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 004342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
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AF/PA; EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC; 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Transatlantic Relationship - 
Guantanamo President Bush to Hungary Middle East - Olmert and Abbas 
Talks North Korea 
PARIS - Friday, June 23, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Transatlantic Relationship - Guantanamo 
President Bush to Hungary 
Middle East - Olmert and Abbas Talks 
North Korea 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
President Bush's trip to Vienna and Budapest, Iraq, Guantanamo, 
North Korea and the handshake between Olmert and Abbas are today's 
leading international stories. 
 
Liberation announces on its front page: "U.S. Army Tightens 
Discipline in Iraq." Inside, Pascal Riche comments, in an article 
entitled "U.S. Army Tries to Revamp Its Image in Iraq," "The 
improving figures in the number of Iraqi civilians killed has been 
negatively offset by increasing revelations of cold blooded murders 
committed by U.S. soldiers..." 
 
In a separate report Pascal Riche takes another look at the Pew 
Research Center findings in a report entitled: "The Gap Grows 
Between Islam and the West" and points to the divide that is 
separating the perception of Muslims and non-Muslims: "few are those 
who consider that relations between the West and Muslims 'are 
generally good.'" According to Riche, "One of the poll's surprises 
resides in the conclusions on who bears responsibility for the 9/11 
attacks: In many Muslim nations (Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt and 
Jordan, the majority says the attacks were not committed by Arabs." 
 
 
Le Monde's editorial, a "Demanding Ally" criticizes the U.S. method 
in its fight against Islamic terrorism and Guantanamo, although the 
editorial says the EU must fight Jihadists. The daily satirical 
column in Liberation by Pierre Marcelle is simply entitled: "We Are 
Closing, but When?" in connection with President Bush's comments in 
Vienna on Guantanamo. (See Part C) 
 
La Croix profiles U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad, Almay Khalizad in 
connection with the cable published in the Washington Post depicting 
the difficulties of U.S. Embassy personnel in Iraq: "The cable says 
more about the reality in Iraq than all the speeches coming from 
Washington... Like all cables, it bears the name of the Ambassador, 
but nothing proves he drafted it... Still, the black picture the 
cable gives of the local situation is pretty clear... Employees live 
in constant fear of being abducted..." 
 
Le Figaro analyzes the new relationship between Libya and the U.S. 
and the new wave of "Anglo-Saxon influence" in the country. The 
report notes that "since Washington re-opened its diplomatic ties 
with Tripoli, English is no longer the language of the enemy... And 
U.S. influence," says Pierre Prier " goes well beyond the capital 
into the rest of the country..." In a separate report, Pierre Prier 
reports that "the country's religious leaders do not appreciate the 
latest liberal reforms." 
 
Le Figaro's editorial is devoted to Olmert's talks with Mahmoud 
Abbas. (See Part C) 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Transatlantic Relationship - Guantanamo 
 
"Demanding Allies" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (06/23): "Since 9/11, which 
was truly a declaration of war by al-Qaeda on the U.S., the 
Americans and the Europeans are battling together against Bin Laden 
and the Jihadists who get their inspiration from him. The 
determination of either Washington or other European capitals is 
rarely faulted, and cooperation between intelligence services is 
very close. In the words of President Bush, the enemy of the 'free 
world' is Jihadist warmongers. The goal is clear: their eradication. 
But Americans and Europeans disagree on two crucial points: First, 
the method: the U.S. has decided to do away with international law 
and the rules of war. Guantanamo detainees do not have the status of 
'prisoners of war;' suspects have disappeared at the hands of the 
CIA in their secret prisons; the accused, among them planners of the 
9/11 attacks, have not benefited from a fair trial. Finally, the 
Americans have turned their backs on their values by tolerating 
torture... The second crucial point (which separates the U.S. from 
Europe) is the war in Iraq, where a tyrant reigned with no 
connection with al-Qaeda. Here the U.S. opened a front, which is a 
land of adventure for the Jihadists. Before the Vienna summit, Jose 
Manuel Barroso admitted that he feared 'the West would lose its soul 
in the war against terror...' to which President Bush answered that 
'while 9/11 was an episode for the Europeans, for the Americans it 
had marked a turning point.' And he added that 'he would like to 
close Guantanamo' but that he could not... Americans and Europeans 
should be careful. Their divisions, whether over Iraq or the war 
against terror, serves their common enemy, for whom the war is a 
battle to the death. The Americans must find the way back to 
international law. While we must not hold any illusions about the 
need for the battle of the shadows, it is vital not to fight the 
enemy with his own weapons, when one pretends to promote peace and 
democracy. The Europeans must, as demanding allies, continue to work 
alongside the U.S. in the fight against al-Qaeda, but obtain the 
closing of Guantanamo, whose image in the world has inspired more 
Jihadists than any speech by Bin Laden. But they must never lose 
sight of the goal: to eradicate al-Qaeda and its affiliated 
networks, who for their part, suffer neither from the qualms of 
doubt or from divisions." 
 
"We Are Closing But When?" 
Pierre Marcelle in left-of-center Liberation (06/23): "When 
President Bush, in other words 'the boss,' says he would like to 
close Gunatanamo, he is not saying he is going to close the 
despicable detainee camp which stands as an example of the arbitrary 
and outlaw... Instead he speaks of 'rights' and 'legal void' and 
'gray zones' to explain why the law does not allow him to end this 
outlaw situation... Everyone will assess ... whether President Bush 
wants to or can ... close Guantanamo, where America's democracy is 
on display. A camp must either be open or closed. But between 'would 
like to close' and 'I will' stands the difference between wishing 
and doing. By speaking as if he himself were torn, President Bush 
gives the impression he is a prisoner of Guantanamo. And no longer 
completely 'the boss.'" 
 
President Bush to Hungary 
 
"Bush Cajoles The New Europe" 
Laure Mandeville in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/23): "President 
Bush continues to cleverly cajole former communist countries in 
Central Europe, who count among his most faithful allies... In 
Budapest, President Bush paid tribute to the Hungarian 
revolution..., an exercise which is not totally selfless. With this 
tribute to History, President Bush continues to draw the contours of 
his strategic vision for the future of Eastern Europe, which is key 
for America's interests in Euro-Atlantic structures... A sign of the 
importance of Eastern Europe for American foreign policy lies in the 
number of countries the U.S President has visited: seven out of the 
eight in five years... This visit to Budapest recalls past ones: 
before going to Moscow, President Bush is saying to Putin that 
despite tense relations with Russia, he can have relaxed relations 
with Russia's old friends... This in turn annoys the Kremlin, 
obsessed as it is about being 'encircled' by the Americans..." 
 
Middle East - Olmert and Abbas Talks 
 
"Olmert's Game" 
Yves Threard in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/23): "Although 
symbolic, the handshake between Olmert and Abbas in Jordan must not 
fool anyone... While many would like to compare it to the historic 
handshake between Rabin and Arafat in Washington in 1993, and see it 
as a message of hope, its reach will not be similar and in the short 
term it will not impact on the conflict... While Olmert continues to 
make repeated goodwill gestures on the international scene, like 
Sharon in his time, he plans to remain in control of his policy. 
Unilateralism is in his view the only possible line of conduct: 
After Gaza, the West Bank... The welcome he received in the U.S., 
Europe and Egypt, despite the requests made for show, comfort him in 
his position. He has convincing arguments to make his point when 
speaking behind the scene... And although Olmert gives the 
impression he is supporting Abbas, he knows Abbas will not be able 
to reestablish peace in the territories. While the referendum can 
reinforce Abbas and the moderates, there will always be 
fundamentalists to deny its legality... In this context, Olmert's 
stance is that there is nothing to negotiate. Mahmoud Abbas is 
alone, prisoner of leaders who reject the premises of a dialogue... 
While Abbas wants to talk roadmap, Olmert speaks only of 
humanitarian aid for the Palestinian... As long as Abbas has not 
contained the Islamists, Olmert will continue on his merry way, and 
no handshake can divert him from it." 
 
North Korea 
 
"Washington Threatens North Korea" 
Alain Barluet in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/23): "The sword of 
Damocles that North Korea is hanging over the world is creating a 
tense situation... The Americans have confirmed that their 
anti-missile system would be up to the task of thwarting an attack 
if need be... but the head of the NSC warned that the missile shield 
has 'limited operation capabilities...' Meanwhile the North Korean 
threat looks very much like an appeal for a direct dialogue with the 
U.S. and looks very much like a remake of the Iranian crisis." 
STAPLETON