MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Rice Transformational

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000452 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 - Rice Transformational Diplomacy Iran Energy War Palestinian Elections PARIS - Tuesday, January 24, 2006 (A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: Rice Transformational Diplomacy Iran Energy War Palestinian Elections (B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: A vast array of topics is displayed on today's front pages, with the energy war and France's nuclear strategy making the front page of Le Figaro and La Tribune. While Nicolas Barre in Le Figaro suggests France must play the "money war" to counter Russia's "gas war," La Tribune's editorialist explains why everyone is once again "rediscovering the charms of the atom." (See Part C) Secretary Rice's transformational diplomacy is written up in a SIPDIS report in Le Monde entitled: "American Diplomats to Be Redeployed." (See Part C) Catholic La Croix devotes its lead to the kidnapping of children in Iraq and tells a story from the viewpoint of a grandmother who wrote and sent her tale to La Croix's reporter, Agnes Rotivel. As part of the same report, Catherine Rebuffel interviews Pierre Salignon, President of Doctors Without Borders: "We have decided to leave Iraq because things were becoming too dangerous. We do not want to encourage further kidnappings through our presence." The Palestinian elections elicit a report in Le Figaro explaining that Arafat's El Fatah party must deal with "an unprecedented challenge from Hamas." (See part C) (C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: Rice Transformational Diplomacy "American Diplomats to Be Redeployed" Corine Lesnes in left-of-center Le Monde (01/24): "Some one hundred U.S. diplomats will leave their posts in Europe to work in posts in China and Africa. Secretary Rice announced a reform aiming to put the State Department in harmony with the new world order. These new diplomats will be preaching democratization as defined by President Bush. More than Consulates, the State Department hopes to open `American Presence Posts.' which cost less to operate. Diplomats will also need to work more closely with the military and be involved in reconstruction efforts. Secretary Rice also announced that foreign aid would now be overseen by the State Department.' Energy War "Energy Diplomacy" Nicolas Barre in right-of-center Le Figaro (01/24): "There is no doubt that we are in the midst of an energy war, from Niger to the Middle East to Venezuela and Indonesia. Paradoxically, this energy war seems to be leaving Europe totally unconcerned. But things could change drastically, because China is becoming the second largest energy importer in the world, and the major cause for tension on the energy market. Many countries are using energy as a weapon . in order to operate strategic changes. But Europe has a weapon it can use against Russia, because Europe is Russia's second largest energy purchaser: we must not shy away from using the money diplomacy to counter Moscow's gas diplomacy. Our future depends on it." "Rediscovering the Charms of the Atom" Francois-Xavier Pietri in centrist La Tribune (01/24): "Today's energy situation is leading formerly anti-nuclear nations to revise their positions on the charms of nuclear energy. With the Ukrainian gas conflict, Russia has recently reminded Europe of its strategic importance. Separately, Iran has been threatening to cut oil supplies if the West tries to counter its nuclear aspirations. If one adds the chronic instability of the Middle East and Africa, the picture is complete and is enough to make western nations jittery about their vulnerability. The forced equilibrium imposed by fear of the nuclear has been replaced by a more perverse threat: an energy war not easily fought with conventional weapons. It is easy to understand, therefore, why President Chirac. and nations like Germany, Great Britain and Italy, traditionally opposed to the atom, are little by little rediscovering its charms." Iran "A Heterogeneous International System" Thierry de Montbrial in left-of-center Le Monde (01/24): "We would be committing a major error if we believed that Iran's population in its entirety were eager to fall into our arms. With or without the Mullahs., it has adopted the idea that mastering the nuclear cycle is a national symbol. Tehran's strategists believe that the U.S. is weakened because of its Iraqi adventure. They fear neither a U.S military intervention nor an Israeli one. Neither Russia nor China wants to confront the U.S. or Europe. But both wish to maintain good relations with Iran. The true stakes in the present tug of war is acknowledging that the international system is indeed heterogeneous. In the short term it means accepting the idea of having to negotiate with Iran. In not accepting this reality, the U.S. and its western allies would be taking the risk of losing more of a grip in the Middle East and beyond, with incalculable consequences. In the game that is being played out in Iran, the Europeans are playing alongside the Americans. The difference will be made by the stance adopted by the Russians and the Chinese." Palestinian Elections "Fatah Preparing to Rule With Hamas" Patrick Saint-Paul in right-of-center Le Figaro (01/24): "Fatah, which for the past half a century has been the undisputed Palestinian political party, will for the first time have to give up its hegemony in the next elections. Since Arafat's death, his party has steadily been losing ground. Even if it manages to retain its parliamentary majority, Fatah will have no choice but to negotiate with the more radical Hamas, which is sure to make inroads in the next parliamentary elections, and the first one it is taking part in. Despite having been black listed by the Americans and the Israelis, Arafat managed, until his death, to control chaos in the occupied territories. His successor has not managed to do any better. Abbas, who has the support of the Bush administration, has been unable to put the peace process back on track. The Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, rather than re-enforcing the Palestinian Authority, has instead managed to weaken it even more. Because it was a unilateral measure and not the result of negotiations, it was chalked up to a victory of Hamas." STAPLETON