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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002226 
 
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 - Saddam Trial Moussaoui Trial 
Islam Immigration Issues 
PARIS - Wednesday, April 05, 2006 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Saddam Trial 
Moussaoui Trial 
Islam Immigration Issues 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Once again the CPE, demonstrations and the government crisis 
are today's lead and editorial stories. France Soir headlines 
"What a Slap in the Face!" and reports that 3 million 
demonstrators marched across the nation. For Liberation it is 
"Time to Abrogate" while Le Parisien goes for the jugular and 
asks: "Villepin, What For?" As the unions meet today with UMP 
majority leader at the Assembly, Bernard Accoyer, to discuss 
possible amendments to the CPE legislation, the tension 
between PM Villepin and Interior Minister Sarkozy is noted in 
Le Figaro, while Liberation points to Villepin's haughty "I 
decide, you execute" attitude, saying that the Prime Minister 
"is living in the wrong century."  Liberation also carries an 
op-ed penned by National Assembly Representative Arnaud 
Montebourg, entitled: "The End for Villepin's Whims" and in 
his weekly column Alain Duhamel writes: "Sarkozy is boosted by 
Villepin. who will not give up to a rival he hates. Sarkozy 
has won a tactical victory over Villepin and the President and 
finds himself at the center of a daunting battle. but also the 
uncontested leader of a clearly weakened right." 
 
Le Figaro interviews Laurence Parisot, the President of the 
MEDEF (Association of business leaders): "There is first the 
question of method: democratic principles must be respected. 
The crisis has crystallized a bigger concern about employment, 
but employment flexibility must be shared by everyone, not 
just youth. I recommended against the CPE. Now that we have a 
crisis, we need to end it quickly, for our nation's image 
abroad and for the sake of our economy." 
 
International news focus on Saddam's trial and the new charges 
involving the 1998 Kurdish extermination. Le Figaro reports 
that "Saddam will have to answer to accusations of genocide." 
(See Part C) The Moussaoui trial is also featured: Le Figaro 
entitles its report "Defense Tries to Save Moussaoui in Spite 
of Himself" (See Part C) while La Croix interviews Moussaoui's 
mother's legal representative, Patrick Boudoin: "I am very 
pessimistic about his avoiding the death penalty. He is his 
own worst enemy. I hope that despite the fact that the U.S. 
administration wants to make him into a scapegoat. they will 
not make a martyr of Moussaoui. His story could give birth to 
new terrorists." In Le Parisien, Moussaoui's mother says: "If 
they kill him, a million little Zacarias will be born." France 
Soir carries a report about France's position: "Yesterday the 
Foreign Ministry reiterated its opposition to the death 
penalty (for Moussaoui) and recalled that `it had received the 
assurance that the information it passed on to the prosecution 
would not be used to support a death penalty verdict.'" 
 
Le Figaro also reports on the Supreme Court's decision with 
regard to Jose Padilla's case: "This is a small victory for 
the White House. even if no answer has been brought to the 
question: can the U.S. government detain a citizen 
indefinitely on U.S. soil. This and other cases fuel the 
debate about separation of powers between the judiciary and 
the executive branches." 
 
Le Figaro and Liberation note Tom Delay's decision to resign 
by mid-June. Says Le Figaro "while the opposition will be 
deprived of a scandal it was planning to milk, the White House 
will also be losing a strong ally in Congress." 
 
France Soir and broadcast media report that: "Hamas has 
recognized Israel." A statement, sent to the UN, by the head 
of Palestinian diplomacy Mahmoud Zahar, implicitly 
acknowledges Israel's right to exist. Zahar also underscores 
that the Palestinian government is prepared to resume 
discussions with the Middle East Quartet. 
 
Les Echos carries an op-ed on immigration issues, in support 
of a "successful integration of Moslem immigration in the 
U.S." which could serve as an example for Europe. (See Part C) 
 
Economic news is dominated by the Thales-Alcatel agreement, 
which comes on the heels of the Alcatel-Lucent merger, in 
order to safeguard Alcatel's sensitive satellite sector. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Saddam Trial 
 
"Saddam Accused of Genocide" 
Adrien Jaulmes in right-of-center Le Figaro (04/05): "In 
international law, genocide is the most serious crime, but it 
is also the hardest to prove. The witnesses may be auditioned 
in Kurdistan, to save them a dangerous trip to Baghdad and the 
death threats which have been weighing on the witnesses to the 
ongoing trial." 
 
Moussaoui Trial 
 
"Moussaoui Could Get Death Penalty" 
Alain Salles in left-of-center Le Monde (04/05): "Moussaoui 
got what he wanted, and the `show can go on' as he had said 
during one of his court outbursts. When he presented himself 
as one of the participants in the 9/11 attacks, he ruined the 
efforts of the defense, which tried to save him from himself. 
The emotional impact of his testimony and his lack of 
repentance weighed more in the balance than any possible 
doubts." 
 
"Saving Moussaoui Despite Himself" 
Guillemette Faure in right-of-center Le Figaro (04/05): "The 
challenge for Moussaoui's lawyers is how to save him despite 
himself. But for the prosecution, the hardest part of the job 
is now behind. During the second phase of the trial, experts 
will explain how racism and Moussaoui's `difficult youth' 
influenced his choices and more broadly they will show how 
second generation immigrants are easily manipulated by 
terrorist organizations." 
 
Islam Immigration Issues 
 
"Immigration, a Stroke of Luck" 
Stephan Richter in right-of-center Les Echos (04/05): 
"Everyone agrees that when it comes to integrating its Muslim 
immigrants, the U.S. does better than Europe. For the 
Americans, Europe's mistake was to use social welfare rather 
than social integration. It may be that selective immigration 
explains the difference. A large majority of the Muslims who 
immigrated to the U.S. were highly qualified and spoke good 
English. They were economically motivated: the U.S. offered 
the best return on investment. In Europe, the situation is 
radically different: Muslim immigrants are poor and devoid of 
professional training. In welcoming immigrants who did not 
have the proper weapons to succeed, Europe played an unlucky 
card. This does not excuse the many mistakes Europe made which 
compounded the situation. America adopted a policy of 
selective immigration, not Europe. Europe can be faulted for 
its lack of vision, while America remains faithful to the 
message inscribed on the Statue of Liberty." STAPLETON