. (See Part C)

Alexandrine Bouilhet in Le Figaro reports on "France's loss of
influence in Brussels." Manuel Barroso is expected to announce
today a number of cabinet changes: "This big game of musical
chairs confirms France's loss of influence to the advantage of
the Anglo-Saxons and the liberals."

Jean-Pierre Robin in Le Figaro analyzes the Greenspan years in
an op-ed titled: "Greenspan, An Uncommon Bandleader." Robin
suggests that Greenspan's departure "raises as many questions
as the death of Pope John Paul II. Everyone always forgave the
Maestro, because his leadership has led to magnificent
results."

Le Monde devotes an editorial to "Saving Doha." (See Part C)
and also carries an interview with the EADS co-Chairman, Noel
Forgeard: "The U.S. has opted for a massive effort to return
to the moon. I am surprised to see the Europeans do not have
the same dream. Europe must invest in space, because enjoying
one's own autonomy in accessing space is a fundamental stake
of sovereignty."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

"Agitation"
Left-of-center Le Monde in a front-page editorial (11/09):
"The Prime Minister appears to have lost his cool. Opting for
a state of emergency and reviving a law that reminds us of the
worst period of our history stand as proof that Villepin does
not yet have the nerves of steel required of a State leader.
Reviving the law of 1955 is sending youth a message of
astounding brutality. Fifty years after the Algerian years,
France is treating them as it treated their grand parents. The
Prime Minister should remember that at the time the cycle of
incomprehension, agitation and impotence led France to
terrible incidents."

"Apprenticeship: A Good Idea"
Jean-Paul Mulot in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/09): "Putting
an end to the myth of a unified and compulsory educational
system for all until the age of 16 is a welcome change. Of all
the Prime Minister's measures, this is the one that is the
most promising."

"A State of Emergency"
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (11/09): "Curfew means
war. It is a hurtful word. It could shock some and hide all
the other useful measures announced by the government. Will
the measures be enough to resolve the situation? To be
effective they need to be implemented for the long term
because the ills go deep and have been around for years. These
towns are indeed in a state of emergency. They have been for
years. Why did we have to wait so long? Why did we have to
wait for a crisis?"

Public Diplomacy And Social Models

"France, U.S.: Two Contested Social Models"
Sylvie Kauffmann in left-of-center Le Monde (11/09)"The
outbreak of urban violence and the image of France that this
creates abroad is a slap in the face to the media and
authorities who were recently outraged by the poverty and race
relations in the United States. Our two countries have another
thing in common, they both proclaim to have the universal
mission to spread their own social and cultural models. But
how can these countries profess to have this ambition when
they are incapable of implementing it at home?. Abroad, Bush
has to deal with a degree of hostility that is quasi-universal
and that today has impacted on the very essence of the
American system. Every initiative coming from Washington is a
struggle. Condoleezza Rice, who is more inclined than her
predecessor to travel, sees each of her trips turn into an
obstacle course where she must alternately charm, convince or
threaten depending on her interlocutor. The White House seems
to have gauged the gap that divides the U.S. from the rest of
the world by appointing Karen Hughes. to succeed in an area
where others before her, since September 11 had failed. Her
Middle East tour turned out to be such a fiasco that today
Hughes hesitates to come to Europe. France doesn't have a
Karen Hughes, and for the time being has never felt the need
for one. Can France consider itself to be the moral victor of
the transatlantic confrontation over Iraq and simultaneously
remain silent about the disastrous revelations of corruption
of its former Ambassadors?"

Middle East - Syria - Iran
"Bachar al-Assad: The Enigma and Syria's Isolation"
Jacques Hubert-Rodier in right-of-center Les Echos (11/09):
"Syria remains an enigma and a pariah. It was a nasty surprise
for the regime to have both Russia and China join with the
U.S., France and others to vote together on UN Security
Council Resolution 1636. While France's main concern is
Syria's interference in Lebanon, for Washington it is Syria's
behavior regarding its borders with Iraq. However, the U.S. is
not talking of regime change. It is up to the great powers to
continue to display unity, all the while making some
compromises to continue to isolate the regime."

"Iran Refuses to Give Up Uranium Enrichment"
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (11/09): "Last
Sunday Mohammed el-Baradei was subjected to a most
inappropriate body search at the Boston airport. because his
name was Arab-sounding. The incident is a serious one. It
happened as el-Baradei was on his way to meet with Secretary
Rice to discuss Iran. But the incident did not keep the UN
high official from expressing a severe warning against Iran
and the need for transparency. The Mullahs, who this week
asked the EU to resume the negotiations, are in fact blowing
hot and cold: they simultaneously announced they are launching
their new phase in uranium enrichment. The concrete gesture
which the Europeans were waiting for is obviously not coming.
And the tension is mounting before the November 24 meeting in
Vienna."

Trade - Doha Round

"Saving Doha"
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (11/09): "The outcome
of the November 7 meeting in London is rather encouraging.
Even France seems prepared to make some concessions on the
agricultural issue. The possibility of an agreement between
the United-States and China on the question of textiles also
looks promising. Let us hope that this is the spirit that will
carry the negotiations in Hong Kong. Otherwise the temptation
towards protectionism, with its nationalist undertones, could
dominate. France is being perceived as the champion of
agricultural protectionism. It is time for France to stop
adopting a defensive stance which ends in vain aggressions
against Brussels and to systematic backtracking. France will
have no other choice but to sign the Doha round. Alone, its
veto carries no power." STAPLETON