Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS8203
2005-12-02 16:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Allegations of CIA Flights
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008203
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 - Allegations of CIA Flights
Iraq G-7 Summit Franco-African Summit
PARIS - Friday, December 02, 2005
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:
Allegations of CIA Flights
Iraq
G-7 Summit
Franco-African Summit
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:
The government's education measures for deprived areas, as a
response to the recent suburban violence is today's major
front-page and editorial story. But Le Figaro carries on its
front page information that a couple of CIA flights transited
through France. Liberation briefly notes the information
revealed by the Guardian, and Le Monde also carried the story
yesterday afternoon: "According to the New York Times and the
Guardian, numerous flights passed though Europe since 9/11."
The itemized list includes two alleged flights that landed in
France. But Le Monde notes "that this does not prove any of
these flights carried Islamic detainees towards detention
centers, but adds to the sensitivity, which is already high
in Europe." All report Secretary Rice's trip to Europe next
week. (See Part C)
President Bush's "victory for Iraq" speech is noted in Le
Monde and France Soir (See Part C),which devotes a full page
to the U.S. policy in Iraq titled: "The U.S. More Than Ever
Mired in Iraq" and interviews Middle East expert Robert Fisk:
"Everyone knows that the reason for the war in Iraq is oil.
But I also think that super powers need to flaunt their
military might. I don't believe the U.S. is interested in
exporting democracy to the Middle East. I do not think there
will be a civil war in Iraq. This is a way of frightening the
Iraqis into asking the Americans to stay."
On the occasion of the Franco-African summit in Bamako
attended by President Chirac, La Croix analyzes France's
Africa policy (See Part C) while communist L'Humanite devotes
its lead and three pages of reports to the "complex
relationship" between France and its former colonies.
The G7 meeting of Finance Ministers in London today leads La
Tribune to ask: "What will be the G7's commitment towards the
Doha round? The G7 is convinced that failure to reach an
agreement in Hong Kong will impact negatively on the world's
economy." In Le Figaro, Jean-Pierre Robin pens an op-ed on an
"outdated G7." (See Part C
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
Allegations of CIA Flights
"CIA Flights in France"
Thierry Vigoureux in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "Days
before Secretary Rice's trip to Europe, the story of CIA
secret prisons is taking a new turn. According to the latest
SIPDIS
revelations, France served at least twice as a stopover for
flights chartered by the CIA. The flights were namely used to
transport Islamic suspects to Guantanamo. It is conceivable
that many anonymous CIA flights may have transited through
France and other countries. But it is also conceivable that
at the time the French authorities knew nothing about such
flights. The Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that although
the French government 'wondered' about such flights having
come through Paris, 'they had found nothing.' The Ministry of
Defense has not commented. Obviously, France was simply a
transit point for these flights. It is clear that the
Americans preferred to use the air routes of closer allies,
where they have military bases, such as Germany."
Iraq
"President Bush's Victory Speech"
Eric Leser in left-of-center Le Monde (12/02): "After losing
control of its won party, the White House is trying to take
over the initiative and keep the opponents to the war from
taking the upper hand. Because the Vice President has lost
all credibility, it is up to the President to try and plug
the holes. His new communications campaign consists in
systematically countering every attack in the hopes of
stopping his falling popularity ratings. His speech and the
National Security Council's report on national security
received a rather cold welcome from the Democrats."
G-7 Summit
"The G7: An Aristocracy that Must Accept to Reform"
Jean-Pierre Robin in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "The
fundamental question is the level of power that each state
has in the face of the globalization of world markets. What
is their true ability to influence the market? . It is clear
that in the past several years the impact of the G7 on the
course of events has been rather poor. This is true for the
price of oil, but also for the economic growth imbalance
between the U.S. and Europe. The so-called 'board of
directors of the world economy' must learn to reform and the
governments that participate in it should be truly
cooperative. In short, they must accept to alter their
domestic policies in accordance with the better good of the
world at large."
Franco-African Summit
"France Opts for Less Interventionism in Africa"
Laurent d'Ersu in Catholic la Croix (12/02): "The Franco-
African summit in Bamako will give President Chirac a new
opportunity to assess France's Africa policy. His two terms
in office have been marked by a series of African crises, the
most serious being Cote d'Ivoire., but also by questions
about France's interventionism. In Bamako, President Chirac
will insist on 'maintaining solidarity with Africa, but also
multilateralism.' The most concrete illustration of this new
policy is probably the reforms of French military presence in
Africa. It is fashionable these days to steer away from the
old-style African policy based on personal relationships.
Chirac will most probably present himself as an advocate for
Africa, asking for increased development aid, defending
international trade and urging for wide access to AIDS
treatment, which he was the first to promote. But the reality
for Africans on a day-to-day basis is more concrete, dealing
more with immigration and visas."
STAPLETON
2
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 - Allegations of CIA Flights
Iraq G-7 Summit Franco-African Summit
PARIS - Friday, December 02, 2005
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:
Allegations of CIA Flights
Iraq
G-7 Summit
Franco-African Summit
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:
The government's education measures for deprived areas, as a
response to the recent suburban violence is today's major
front-page and editorial story. But Le Figaro carries on its
front page information that a couple of CIA flights transited
through France. Liberation briefly notes the information
revealed by the Guardian, and Le Monde also carried the story
yesterday afternoon: "According to the New York Times and the
Guardian, numerous flights passed though Europe since 9/11."
The itemized list includes two alleged flights that landed in
France. But Le Monde notes "that this does not prove any of
these flights carried Islamic detainees towards detention
centers, but adds to the sensitivity, which is already high
in Europe." All report Secretary Rice's trip to Europe next
week. (See Part C)
President Bush's "victory for Iraq" speech is noted in Le
Monde and France Soir (See Part C),which devotes a full page
to the U.S. policy in Iraq titled: "The U.S. More Than Ever
Mired in Iraq" and interviews Middle East expert Robert Fisk:
"Everyone knows that the reason for the war in Iraq is oil.
But I also think that super powers need to flaunt their
military might. I don't believe the U.S. is interested in
exporting democracy to the Middle East. I do not think there
will be a civil war in Iraq. This is a way of frightening the
Iraqis into asking the Americans to stay."
On the occasion of the Franco-African summit in Bamako
attended by President Chirac, La Croix analyzes France's
Africa policy (See Part C) while communist L'Humanite devotes
its lead and three pages of reports to the "complex
relationship" between France and its former colonies.
The G7 meeting of Finance Ministers in London today leads La
Tribune to ask: "What will be the G7's commitment towards the
Doha round? The G7 is convinced that failure to reach an
agreement in Hong Kong will impact negatively on the world's
economy." In Le Figaro, Jean-Pierre Robin pens an op-ed on an
"outdated G7." (See Part C
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
Allegations of CIA Flights
"CIA Flights in France"
Thierry Vigoureux in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "Days
before Secretary Rice's trip to Europe, the story of CIA
secret prisons is taking a new turn. According to the latest
SIPDIS
revelations, France served at least twice as a stopover for
flights chartered by the CIA. The flights were namely used to
transport Islamic suspects to Guantanamo. It is conceivable
that many anonymous CIA flights may have transited through
France and other countries. But it is also conceivable that
at the time the French authorities knew nothing about such
flights. The Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that although
the French government 'wondered' about such flights having
come through Paris, 'they had found nothing.' The Ministry of
Defense has not commented. Obviously, France was simply a
transit point for these flights. It is clear that the
Americans preferred to use the air routes of closer allies,
where they have military bases, such as Germany."
Iraq
"President Bush's Victory Speech"
Eric Leser in left-of-center Le Monde (12/02): "After losing
control of its won party, the White House is trying to take
over the initiative and keep the opponents to the war from
taking the upper hand. Because the Vice President has lost
all credibility, it is up to the President to try and plug
the holes. His new communications campaign consists in
systematically countering every attack in the hopes of
stopping his falling popularity ratings. His speech and the
National Security Council's report on national security
received a rather cold welcome from the Democrats."
G-7 Summit
"The G7: An Aristocracy that Must Accept to Reform"
Jean-Pierre Robin in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/02): "The
fundamental question is the level of power that each state
has in the face of the globalization of world markets. What
is their true ability to influence the market? . It is clear
that in the past several years the impact of the G7 on the
course of events has been rather poor. This is true for the
price of oil, but also for the economic growth imbalance
between the U.S. and Europe. The so-called 'board of
directors of the world economy' must learn to reform and the
governments that participate in it should be truly
cooperative. In short, they must accept to alter their
domestic policies in accordance with the better good of the
world at large."
Franco-African Summit
"France Opts for Less Interventionism in Africa"
Laurent d'Ersu in Catholic la Croix (12/02): "The Franco-
African summit in Bamako will give President Chirac a new
opportunity to assess France's Africa policy. His two terms
in office have been marked by a series of African crises, the
most serious being Cote d'Ivoire., but also by questions
about France's interventionism. In Bamako, President Chirac
will insist on 'maintaining solidarity with Africa, but also
multilateralism.' The most concrete illustration of this new
policy is probably the reforms of French military presence in
Africa. It is fashionable these days to steer away from the
old-style African policy based on personal relationships.
Chirac will most probably present himself as an advocate for
Africa, asking for increased development aid, defending
international trade and urging for wide access to AIDS
treatment, which he was the first to promote. But the reality
for Africans on a day-to-day basis is more concrete, dealing
more with immigration and visas."
STAPLETON
2