This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004651 
 
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 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - North Korea Missile Tests 
GWOT - London Bombing Anniversary 
PARIS - Friday, July 07, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
North Korea Missile Tests 
GWOT - London Bombing Anniversary 
 
(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
The looming World Cup final, pitting France against Italy, continues 
to dominate headlines and front pages with the economic dailies 
analyzing the positive effects that the World Cup victories have on 
the economy and on growth in France. 
 
The lead international story is highlighted on the front page of 
right-of-center Le Figaro: "North Korea Threatens Again." The inside 
story notes, "Kim Jong Il... is ignoring China and openly defying 
the U.S." Valerie Niquet, Director of the Asia Center at IFRI 
(French Institute on International Relations) pens an op-ed in Le 
Figaro entitled "The North Korean missile tests point to the 
weakness of the regime." Privately-run TF1 television briefly 
mentioned that North Korea has officially acknowledged the tests and 
threatens to use force if the international community tries to 
prevent it from carrying out further tests. (See Part C) 
 
Right-of-center Le Figaro reports that "Teheran arrives empty-handed 
in Brussels" for the discussions on its nuclear program which are to 
begin on July 11. "Javier Solana, can at the least, be pleased by 
the fact that he was able to persuade the Iranian negotiator to come 
to Brussels... The repeated cancellations give the impression that 
Teheran is continuing to try to play for time." A separate piece in 
Le Figaro notes IAEA head Mohamed El Baradei's visit to Ankara to 
persuade the Turkish government to intervene in negotiations with 
Iran on its nuclear program "because of Turkey's geographic and 
religious closeness with Iran... The meeting between El Baradei and 
the Turkish FM is scheduled for today... It is well-timed because 
the latter has just returned from meeting in Washington with 
Condoleezza Rice and is heading for Teheran for a summit meeting." 
 
Dominique Quinio writes an editorial on the front page of Catholic 
La Croix in which she outlines "Britannic Resistance" to Islamist 
extremism. Quinio notes that although the UK faced international 
scrutiny for supporting the U.S. in Afghanistan and in Iraq, the 
London bombings last July originated from within. All of the suicide 
bombers were assimilated into British life as "students, workers, 
neighbors, or friends." Quinio highlights the unwillingness of the 
UK in general and PM Tony Blair in particular to bend either to fear 
or to the extremist clerics' prophecies. "It is by displaying its 
fundamental values, and by teaching them in schools, that Britain 
will resist." (See Part C) 
 
Agence France Presse wire service reports its staff has counted CIA 
rendition flights in Europe since 2001, and it provides a per 
country count. France allegedly received 28 such flights.  Germany 
allegedly received 316. 
 
Economic right-of-center Les Echos' correspondent in New York looks 
at the proposed merger of General Motors with Nissan-Renault.  He 
doesn't see Carlos Ghosn saving General Motors in the same way he 
saved Nissan.  GM suffers different problems and doesn't require 
massive recapitalization.  General Motors has cash flow woes, to be 
sure, but its really problem is the retirement and health benefits 
for its employees. "GM above all needs time.  The most cynical 
believe that the group must pass the time until its generations of 
retirees die.  Realists remark that GM must above all progressively 
reduce the size of its industrial tool" so it can deal with its 
declining sales in the domestic market. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
North Korea Missile Tests 
 
"The White House is Looking for a Way to Counter" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (07/07): "In George W. 
Bush's first State of the Union speech in 2002, he had promised to 
prevent the most dangerous regimes on Earth from using the most 
dangerous weapons on Earth. Four years and two wars later, he is 
rather embarrassed when it comes to facing the moment of truth. In 
spite of what is at stake, with regard to international security and 
the U.S.'s credibility... the American president has very few 
options left. Washington's hopes, after the North Korean missile 
tests lay with the unity of the international community and the 
influence that Beijing, running out of patience, would have 
vis-`-vis Pyongyang... But this unity is visibly shattered and the 
American government is looking for another way out - beyond 
diplomacy... But the memory of the Korean war that claimed the lives 
of one million people between 1950 and 1953 weighs heavily on any 
inclination for invasion or even preventive strikes that would lead 
to an escalation of the situation. The other solution is the 
anti-missile shield in which the U.S. has invested over 100 billion 
dollars over the last twenty years but that is still not 100 percent 
operational." 
 
"Intimidation" 
Gerard Noel writes in regional La Liberte de l'Est (07/07): "Whether 
concerning Iran or North Korea, the prevailing sentiment is that the 
international community is powerless to react to the multiple 
provocations from these dictatorships that see threats and blackmail 
as part of the panoply of petty diplomacy. It could almost be funny 
is the two regimes in question were not waving the use of nuclear 
weapons like so many red flags before the world's great powers. That 
weapons of this kind are in the hands of the vilest despots such as 
Kim Jong Il is terrifying... and not to be taken lightly. In the 
end, North Korea's intimidation tactics have no other goal than to 
try to push Washington to be forced to normalize relations. But the 
latter is disinclined to negotiate directly with this 'rogue state' 
and more prone to re-establishing order through the use of force." 
 
GWOT - London Bombing Anniversary 
 
"British Resistance" 
The editorial by Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (07/07): "The 
reasons for the feeling of injustice among the Muslim community, 
whether they are founded or not, have not been erased. The extent of 
this sentiment was felt during the issue of the Mohamed caricatures. 
The conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East have been 
exacerbated, and the fight against terrorism has sometimes seemed 
careless with Human Rights (for example Guantanamo) fueling 
resentment and promoting a radical form of Islam." STAPLETON