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 001387 
 
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 - GWOT - Moussaoui Trial - 
Attorney General Gonzales in Paris- Guantanamo Iran 
PARIS - Monday, March 06, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
GWOT - Moussaoui Trial - Attorney General Gonzales in Paris 
Guantanamo 
Iran 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Liberation and La Croix devote their lead to Moussaoui's 
trial. While La Croix's headline is straightforward, 
"Moussaoui Could Get Capital Punishment," Liberation's 
headline stresses the mysterious behind the obvious: "The 
Moussaoui Enigma." In its editorial Liberation warns that 
"America itself will be on trial" depending on how the trial 
is conducted. Le Parisien in its report explains that 
Moussaoui's lawyers "may point an accusing finger at the 
American intelligence services in defending their client." 
(See Part C) 
Writing about the war on terror in La Croix, Gilles Biassette 
quotes AG Gonzales who was in Paris on Friday and who 
emphasized "the excellent cooperation" between France and the 
U.S. on fighting terrorism. Popular France Soir also reports 
on Attorney General Gonzales and his visit to Paris where he 
met with his French counterpart. 
France Soir devotes a two-page report to two Afghanistan 
brothers, Sadar and Abdur, who were released from the 
Guantanamo detention center after serving three years, and 
returned to Pakistan, which is headlined on the front page. 
(See Part C) 
 
Le Figaro carries an op-ed co-signed by the French and British 
Defense Ministers on a joint European defense to "promote 
peace and international security" while the lead story is 
devoted to President Chirac's visit to Saudi Arabia, and his 
promotion of better understanding through culture and trade. 
 
Iran and its "challenge" to the West is the basis for a report 
in Le Figaro, while La Croix reports that "Iran is not giving 
in to pressure." Le Journal du Dimanche devotes a full page to 
Al-Baradei, "The Justice of the Peace."  (See Part C) Le 
Parisien reports that "Iran doesn't want to give in," noting 
that Teheran's determination on the nuclear issue remains 
"intact" three days after that last effort by the EU-3 to 
convince Iran to change its position. Foreign Minister Douste- 
Blazy, however, has said "the hand is still extended" to Iran, 
while Secretary Rice was quoted as saying on Saturday, "Nobody 
is saying we must rush to take sanctions, one way or the 
other." 
 
Saturday's front page of Le Figaro reports that the Council of 
State has made its decision in the case pitting the Interior 
Ministry - which wanted to send the work to a private company 
- and the National Printing Office. The Council upheld the 
court ruling that the monopoly over the manufacture of secure 
administrative documents reverts to the National Printing 
Office, which is now gearing up to start issuing the new 
passports in April. Inside articles note that French travelers 
wanting to go to the U.S. this summer can go without visas; 
some 24,000 French travelers have had to get visas at the U.S. 
Consulate since November 2005. A separate article says that 
tour operators are reassured by the decision. One tour company 
specializing in trips to the U.S. said its business had 
dropped 30%. 
 
Liberation devotes a major report in its employment section to 
the American practice of "whistleblowing" among workers to 
limit waste and fraud. One report shows how Shell France has 
adapted the system in France. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
GWOT - Moussaoui Trial - Guantanmo 
 
"Antidote" 
Gerard Dupuy in left-of-center Liberation (03/06): "The ghost 
of the worst crime in history perpetrated by individuals is 
hovering over the Moussaoui trial. If a link between him and 
9/11 is proven, there is a good chance he will be given the 
death penalty and executed. For abolitionists, especially in 
the U.S., the months ahead will be difficult ones. Moussaoui 
deserves the same commiseration than any other criminal 
wasting away in death row. But before that, it will be 
essential to prove he was instrumental, if only through his 
silence, in the deaths caused by 9/11. The conclusions of the 
trial cannot be determined ahead of time. During this trial of 
Moussaoui, America's justice system will also be on trial 
before the entire world. Let us hope all will be done 
according to the country's laws and strict rules, which are in 
themselves the best antidote to all forms of terrorism." 
 
"Lies and their Role in the Moussaoui Trial" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (03/06): "Things 
are heating up for Moussaoui. The debate will assign a crucial 
place to the notion of `lies,' which is central in the 
American legal system. There is a delicate nuance between `not 
lying' and `telling the truth.' Herein stands the frail line 
of defense which his lawyers will try to use to save his 
life." 
 
"The Hour of Truth Is Near" 
Francois D'Alancon in Catholic La Croix (03/06): "For 
Moussaoui, the stakes are not about whether he is guilty or 
not, it is about the punishment he will get: capital 
punishment or life in prison. For the Bush administration the 
political and symbolic stakes are of great import. After the 
controversy about Guantanamo and alleged CIA secret prisons, 
the U.S. government wants to show that it can take a procedure 
against a member of Al-Qaeda to its completion and in 
according with the law." 
 
"The Priority Is Still the War Against Terrorism" 
Gilles Biassette in Catholic La Croix (03/06): "Four years 
after 9/11, the determination of the U.S. government has not 
faltered when it comes to fighting against terror: the Senate 
last week adopted a bill that will make certain measures of 
the Patriot Act permanent. The Patriot Act is only one of many 
means used by the Bush administration to fight the war on 
terror, including reducing civil liberties. A fact that 
Attorney General Gonzales has reiterated on various occasions. 
During a short visit to Paris, Alberto Gonzales took the 
opportunity to speak in favor of the `excellent cooperation' 
between the French and American police in the fight against 
terrorism. He also confirmed that in certain cases, the U.S. 
had committed to forsake the death penalty against foreigners, 
in exchange for information provided by foreign countries." 
 
"Two Brothers Safely Out of Guantanamo" 
Pauline Garaude in popular right-of-center France Soir 
(03/06): "Sadar and Abdur, the two Afghan brothers' hatred for 
Americans and for the Pakistani secret services was only 
reinforced by their trial. The brothers say they are innocent 
and victims of a plot. They were arrested in Afghanistan by a 
warlord who handed them over to the Americans, who transported 
them to Bagram and then Guantanamo, always yelling `Keep your 
f--- hands on your f---head.'  At Guantanamo, `We were treated 
as dirty Muslims, as terrorists.' The interrogations went on 
for entire days and nights.' We were chained. and they hung 
porno images on the walls. Sometimes they had a nude woman 
come over and forced those who refused to speak to have sex 
with her.'" 
 
Iran 
 
"How to Make Iran Change Its Stance on the Nuclear Issue" 
Chris Patten of the International Crisis Group in right-of- 
center Le Figaro (03/06): "The stalemate with Iran is one of 
today's most crucial political and diplomatic crisis, despite 
various interventions, including Russia's. The failure to 
convince Iran through diplomacy leads the international 
community to considering other options. such as military 
options and economic sanctions. Neither one is easy to 
implement. Military strikes are risky because Iran's nuclear 
installations are spread out. It is much better to consider a 
diplomatic solution, the Russian one in particular. But this 
will not work out unless the U.S. changes its foreign policy 
towards Iran, including lifting the sanctions and granting 
Iran diplomatic status. A realistic compromise would be for 
Iran to accept a system of strict inspections. The three years 
of diplomatic action have ended in failure and the option of 
`zero enrichment' has few chances of succeeding. A diplomatic 
solution can only work if Iran clearly sees the risks of 
rejecting it. This is why the international community must 
convince Iran that serious sanctions will be imposed if Iran 
rejects the present offer, or if it accepts it in theory but 
rejects it in practice." 
 
"Al Baradei, Justice of the Peace" 
Gilles Delafon in right-of-center Le Journal du Dimanche 
(03/06): "The referee in Iran's atomic game, Al Baradei is 
convinced that Iran is hiding the truth of its nuclear 
program. but contends that the UNSC is not always able to play 
its role: a clear reference to the Iraqi crisis and that 
fateful other March 7, in 2003 when an obscure director of the 
IAEA asserted against Colin Powell that `there was no proof 
that Iraq was involved in forbidden nuclear activities.' Al 
Baradei and others wear the Iraqi wound as their own. It is a 
humiliation to their long years of experience and work in Iraq 
inflicted on them by the lies of the American administration, 
which needed to make the world believe in the existence of 
WMD. And Washington will never forgive Al Baradei for having 
been right." STAPLETON