MEDIA REACTION REPORT - SECRETARY OF STATE RICE TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000794

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DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY (FRANK); BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU;
AF/PA; EUR/WE (DEBORAH MENNUTI)/P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA
(BERBENA); INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE
HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR AND PASS USTR/PA
(ANN LUZZATO); USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; ROME/PA;
BRUSSELS/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - SECRETARY OF STATE RICE TO
MIDDLE EAST - EUROPE MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT
PARIS - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:


1. SECRETARY OF STATE RICE TO MIDDLE EAST - EUROPE

2. MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

THE MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT IN SHARM EL-SHEIK, SECRETARY RICE'S
VISIT TO THE REGION AND TO PARIS TODAY ARE PROMINENTLY FRONT-
PAGED WITH ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WITH MAHMUD ABBAS (RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO AND CATHOLIC LA
CROIX). LE FIGARO'S FRONT-PAGE TITLE/CUM PHOTO CAPTION READS:
"CONDI RICE TO SPONSOR ABBAS-SHARON TRUCE." LEFT-OF-CENTER
LIBERATION CARRIES THE STORY WITH A SIMILAR PHOTOGRAPH ON PAGE

4. EDITORIAL COMMENTATORS AGREE THAT "ALTHOUGH SYMBOLIC, THE
SUMMIT IS A FIRST STEP AND A TURNING POINT." (SEE PART C)

AFTERNOON PAPER LE MONDE YESTERDAY CARRIED ON ITS FRONT-PAGE A
REPORT ENTITLED "SCIENCE PO UNDER HIGH SURVEILLANCE" AS IT
EXPLAINED THE EXTRAORDINARY SECURITY MEASURES TAKEN WHERE THE
SECRETARY OF STATE WILL GIVE HER LANDMARK POLICY SPEECH.

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REPORTS ON THE RICE VISIT TO PARIS RECALL PAST TENSION OVER
IRAQ AND SECRETARY RICE'S PHRASE ABOUT "PUNISHING FRANCE."
(SEE PART C)

THE REGIONAL PRESS IS ALSO VERY FOCUSED ON THE VISIT AND
TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS. THE EDITORIAL IN MARSEILLES' "LA
DEPECHE DU MIDI" (CIRC. 200,000) IS ENTITLED "AN AMERICAN IN
PARIS." RENNE'S OUEST-FRANCE (CIRC. 800,000) NOTES ON ITS
FRONT PAGE: "CONDOLEEZA RICE WELCOMED TONIGHT AT THE ELYS "
AND HEADLINES ON PAGE 2: "FRANCE-U.S: A NEW WARMING?"
BORDEAUX'S SUD-OUEST (CIRC. 315, 000) CARRIES A FRONT-PAGE
PHOTOGRAPH OF SECRETARY OF STATE RICE GREETING MAHMOUD ABBAS,
WITH THE HEADLINE: "PAX AMERICANA." EDITORIALIST PATRICK
BERTHOMEAU COMMENTS: "AMERICA IS BACK, THE AMERICANS ARE
TAKING THINGS IN HAND AND INTEND TO PUSH THEIR ADVANTAGE IN
THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME." LILLE'S LA VOIX DU NORD (CIRC.
316,000) HEADLINES ON PAGE 20: "CONDOLEEZA RICE IS COMING TO
REVIVE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS." EDITORIALIST MICHEL VAGNER IN
STRASBOURG'S L'EST R UBLICAIN (CIRC. 320,000) WRITES: "IS THE
`WARRIOR PRINCESS' NOW, AS HER MUSICAL NAME SUGGESTS, CON-
DOLCEZZA? NOT SO SURE. HER NICKNAME IS ALSO `HER MASTER'S
VOICE,' ALTHOUGH IT IS HARD TO TELL WHO HAS MORE INFLUENCE
OVER THE OTHER."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

SECRETARY OF STATE RICE TO MIDDLE EAST - EUROPE

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"BARNIER IN RICE'S FOOTSTEPS"
PIERRE ROUSSELIN IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (02/08):
"WALKING IN RICE'S FOOTSTEPS, FM BARNIER WAS TRYING TO IMPOSE
EUROPE AS A `PARTNER' IN THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS. THE
MOMENT FOR MAJOR INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES IS NOT UPON US YET,
BUT MICHEL BARNIER WANTS TO `ENCOURAGE AND ACCOMPANY' THE NEW
DIALOGUE BEING ESTABLISHED IN ORDER TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION
TO WEIGH IN LATER. HIS PRESENCE ALONE WAS MEANT TO SIGNIFY
THAT THE U.S. IS NOT THE SOLE INTERNATIONAL PLAYER IN THESE
PEACE TALKS. THE FRENCH AND THE AMERICANS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT
APPROACHES, PROVED BY THE FACT THAT BARNIER PAID TRIBUTE TO
ARAFAT BY VISITING HIS TOMB, WHILE THE RICE MOTORCADE SPED BY
WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN."

"RICE IN PARIS TO TURN A PAGE"
GILLES BIASSETTE IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (02/08): "IS IT JUST A
FAADE OR DOES THE SECOND BUSH ADMINISTRATION TRULY WANT TO
RENEW ITS TIES WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION AND FRANCE? SECRETARY
OF STATE RICE'S MUCH AWAITED SPEECH THIS AFTERNOON MAY GIVE
SOME ELEMENTS OF RESPONSE. THE FACT THAT FRANCE HAS BEEN
CHOSEN FOR SUCH A SPEECH IS IN ITSELF A SIGN OF GOODWILL.
NEVERTHELESS CERTAIN EUROPEAN CAPITALS REGRET COLIN POWELL'S
DEPARTURE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE. NO ONE HAS
FORGOTTEN THE LINE OF CONDUCT CONDOLEEZZA RICE SUGGESTED OVER
IRAQ: `PUNISH FRANCE, IGNORE GERMANY AND FORGIVE RUSSIA.'
TODAY, THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO WANT TO PLACE
RESTORATION OF TRANSATLANTIC TIES AT THE HEART OF BUSH'S
SECOND TERM. ON THE FRENCH SIDE, THERE IS DESIRE FOR A `NEW
START' AND AS FM BARNIER SAID IN AN INTERVIEW ON MONDAY IN
LIBERATION: `IT IS IN THE U.S. INTEREST TO UNDERSTAND THAT
NEITHER THE EUROPEANS NOR THE AMERICANS CAN DEAL WITH WORLD
CHALLENGES ALONE.'"

"RICE TAKES THE INITIATIVE"
POPULAR RIGHT-OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR (02/08): "THE CHOICE OF
PARIS FOR A LANDMARK POLICY SPEECH IS NOT INNOCUOUS SINCE
FRANCE TOOK THE LEAD AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ."

MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT

"A CEASE-FIRE: FIRST STEP TO SETTING PEACE TALKS BACK ON
TRACK"
PATRICK SAINT-PAUL IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (08/02):
"SHARON SEES ABBAS AS A POTENTIAL PARTNER. NEVERTHELESS THE
SUMMIT WILL BE MORE SYMBOLIC THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IT WILL MARK
THE BEGINNING OF NEW CONSULTATIONS, BUT PEACE WILL NOT BE ON
TRACK YET. THE U.S. SEEMS READY TO GET INVOLVED ONCE AGAIN: AN
INVITATION TO WASHINGTON FOR ABBAS AND SHARON WAS MADE AND THE
NOMINATION OF A U.S. MONITOR FOR SECURITY IN THE REGION WAS
ANNOUNCED. ABBAS AND SHARON CAN BECOME PARTNERS FOR PEACE, BUT
ONLY IF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION FORCES THEM TO."

"ASSETS"
GERARD DUPUY IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (02/08): "WE SHOULD
NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM TODAY'S SUMMIT IN SHARM EL-SHEIK. WE
MUST NOT ASSUME THAT ARAFAT WAS THE OBSTACLE TO PEACE. THE
CONTRADICTIONS WHICH MADE THE OSLO ACCORDS FAIL WERE REAL
CONTRADICTIONS. THESE NEED TO BE OVERCOME. PRESIDENT BUSH MADE
THE TOPPLING OF SADDAM AND HIS REGIME A NECESSARY CONDITION TO
DEMOCRATIZATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. TODAY, PEACE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST CONFLICT APPEARS TO BE A PREAMBLE TO WASHINGTON'S
DISENGAGEMENT FROM IRAQ. BUSH'S SUPPORT FOR THE PEACE EFFORT
CARRIES ITS OWN ULTERIOR MOTIVES. THE BEST ASSET OF THE SUMMIT
IS TODAY'S LARGE SPECTRUM OF POLITICAL SUPPORTERS FOR THE
CREATION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE. AND THE FACT THAT AMONG THE
PALESTINIANS SO MANY ARE DOUBTING THAT ARMED STRUGGLE IS THE
BEST WAY TO CREATE A VIABLE PALESTINIAN STATE."

"PEACE TO BE PLAYED OUT IN EGYPT"
HENRI VERNET IN POPULAR RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE PARISIEN (02/08):
"SHOULD WE EXPECT A MIRACLE? WHO KNOWS? BUT THE FACT IS THAT
THIS SUMMIT MARKS A DECISIVE AND SYMBOLIC TURNING POINT. LET
US THEN AVOID TRIUMPHANT ATTITUDES BUT LET US ALSO BE
DECIDEDLY OPTIMISTIC. MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED. INCLUDING THE
ARRIVAL OF A NEW SECRETARY OF STATE WHO IS RE-DISCOVERING
MULTILATERALISM. WHILE ARAFAT WAS NOT SOMEONE WASHINGTON
WANTED TO SPEAK TO, (CONTRARY TO FM BARNIER, RICE DID NOT
DEPOSIT FLOWERS ON HIS TOMB) ABBAS IS A PROPER INTERLOCUTOR.
HE HAS BEEN INVITED TO WASHINGTON. FACED WITH THE AMERICAN
BULLDOZER, FM BARNIER IS TRYING TO MAKE FRANCE AND THE
EUROPEAN UNION EXIST." LEACH