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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 002923 
 
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Middle East - U.S. Policy 
- Hamas Iran Moussaoui Trial 
PARIS - Thursday, May 04, 2006 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Middle East - U.S. Policy - Hamas 
Iran 
Moussaoui Trial 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
The glossy weekly magazine Paris Match features a four-page 
spread on Ambassador and Mrs. Stapleton. The report 
includes an extensive interview with Ambassador Stapleton 
largely devoted to French-American relations. Mrs. 
Stapleton's interview touches on France's cultural wealth. 
 
As the Clearstream scandal grows, the story is increasingly 
taking up entire front pages: "Turbulence" headlines Le 
Figaro next to a picture of Villepin; "Villepin: Obvious 
Lies" headlines Liberation. A word which the editorial in 
right-of-center Le Figaro reiterates about Villepin: "Even 
if the whole thing is a huge manipulation, why did he lie." 
In weekly Le Point Franz-Olivier Giesbert pens an op-ed 
entitled "The Specter of Watergate" in which he literally 
calls Villepin a liar: "Can the Prime Minister deny he 
never said to me and others that 'Sarkozy is finished. If 
the press does its job, he will not survive this affair.?' 
Le Monde, Le Figaro and France 2 television this morning 
report on General Rondot's personal notes taken after his 
meeting with PM Villepin on January 9, 2004 which mentions 
Villepin's request to look into "the role of the Americans 
- support given to Sarkozy."  Le Parisien's front page is 
devoted to: "The Clearstream Affair: The French 
Disoriented" and publishes the results of a poll showing 
that 43% of respondents consider the situation to be 
serious; 33% want Villepin to resign; but 66% are against 
anticipated presidential elections. PM Villepin was 
expected to give a press conference this morning. 
 
Today's other major front-page story is the verdict in the 
Moussaoui trial: "Moussaoui Escapes Death Sentence," while 
Le Figaro and Le Parisien title: "Moussaoui condemned to 
Life." The news, widely reported on the electronic media as 
of last evening, noted that for lack of a unanimous vote, 
life in prison was the final verdict. In one report in 
Liberation, Pascal Riche comments: "In the end, Moussaoui 
was tried for what he did, not what he said." (See Part C) 
The draft resolution put forward at the UNSC by the U.S., 
France and Great Britain in favor of sanctions against Iran 
is another leading international story. (See Part C) 
Several op-eds are devoted to dealing with the Middle East, 
Hamas and Islamists in general. (See Part C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Middle East - U.S. Policy - Hamas 
 
"Bush's Failure in the Middle East" 
Thierry de Montbrial of IFRI in left-of-center Le Monde 
(05/04): "George W. Bush's results in the Middle East, the 
most important region in international politics, are 
disastrous. Iraq is on the verge of civil war, the new 
Prime Minister's task appears Herculean and the economic 
and social situation is calamitous. Radicalization in the 
Middle East in general is on the rise as seen with the 
democratic elections in Egypt or in the Palestinian 
territories. Tension between the U.S. and Iran is at a 
'zenith' while in the Palestinian territories, the tendency 
is towards the policy of separation put forth by Ariel 
Sharon. a unilateralist stance, which the Bush 
Administration has continually supported. Only a more 
balanced attitude on the part of the U.S. could give the 
Road Map another chance to succeed. As regards Iran, if the 
U.S. stopped focusing on toppling the Mullahs' regime and 
undertook a real dialogue with Teheran starting with the 
array of topics that are of common interest. it would set 
the stage for a new and positive dynamic. The EU, for its 
part, cannot afford to let its guard down on the subject of 
the Middle East and give in to the temptation to fall in 
step behind the U.S." 
"Bernard Lewis and the West's Weakness in the Face of 
Islam" 
Philippe Gelie comments on a round table with Princeton 
University Professor Bernard Lewis, who coined the phrase 
'clash between civilizations,' in right-of-center Le Figaro 
(05/04): "Lewis does not believe that Islam will be 
controlled by Islamists. On the contrary, he believes that 
democratic forces are progressing in the Muslim world. But 
he denounces the West's 'weaknesses' as much as the violent 
currents, which can be seen in the Islamic world. Lewis, 
who approved the war in Iraq, acknowledges that the U.S. 
'underestimated its ability to trigger defeat from 
victory.' Lewis speaks in favor of destroying the Iraqi 
insurrection, 'totally. This is not something that can be 
done partially.' The same goes for Hamas." 
 
"Hamas Seeking Contacts in Europe" 
Georges Malbrunot in right-of-center Le Figaro (05/04): 
"Paris refused visa requests to Hamas representatives who 
nevertheless have discreet dealings with Sweden and Spain. 
The contact certain EU countries have with Hamas points to 
the dichotomy between the official line and reality. FM 
Douste-Blazy has underscored that France 'has no 
relationship' with Hamas, but while this may be the case 
for the Ministry, the intelligence services would like to 
establish ties: 'When politicians do not talk to each 
other, it is our role to deal behind the scenes' says an 
intelligence official. Someone will eventually have to make 
the first step to grant Hamas some political credibility. 
and deal with the hypocrisy of the situation." 
 
Iran 
 
"UNSC Divided in Face of Iran" 
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (05/04): "The 
U.S., France and Great Britain have failed to convince 
Moscow and Beijing to join them in their initiative against 
Tehran. Negotiations will resume on May 8. Russia and China 
reject the inclusion in the resolution of any mention of 
sanctions and the use of force as last resort. In Paris, a 
Russian diplomat clearly stated that Moscow doe not want 
the mention of a 'threat to peace and to international 
security' adding there is no proof that Teheran wants to 
build the bomb. Moscow feels that western determination 
would 'play into the hands' of Iran's ultra-conservative 
wing. But the Americans disagree, and are satisfied to have 
finally brought Iran before the UNSC. Says Ambassador 
Bolton: 'The U.S. would be satisfied with Russia and China 
abstaining.' During Merkel's meeting with President Bush 
she hoped to convince him to take a 'methodical' approach 
in order not to alienate his allies as was the case in 2003 
with Iraq." 
 
"Machiavelli in Iran" 
Alexandre Adler in right-of-center Le Figaro (05/04): "The 
West should make concessions to Iran, more specifically it 
should allow it to continue its nuclear program, which 
would in turn hasten the emergence of trends oriented 
toward negotiation. Any other solution could only lead to a 
major clash whose first effect would be to succeed where 
Ossama Bin Laden has for the moment failed: in establishing 
a united political Islamic front where the Shiite-Sunni 
cleavage, however exacerbated in Iraq, Pakistan and Saudi 
Arabia, would be heaped onto the West's back.  By 
discretely leaving the door half-open, Ahmadinejad would be 
weakened, finally appearing as the principal obstacle, and 
no longer the solution, to the construction of a regional 
hegemonic Iran." 
Moussaoui Trial 
 
"Moussaoui Escapes Death Sentence" 
Guillemette Faure in right-of-center Le Figaro (05/04): 
"The Federal Court of Alexandria has respected its own 
tradition of never having pronounced a death sentence. But 
the verdict is in keeping with U.S. jurisprudence which 
reserves capital punishment for direct perpetrators of a 
crime and spares accomplices. In sparing his life, the jury 
has tried to keep Moussaoui from turning into an expiatory 
victim. While this is a victory for the defense, it is of 
little consolation to the accused. who was nevertheless the 
source of the proof used to accuse him. But after seven 
weeks of trial, many questions remain unanswered, such as 
why was he so keen to take quickie flying lessons and why 
did he deposit the 14,000 dollars he received from Ramzi 
Bin al-Shibh, the 'treasurer' of the 9/11 attacks?" 
 
"Life for Moussaoui" 
Laurent Mauriac in left-of-center Liberation (05/04): "Seen 
from the outside, the jury's verdict is logical: Moussaoui 
was in jail when the 9/11 attacks occurred. Yet seen from 
inside the courtroom, the death penalty was far from 
impossible. Moussaoui's lies, had, according to testimony, 
'directly' caused the death of at least 3000 people. But 
the trial often appeared to be more than just Moussaoui's 
trial. The verdict saves the French government from an 
issue of contention with the U.S. over the death penalty. 
Last evening, France's Justice Minister acknowledged the 
verdict of 'an independent court.' The French association 
of trial lawyers has for its part saluted the verdict as 'a 
victory against the death penalty.'" STAPLETON