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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 000059 
 
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 - Russia-Ukraine Energy War 
Middle East - Iraq's Reconstruction - Syria - Iran 
International Relations and Multipolarity 
PARIS - Thursday, January 05, 2006 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Russia-Ukraine Energy War 
Middle East - Iraq's Reconstruction - Syria - Iran 
International Relations and Multipolarity 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
President Chirac's New Year's wishes and Sharon's stroke are 
today's major front-page stories. Le Figaro calls 2006 "a 
Capital Year" for Chirac while Liberation comments: "Chirac 
Gets His Inspiration from the Left." The editorial in Le Monde 
comments on President Chirac's decision to amend the 
Constitution to include the abolition of the death penalty. It 
concludes: "France will also show the U.S. that `Old Europe' 
still possesses a foundation of common values which it is 
ready to fight for in the name of human rights." 
 
Sharon's stroke and subsequent operations is a major subject 
of conjecture with regard to his newly created party and the 
March 28 elections. Commentators on the electronic media this 
morning said "that only a miracle" could bring Sharon back to 
leading the nation. 
 
The Russian energy war elicits reports and an op-ed in 
Liberation penned by Jacques Amalric: "Europe would be wrong 
to conclude this was a false alarm. This incident only goes to 
prove that for Putin, Russia's energy resources are his number 
one strategic weapon." (See Part C) France Soir interviews 
Jacques Sapir of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes: "Russia is 
confirming its role as a major player on the international 
scene. The leaders of the new independent states thought 
Europe or the U.S. could replace Russia. This is a blatant 
sign that they are completely unaware of the western nations' 
situation and the fact that they are absolutely not in a 
position to take over." 
 
A separate article in France Soir is entitled: "Bush-Putin, 
the War of the Clones" in which Sacha Balit Vanderbrouk 
contends that both men used the same means, "money," to 
influence political and cultural developments in former Soviet 
nations. "The Belarus elections are scheduled for the near 
future: these are high-risk elections. The war between the 
clones is on." 
On the Middle Eastern front, Le Monde's correspondent reports 
that "the battle against guerrilla insurgents has eaten up 
American reconstruction funds;" a meeting between Chirac and 
Egypt's Mubarak is noted in Le Figaro as one more effort to 
"contain Syria" and according to Le Figaro, "the talks between 
Iran and the EU appear stalled because of Iran's 
intransigence." (See Part C) 
 
Le Monde carries an op-ed on the "Emerging Multipolar Game" 
(See Part C) while left-of-center weekly Le Nouvel Observateur 
interviews Alexandre Adler on the world in 2020: "America will 
undoubtedly rally to the idea of multipolarity which it is 
denouncing today with such vehemence. It will work together 
with other world nations on a containment strategy for Islamic 
nations, hitting hard on terrorists and nations that support 
them." 
 
La Croix reports on the Abramoff scandal commenting: "While no 
political party will come out unscathed from the scandal, it 
is within the Republican Party that the jitters are most 
obvious. Abramoff counts among the principal fund raisers of 
President Bush." 
 
Le Figaro carries an op-ed by Pierre Lequiller, a UMP National 
Assembly Representative who comments on "How to Re-launch a 
Political Europe." "There must be a Franco-German dynamic 
which does not create new divisions between the other European 
countries." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Russia-Ukraine Energy War 
 
"The Russian Gas Diplomacy" 
Jacques Amalric in left-of-center Liberation (01/05): ""Europe 
would be wrong to conclude this was a false alarm. This 
incident only goes to prove that for Putin, Russia's energy 
resources are his number one strategic weapon. This should be 
enough to lead certain European leaders to wonder about their 
recent so-called stable `strategic partnerships' with Moscow. 
A case in point is Germany. The Donald Evans operation is 
another example of a failed agreement. The myth of an 
independent Gazprom was shattered during the first days of the 
Russian-Ukraine confrontation. During every step of the 
crisis, it was Putin who was on the front lines. The last 
irony in this high-risk game: Putin will preside the G-8 in 
July, a summit largely devoted to energy issues." 
Middle East - Iraq's Reconstruction - Syria - Iran 
 
"Anti-Guerrilla Combat Uses Up Reconstruction Funds" 
Eric Leser in left-of-center Le Monde (01/05): "Between the 
promises made by the American administration in 2003 for the 
reconstruction of Iraq and the reality of the situation in 
2006 the difference is significant. Because the White House 
implicitly acknowledged this failure the management of 
reconstruction efforts was discreetly transferred in mid- 
December from the Pentagon to the State Department. But the 
change comes somewhat late, after much of the funds have been 
spent for more urgent needs such as the recruiting and 
training of Iraqi security forces. To date, only 20 percent of 
the 18.4 billion dollars allocated for reconstruction are 
still available. While on paper the efforts achieved appear to 
be colossal, in reality, in essential sectors such as 
electricity and oil, progress is practically inexistent. 
Generalized corruption also explains the lack of progress, as 
demonstrated by the investigations into fraud made on behalf 
of Stuart Bowen, the Inspector General." 
 
"Talks With Iran Suspended" 
Right-of-center Le Figaro (01/05): "The talks between Iran and 
Europe appear to be condemned to failure. Despite the 
announcement that the talks would resume January 18, pessimism 
went up a notch after the latest sign of intransigence from 
Tehran's leaders. The man in charge of Iran's nuclear dossier, 
Ali Alrijani stated that Iran's decision to go back to 
sensitive activities `was non-negotiable.' His determination 
was confirmed by the Iranian President who excluded `the 
possibility of going back.' In a televised address, he used a 
caustic tone as he anticipated the West's objections. This 
unilateral position has been deemed unacceptable by the EU. 
Moreover, European intelligence is more than ever convinced 
that Iran has acquired the necessary technology to build 
nuclear missile heads." 
 
"Chirac, Mubarak and the Saudis on the Syrian Issue" 
Pierre Prier in right-of-center Le Figaro (01/05): "The number 
one goal of the diplomatic maneuvers between Chirac and 
Mubarak yesterday was to defuse the Syrian crisis. Arriving 
from Saudi Arabia, Mubarak brought with him the fruits of his 
Saudi talks almost entirely devoted to Syria. even if Iraq and 
the Palestinian Territories were also discussed. The aim of 
the three countries is to bring Damascus back to a less 
intransigent stance. For Chirac, `Syria must respond to the 
UN's demands.' The UN wants to question Bachar, but the Syrian 
President is opposed to such a breach of his sovereignty. 
Diplomatic sources indicate that neither Chirac, Mubarak nor 
the Saudis expect Bachar to actually participate in an 
official interrogation. But the three hope Syria `will adopt a 
different attitude.' Damascus has indicated that it could 
possibly accept the interrogation of its Foreign Affairs 
Minister. A sign that Damascus may be beginning to listen. As 
in the case of the Lockerbie bombing, if a Syrian high 
official is handed over, observers indicate this would mean 
the regime acknowledges some of the responsibility. For the 
time being France Egypt and Saudi Arabia want simply to avoid 
a dangerous escalation: the two Arab nations fear Syria 
falling further into Iran's orbit. Because Lebanon remains the 
key, France, Egypt and Saudi Arabia may offer Syria a form of 
normalized relations with Lebanon: `but it is too early to say 
if we are on the right path,' says a diplomat." 
 
International Relations and Multipolarity 
 
"How to Manage an Emerging Multipolar Game" 
Daniel Vernet in left-of-center Le Monde (01/05): "With the 
benefit of hindsight, President Bush may return to a system 
of balance of power. Europe is trying to find its place in 
this emerging multipolar game, thereby satisfying the hopes 
of French diplomacy without actually providing a recipe for 
stability. In Iran, the Europeans can continue to play a 
major role in as far as the Americans do not have another 
policy to offer. The Iraqi adventure is probably urging the 
Americans to play it safe. The other lesson from Iraq is that 
the `hyperpower' is faced with its military limitations when 
its presence in the Middle East continues to be needed." 
HOFMANN