MEDIA WRAP-UP: IRAN/DPRK NUCLEAR GAMBIT; THE WEST AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006679 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/WE, INR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO OPRC FR SUBJECT: MEDIA WRAP-UP: IRAN/DPRK NUCLEAR GAMBIT; THE WEST AND ISLAM COLLIDE. OCTOBER 6, 2006 PARIS 00006679 001.2 OF 002 Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) In lieu of daily media reaction reporting, Embassy Paris offers this report of the week's major international stories. Two major stories emerged in the first week in October: the nuclear gambit of North Korea and Iran and questions linked to criticisms of Islam. Media coverage of Islam and the West overwhelmed most other stories and continued to fuel a national debate on freedom of speech, interpretations of religious texts and, more widely, about Muslim sensitivities which appear to have been exacerbated by terrorism and an undeclared "clash between civilizations." President Chirac's call for Turkey to recognize the "Armenian genocide" was widely debated, but contrary to past reporting, Islam was not invoked to oppose Turkey's EU membership. Similarly, comments about Washington's support of Turkey's integration into Europe was absent from the debate. Washington was, however, harshly criticized for its Iraq policy in articles which quoted freely from Bob Woodward's new book. End Summary. DPRK AND IRANIAN NUCLEAR GAMBIT: DELAYING TACTICS? ¶2. (SBU) France's prompt rejection of Teheran's proposal that France participate in a nuclear consortium despite FM Douste-Blazy having previously courted Iran by referring to it as "an important regional player" was carried by all media outlets. Left-leaning Liberation noted that FM Douste-Blazy suggested Iran's offer might be considered only after Iran suspended its enrichment program. FR3 television, however, showed the FM's spokesman reacting to the offer: "France is not accepting this deal. Iran must first suspend its uranium enrichment process, then the international community halts its sanctions process, then we negotiate." Liberation added the Iranian offer demonstrated to what extent Tehran counted on Paris to put an end to the crisis and wondered whether this "was once again Tehran's way of trying to gain some time and to test the West, as is its habit, or whether it was indeed serious." ¶3. (SBU) North Korea's announcement that it was planning a nuclear test led analysts to once again discuss Pyongyang's motivations in light of previous efforts to force direct negotiations with the U.S. Left-leaning Liberation asked whether this was "the latest gamble" from a regime in dire straits or whether it was "a gesture of deterrence." The editorial in regional Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace similarly stated: "North Korea escapes all logic. This is why the West is at a loss as to how to interpret this latest announcement. Is it a form of deterrence? Is it a domestic message... or is it a call for negotiations in order to get more food aid in exchange for a new moratorium?" Right-of-center Le Figaro highlighted China's conundrum: "For China's diplomacy, which made a serious commitment to Washington and Seoul to bring North Korea to reason, this incident is a major slap in the face... China can no longer hide its lack of effectiveness." ISLAM AND THE WEST, TURKEY AND THE EU ¶4. (SBU) A wide range of commentaries and interviews followed the Pope's remarks on Islam, an op-ed by a French High School teacher now in hiding (following a Fatwah issued after he argued that Islam promoted violence),and the Berlin Symphony's cancellation of a Mozart Opera. "Can We Still Criticize Islam?" was the leitmotif for reporting and analysis this week. Popular daily Le Parisien and left-leaning Liberation argued that the fallout from these three incidents demonstrated "the growing tension in Europe over Islam and its values." For Pascal Riche, of Liberation, such criticism which was once the prerogative of the far right, has spread to the wider political spectrum and become more aggressive, and more global because of terrorism and the rise of a 'radical' Islam. In a Europe-1 radio interview, philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy was adamant on the need for distinguishing between Islam and Islamists, but faulted the proponents of appeasement because they only served to further silence moderate Muslim voices. The controversy offered left-leaning thinkers a chance to comment on anti-Americanism in the Muslim world: "There are more Muslims who are angered by the aggressive, arrogant and cynical policies of the U.S. than Muslims who are angry with the West for reasons of religion" according to an expert in Liberation. ¶5. (SBU) In the wake of President Chirac's speech in Yerevan calling for Turkey to recognize the "Armenian genocide," commentators speculated that "a new diplomatic tug-of-war between Paris and Ankara was brewing." While right-of-center Le Figaro's editorial praised President Chirac "for breaking with a diplomatic taboo" and "for emphasizing the requirements of European democracy," Catholic La Croix deplored Chirac's lone message, and the lack of a PARIS 00006679 002.2 OF 002 unified European stance. Former German Foreign Affairs Minister Joschka Fischer warned in Le Figaro that a rupture in EU/Turkish relations would be a "strategic error ripe with dangerous consequences just when the EU needed to preserve its cooperation with the thriving Islamic nation." 'STATE OF DENIAL' FUELS FRENCH CRITICISM ON IRAQ ¶6. (SBU) Media reports on Bob Woodward's book provided new opportunities to rehash the prevalent criticism of U.S. policy in Iraq among French elites. Left-leaning Liberation commented: "President Bush is depicted as a President intent on hiding from his people the gravity of the situation in Iraq and pursuing his policy of hiding his head in the sand, a stance encouraged by his entourage." For right-of-center Le Figaro "the novelty of the allegations in Bob Woodward's latest book is not what is embarrassing for George W. Bush, it is the repetition of the allegations... which confirms the already widespread notion that the Administration is unsure and divided on the strategy to adopt with regard to Iraq." Left-of-center Le Monde asked on its front page: "Did Condi Know" adding that "this book marked the first serious attack on Secretary Rice." Popular daily Le Parisien, which titled its article "The Book that Kills Bush," illustrated that "the book proves that Bush and his team committed mistake after mistake in Iraq and refused to draw the lessons..." HOFMANN