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 004248 
 
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. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iraq - Afghanistan 
U.S. - EU Summit - U.S. Image Abroad - North Korea - Somalia 
PARIS - Wednesday, June 21 2006 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq - Afghanistan 
U.S. - EU Summit 
U.S. Image Abroad 
North Korea 
Somalia 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Le Monde carries two highly critical op-eds about the U.S.: 
political analyst Daniel Vernet writes about the "West's Failure in 
Iraq and Afghanistan" while Sylvie Kauffmann entitles her column: 
"America Loses the Image War." (See Part C) But Le Monde's front 
page is more upbeat about U.S. relations with the EU: "The U.S. - EU 
Summit Under the Sign of Partnership." "The summit will provide the 
opportunity to verify the renewed transatlantic relationship which 
followed the diplomatic fracture over Iraq..." Inside, Corines 
Lenes's article is entitled "Americans and Europeans Seal their 
Appeased Relations Despite Guantanamo." The article is accompanied 
by a color photo of three Austrian militant protesters dressed up to 
look like Guantanamo hooded detainees in their orange jumpsuits. 
(See Part C) 
 
Le Figaro features Secretary Rice on its front page in connection 
with her warning to North Korea "not to cross the yellow line." (See 
Part C) 
 
Several reports confirm Tokyo's decision to withdraw its troops from 
Iraq. Liberation's report comments: "Washington's requests were 
sufficient to convince Tokyo to keep its troops in place until the 
end of President Bush's term... But while this was big news in 
Japan, it leaves the Americans unmoved, because Japan's presence was 
more symbolic than anything else..." 
 
Front pages and editorials are overwhelmingly devoted to the latest 
clash at the National Assembly pitting PM Villepin and Socialist 
Party leader Hollande over EADS and the insider trading accusations 
made against EADS's co-president Noel Forgeard, who was appointed by 
the government. Hollande is questioning Villepin's continuing 
support of Forgeard. Several UMP deputies have taken their distance 
from Villepin, while Christine Boutin is asking for his 
resignation. 
 
La Croix devotes several articles to the situation in Somalia, with 
one report indicating that "the U.S. may be ready to talk with the 
Islamic Tribunals" while another story warns about the danger of 
"the Somali war spreading to the region." (See Part C) 
 
La Croix's question of the day, "Why Is China So Interested in 
Africa?" is answered by Francios Lafargue, author of a book on the 
energy war between the U.S. and China: "Africa's mines and oil 
reserves are necessary to China's industrial development... China's 
ambitions on the African continent are not political, they are 
essentially economic... Contrary to India which is developing thanks 
to its service sector, China's development is industrial..." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq - Afghanistan 
 
"Iraq-Afghanistan: The West's Failure" 
Daniel Vernet in left-of-center Le Monde 906/20): "Things are not 
going better in Iraq. And nothing is going well in Afghanistan. The 
two military interventions... that were intended to bring stability, 
if not democracy, to the Greater Middle East, are facing ferocious 
opposition... The worsening situation in Afghanistan... is not 
unrelated to the failures of the U.S. in Iraq... Yet, at the start, 
the two cases were vastly different... President Bush's 'coalition 
of the willing' seemed to unite the 'civilized world' against the 
Mullahs... even if all do not share the same ideology. Some rally to 
the U.S. out of solidarity, others because they are America's 
clients... Afghanistan might have become a case study in nation 
building... But this may not come to pass. The Taliban are back... 
International troops are facing growing mistrust from the local 
population... NATO could well ruin its reputation in a theater, 
which stands outside its mission. The causes are multiple, including 
Afghanistan's longstanding poverty. But more than in Iraq where 
President Bush can be held responsible, the Afghan experience leads 
one to re-assess the principle and the manner of military and 
political determination." 
 
U.S. - EU Summit 
 
"Americans and Europeans to Seal their Appeasement Despite 
Guantanamo" 
Corine Lesnes in left-of-center Le Monde (06/21): "Yesterday's 
adversaries are no longer tearing each other apart as they did over 
Iraq, but finding compromises like the one on a temporary mechanism 
to provide aid to the Palestinians... The EU Commissioner Manuel 
Barosso acknowledges that 'relations have been considerably 
reinforced... We work together to face economic, political and 
environmental challenges.' Except for Guantanamo, which the 
Europeans want closed... The climate in Vienna will be somewhat 
darkened by violation of human rights issues by the U.S. Army in 
Iraq and the repetition of incidents which the U.S. says are 
isolated ones, like Abu Ghraib or Haditha." 
 
"EU and U.S. Want to Advertise Their Entente" 
Pierre Avril in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/21): "The EU and the 
U.S. entente will be proven again today in Vienna. It is, as Steven 
Hadley said, 'an opportunity to reaffirm a strong relationship...' 
Brussels and Washington can be proud of their united front against 
Iran... And regarding the promotion of democracy, Brussels is 
convinced that the European doctrine is now serving as inspiration 
in the American approach... In this generally harmonious ambiance, 
the only dark cloud should be Europe's request for Guantanmo's 
closing, a subject that is causing embarrassment to the Bush 
administration... The topic is extremely sensitive in European 
opinions which are guarded in their welcome for the U.S. 
President... three out of four Austrians think 'president Bush is a 
bad President, who is dangerous for world peace.'" 
 
"Europe Does Not Want Visas to the U.S." 
Sebastien Maillard in Catholic La Croix (06/21): "The Austrian 
Chancellor will be going to bat to ask for a complete exemption of 
visas to the U.S. In addition to asking for Guantanamo's closing... 
the question of U.S. visas will be on the agenda of the U.S.-EU 
summit... The EU wants the U.S. to extend the visa waver program to 
all EU members... According to a European diplomat quoted in AFP, 
the EU could go further than just raising their voices, and require 
U.S. diplomats and military personnel to have visas to travel to 
Europe... The EU must resolve another issue, that of Washington's 
request for the transfer of passenger data." 
 
"Energy Security and Trade at the Heart of Transatlantic Summit" 
Right-of-center Les Echos (06/21): "While the U.S. refused to adhere 
to the Kyoto Protocol, climate change will also be discussed... 
Insisting on the convergence of views with the Americans, Europeans 
are expected to show their disagreement over two political dossiers: 
Guantanamo and visas... The 25 are asking that the U.S. lift visa 
requirements that affect 10 countries, members of the Union... 
Regarding the Doha Round negotiations, George W. Bush has in vain 
stated that the U.S. is ready to make new sacrifices to unblock the 
negotiations, but this does not seem to be Congress's opinion. It is 
unlikely, therefore, that the transatlantic summit will lead to any 
concrete advances." 
 
"U.S. and Europe Showing Off their Newfound Entente" 
Right-of-center La Tribune (06/21): "Three years after the falling 
out over the second American military expedition in Iraq, (the 
Europeans) are expected to work to show that this black page has 
been turned... Four subjects of disagreement will be on the menu, 
however: Guantanamo, 'rights of people' (i.e. visas), and economic 
issues such as the limits imposed on foreign investment in some 
American sectors, and the Doha negotiations." 
 
U.S. Image Abroad 
 
"America Loses the Image War" 
Sylvie Kauffmann in left-of-center Le Monde (06/21): "The Bush 
administration calls it public diplomacy. And the least one can say 
is that it does not excel in it. Its aim is to improve the image of 
the U.S. around the world. A priority that emerged after 9/11... One 
year ago President Bush called on Karen Hughes, a close advisor 
whose reputation preceded her. But Hughes's efforts, and those of 
Secretary Rice, who, since she arrived at the State Department has 
 
SIPDIS 
been re-orienting America's diplomacy, have changed nothing: 
America's image continues to plummet, and on the eve of the U.S. - 
EU summit two recent studies (Pew and the Financial Times) prove 
this in an alarming demonstration... The U.S. is more dangerous than 
Iran: this is enough to elicit some thinking in President Bush as he 
travels on Air Force One towards Vienna, where climate, among other 
issues will be discussed, and which contributes to tarnishing the 
U.S. image in the world... The initial comments on the Guantanamo 
suicides by the camp's commander and a 'specialist' in public 
diplomacy are openly being criticized in Washington's high 
circles... Secretary Rice's influence in communications is clearly 
more positive than Vice President Cheney's or Secretary Rumsfeld's. 
But America's image problems and its failings in public diplomacy 
cannot hide the fundamental issue of what to do with Guantanamo. 
President Bush can be certain that this issue, and any excess in the 
war on terror, will be raised in every Euro-American diplomatic 
meeting... As long as the U.S. has not regained its standing on the 
international scene regarding the rule of law, as long as its 
diplomats who travel to Europe continue to say one thing, while the 
administration does another, the U.S. will continue to look like the 
number one loser in the battle of ideas against terrorism... 
President Bush can find consolation in one thing: according to the 
two studies, Europeans and Americans agree on Iran." 
 
North Korea 
 
"Washington and Tokyo Warn North Korea" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/21): "Is Kim Jong 
Ill bluffing to get attention away from Iran and back to him? ... A 
year ago the world expected a nuclear test from North Korea which in 
the end never came. This time, Pyongyang could well say it is 
launching a commercial satellite. And if Beijing and Seoul believe 
the story, it will make it more difficult to have a consensual 
reaction at the UN." 
 
Somalia 
 
"The U.S. Ready to Talk with Islamic Tribunals" 
Francois D'Alencon in Catholic La Croix (06/21): "The talks last 
week at the Norwegian delegation to the UN between U.S. and the 
'Somali contact group' were characterized by observers as an 
initiative by the State Department to regain a political foothold in 
Somalia after their apparent fiasco... The U.S. policy of alliance 
with certain Somali faction leaders had some results, such as the 
arrest of a suspect allegedly connected to Al-Qaeda...  In the 
framework of the U.S. global war on terror, the U.S. has also 
stationed troops in Djibouti to lead operations in the Horn of 
Africa... The relationship between Al-Qaeda and the Islamic 
Tribunals remains unclear, although not so for the U.S. 
administration... After the fall of Mogadishu, the U.S. did not 
indicate whether it had stopped its support of the Somali 
warlords... An internal memo from Michael Zorick, a U.S. political 
advisor in Kenya in charge of the Somali dossier, criticized 
America's Somali policy, and earned him a transfer to Chad... As 
proof that the Americans are intensely committed in the Horn of 
Africa, CENTCOM's General John Abizaid was seen in Addis Ababa on 
Monday for talks with the Prime Minister on 'on going efforts to 
fight against terrorism.'" STAPLETON