This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

271326Z Dec 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008654 
 
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 - Iraq Galileo 
PARIS - Tuesday, December 27, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq 
Galileo 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
A hotchpotch of domestic social and economic news makes up 
today's front pages and editorial commentaries. The launching 
of Galileo, "a rival of the American GPS" makes the front page 
in La Tribune, while the editorial predicts a "joint European 
effort and success" once national political interests are set 
aside. (See Part C) France Soir devotes its lead to France's 
image as seen through the eyes of foreign tourists, especially 
after last month's suburban violence. The report quotes 
tourists as saying "The French are too arrogant" and "they 
speak poor English." Catholic La Croix devotes its lead to 
parliamentary investigations in France and how they function. 
In connection with the lead story, Catherine Rebuffel reports 
on the Congressional investigation on 9/11 and more generally 
she comments: "These investigations are an amazing weapon 
against the President." She concludes: "On certain sensitive 
subjects, such as the conditions of detention in Guantanamo, 
human rights proponents have yet to obtain the creation of a 
Congressional investigation, something they have been asking 
for the past year." 
 
Iraq and the legislative elections are a major story in Le 
Figaro, which also reports on Ayatollah Sistani's "call for 
wisdom to avert a civil war." (See Part C) La Croix interviews 
European coordinator on counter terrorism, Gijs de Vries: "The 
Iraqi conflict has complicated the fight against terrorism 
because it is enticing European youth to undertake `jihad.' 
But all nations are threatened with terrorism, not only those 
participating in the war in Iraq. The concern in Europe is 
that these young Europeans can be a threat once they return to 
their individual countries. Europeans are cooperating through 
their police forces. There is also a widespread cooperation 
with the U.S. . On the CIA controversy, it is the Counsel of 
Europe, not the EU, which is leading the investigation. 
Secretary Rice during her visit emphasized that the U.S. was 
 
SIPDIS 
bound by the UN Charter against torture. This is important in 
order to convince all those who are fighting against 
radicalism. The balance between freedom and security would be 
broken if one government ever accepted torture, which in my 
view illegal, amoral and politically counter-productive." 
 
La Croix profiles Donald Rumsfeld as "an impatient hawk.' (See 
Part C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq 
 
"Towards a Government of National Unity" 
Right-of-center Le Figaro (12/27): "Overcome by the violence 
of daily attacks, Iraq is now in the grips of a political 
battle. A number of demonstrations have been organized 
throughout Iraq to protest the results of the legislative 
elections. In order to avert a confrontation, the solution of 
a national unity government seems to be taking shape. Hence 
the talks between the different political groups initiated by 
President Talabani. The idea gained momentum on Sunday during 
a meeting between Kurdish leaders attended by the U.S. 
Ambassador Khalizad. Among those who are contesting the 
results, the Sunni leader Saleh Motlak is also open to 
negotiations. The religious Shiite movement led by Ayatollah 
Sistani is also favorable to a coalition government open to 
other groups. On the U.S. side, former Secretary of State 
Powell said he feared the election results may `accentuate the 
friction. The Shiite majority is more fundamentalist than we 
thought.'" 
 
"Rumsfeld, an Impatient Hawk" 
Jean-Christophe Ploquin in Catholic La Croix (12/27): "On 
Saturday, Secretary Rumsfeld harbored the white coat and hat 
of a Chef as he shared Christmas dinner with U.S. soldiers in 
Iraq. The evening before he announced that the number of GIs 
stationed in Iraq would be reduced by spring. Rumsfeld, one of 
the hawks who convinced the President to go to war in Iraq, 
would have preferred to state a higher number of soldiers 
would be able to return home. The U.S. is eager to drastically 
reduce its military presence in Iraq by next July. It would 
like to keep the war from weighing in too much on the mid-term 
elections. But the situation on the ground is dictating the 
numbers needed on the ground.  While in Kabul, Secretary 
Rumsfeld waved aside speculation on his future. For weeks now 
Washington has been abuzz with rumor about his departure from 
the Pentagon. The rumors are tied to the controversy about the 
use of torture, which has been raging in the U.S. in the 
framework of the war against terror. Last year, Secretary 
Rumsfeld had to acknowledge his `responsibility' in the cases 
of abuse by Military personnel in the prison of Abu Gharaib." 
 
Galileo 
 
"A Messenger From the Stars" 
Francois-Xavier Pietri in centrist La Tribune (12/27): 
"Galileo, the famous `European GPS' will be taking flight 
tomorrow. The stakes for Europe are twofold. First, 
commercial: because the system has very concrete applications, 
such as the on-board systems used in automobiles. Second, 
strategic: It was during their involvement in the Gulf war 
that the Europeans realized how dependent they were on the 
U.S. system and to what extent this could be detrimental to 
them. While Galileo is conceived for civilian applications, 
its military extension is easy to imagine. It is easy then to 
understand why Europe decided it was in its interest to 
develop such a project. This is also why Europe is envied. 
This project proves how the pooling of energies within the 
Union, when nationalistic political interests are set aside, 
can be productive for the Old Continent in its entirety." 
STAPLETON