MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iran China Israel Suicide

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002522

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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iran China Israel Suicide
Bomb Attack
PARIS - Tuesday, April 18, 2006


(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

Iran
China
Israel Suicide Bomb Attack

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Yesterday's suicide bomb attack in Tel Aviv and Iran's growing
nuclear threat are today's major international stories, while
the growing oil crisis is a lead story in today's economic and
electronic press, as well as the front page story in Le
Parisien.

Hu Jintao's visit to Washington is front-paged in Le Monde,
which analyzes what President Bush expects from China,
especially on the Iran nuclear issue. Le Figaro interviews
Taiwan's President Chen Sui-bian who says: "China has not
given up on using force against Taiwan." (See Part C)

Liberation devotes its lead to "Iran's Enriched Threat" noting
that "the verbal escalation continues between Tehran and
Washington, which has not given up on a military option." The
editorial is entitled "A narrow Path." (See Part C) A separate
analysis in Liberation by Jean-Dominique Merchet asks "What if
Washington Attacked?" and quotes a Pentagon official who
supposedly said: "The White House believes that the only way
to deal with the problem is to change Iran's power structure,
and that means a war." But the article notes that the quote,
reported by Seymour Hersh of the New Yorker, was denied by the
White House. Laurent Mauriac in yet another article reports
that although Washington is working with the UNSC to resolve
the Iranian crisis, other means are being explored: Richard
Lugar is mentioned as having called for direct negotiations
with Tehran.

The suicide attack in Tel Aviv for which Islamic Jihad has
claimed responsibility is the lead story in Le Figaro, which
calls the attack `carnage,' noting that the attack was
perpetrated during the Jewish Passover holiday. A separate
report is entitled "Anarchy Takes Over in Gaza" (See Part C)

Le Figaro and the electronic media report that Moussaoui's
defense will try to prove he suffers from schizophrenia "in
order to save him from the death penalty," but a decision
which goes "against the defendant himself."

La Croix's Gilles Biassette drafts a portrait of "John
Batiste, a General at War Against Rumsfeld" and reports on
what he calls "a rebellion of the Generals." Biassette also
notes "President Bush's total support for Rumsfeld."

La Croix reports that the U.S. "which is very active in Sudan,
wants to avoid a new regional crisis and is weighing heavily
on President Idriss Deby, who after Washington's request, gave
up expelling the 20 000 Sudanese refugees living on the Chad
border. The U.S. involvement has, for the moment, proven a
success."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

Iran

"A Narrow Path"
Pierre Haski in left-of-center Liberation (04/18): "Who today
could keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power? Apparently, no
one. This at least is the answer given by the Iranians
themselves, whose escalation leaves no doubt as to their
intentions. To reach their goal, the Iranians have the
technology, the financial means, the political will and mostly
an obvious feeling of impunity. Iran does not believe in a
military threat from the U.S., mired as it is in Iraq., has
nothing to fear from sanctions by the international community,
because of China's benevolence, and is counting on the world's
oil needs. This triple equation gives the Mullahs a feeling of
power. In a world where the Americans have accepted Israel's
nuclear armament, have recently signed an agreement with India
and have shown their inability to bring North Korea to reason,
the Iranian Mullahs do not see how they could be stopped. This
is why those who in Washington are raising their voices in
favor of a dialogue with Tehran are not necessarily the less
credible of the lot. And while dialogue offers a narrow way,
alternative options remain meager."

China

"Between China and the U.S., Explanations at a Summit"
Corine Lesnes in left-of-center Le Monde (04/18): "On the
Chinese side, it is a state visit; on the U.S. side, it is
more of a working visit. At a time when disenchantment with
China is running high in Congress over the Yuan and China's
military spending, Washington is not in the mood to give Hu-
Jintao the red carpet treatment. The visit will coincide with
a visit to Moscow of the UNSC members to discuss the Iranian
crisis. Clearly, a positive sign from Beijing on this issue
would be most welcome in the eyes of American diplomacy. To
this end the U.S. will try to convince Hu-Jintao that a
nuclear Iran will represent a factor of destabilization in
Asia."

"Taiwan: A Major Headache in the Big Game Between Beijing and
Washington"
Jean-Jacques Mevel in right-of-center Le Figaro (04/18):
"Taiwan continues to poison the already complicated relations
between the reigning super-power, the U.S. and the aspiring
one, China. Taiwan's fate will be at the center of the talks
between President Bush and Hu-Jintao, who is hoping that the
U.S. President will be able to tone down President Chen's
ambitions of independence. But it is doubtful that President
Bush will make the public announcement his Chinese guest is
hoping for. Washington's stance in the straight is one of
double deterrence: keep Chen Sui-bian from making any overt
gestures of independence, while keeping Hu-Jintao and his men
from attacking and taking Taiwan by force."

Israel Suicide Bomb Attack

"Renewed Carnage in Tel Aviv"
Marc Henry in right-of-center Le Figaro (04/18): "According to
Ehoud Olmert, the moment chosen by the suicide bomber was not
a coincidence: during the Passover holidays and on the
inaugural session of the newly elected Knesset. The question
is how far can Olmert go in order to contain the escalating
violence. His margin of maneuver is narrow, considering he has
already implemented a number of financial and trade sanctions.
in Gaza. He can hardly do more, short of occupying anew part
of the Gaza strip that was evacuated last month, an idea put
forward by military high officials. But a major unknown
remains how Israel plans to deal with Hamas: Israel's Defense
Minister Mofaz has warned that not a single Hamas leader,
including Ismael Haniyeh, will enjoy the slightest immunity."
STAPLETON