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Lucia A Keegan  08/07/2006 03:25:38 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Israeli - Lebanese Conflict: 
Franco-American Diplomacy Iran 
PARIS - Monday, August 07, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Israeli - Lebanese Conflict: Franco-American Diplomacy 
Iran 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Today's lead international story revolves around the Franco-American 
agreement at the UN on a resolution for the Israeli-Lebanese crisis. 
While Sunday's Le Journal du Dimanche titled "Lebanon, Hope, 
Finally" this morning's headlines are a little more tempered: "The 
Franco-American Plan to the Test" says Le Figaro, while Liberation 
headlines "False Start for Peace." Both dailies emphasize that the 
draft resolution agreed to by Washington and Paris, "has been 
rejected by three key players: Beirut, Damascus and Tehran." Le 
Figaro interviews former Lebanese President Amine Gemayel who says 
"neither Israel nor Hezbollah are ready for a resolution." Iran's 
rejection of the plan is announced on the front page of Le Figaro 
which carries an op-ed on Iran entitled "Iran: Frightening Without 
the Bomb, And With It?" by Ceri researcher Therese Delpeche. (See 
Part C) Essayist Guy Sorman pens an opinion piece in Le Figaro in 
which he claims that Arab-Muslim hatred of Israel reveals a war 
within itself. (See Part C)  A petition signed by French university 
professors asks in Le Figaro for "the immediate cessation of 
Israel's massacre of Lebanese innocents." 
 
For Liberation the draft resolution was "a laborious Franco-American 
compromise." But in his editorial Gerard Dupuy does not see how this 
compromise "can favor the second more functional compromise between 
the belligerents." (See Part C) La Croix's article says the plan 
"represents a victory for the French" and a "softening" of 
Washington's line. Despite this agreement, La Croix warns, obtaining 
broader consensus in the UNSC could prove difficult as some member 
states reproach France and the U.S. for negotiating "in absolute 
secret." 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Sunday's Le Journal du Dimanche interviews FM Douste-Blazy: "We and 
the Americans were quite far apart at the start of the 
negotiations... Today's agreement is a first very important step. We 
now need to get the approval of the other UNSC members." About the 
international force, he says: "Chirac was very clear. In the advent 
of a ceasefire, we will look into our active participation in the 
force..." The FM acknowledges that "as long as there is no 
cease-fire, there is a permanent risk of a regional outbreak." 
 
France Soir carries an interview with Michel Aoun, former Lebanese 
head of government. According to Aoun, high civilian death tolls and 
destroyed infrastructure indicate that Israel is targeting all of 
Lebanon and not just Hezbollah. Aoun refers to Secretary of State's 
plan for a "new Middle East": "In any case, it is not about 
democracy... It could be that the Middle East of which Ms. Rice 
speaks is a shift of regional countries' geographic borders." 
 
In an interview in Le Parisien, UMP Deputy Claude Goasguen claims 
Israel had no "premeditation" for a "counterattack to a veritable 
act of war" by Hezbollah. Goasguen further regrets FM Douste-Blazy's 
meeting with the FM of Iran, which is "overtly bellicose and 
anti-Semitic." In another interview, UMP Deputy Etienne Pinte 
describes the conflict as avoidable: "Two Israeli prisoners do not 
merit a conflict." While Pinte concedes to Israel the right of self 
defense, it cannot do this "to the detriment of populations." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Israeli - Lebanese Conflict: Franco-American Diplomacy 
 
"A Resolution Goes Unheeded..." 
Gerard Dupuy in left-of-center liberation (08/07): "The 
Franco-American draft resolution was a laborious Franco-American 
compromise which has been rejected by Lebanon, and Hezbollah's 
godparents, Iran and Syria... This was an honorable compromise 
between the French and American positions. But how will this 
compromise favor the second more functional and required compromise 
between the belligerents? President Bush supports the resolution but 
remains 'skeptical' about its implementation; the Israelis are 
pleased... and the Arabs are furious: in short, everyone is playing 
his assigned role... But why has France, which wants to position 
itself as a third party in the equation, taken the risk of appearing 
to favor a unilateral position? In undersigning a resolution that 
will probably not be heeded, France's diplomacy gives a bizarre 
image of the warden of peace it is trying to project... France holds 
too few trump cards to waste even a single one." 
 
"Time Is Short" 
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (08/07): "The international 
community was eagerly waiting for the U.S. to soften its position 
and show less than total support for Israel. This is why everyone is 
saluting the draft resolution reached at the UN after a compromise 
between the French and the Americans. But like all compromises, the 
Franco-American plan at the UN is unsatisfactory, even if it does 
show a joint desire for involvement by both parties. But the text 
calls not for a ceasefire but for a cessation of hostilities-which 
allow defensive military actions-each side laying on the other the 
responsibility for attacking first... Lebanese hostility to and 
Iranian rejection of the agreement are already major obstacles to 
obtaining any resolution. The small diplomatic step taken Saturday 
is therefore not sure to succeed. Much negotiation will be needed. 
And meanwhile, the battle rages on." 
 
"Beyond Hezbollah, a War Within Islam," 
Guy Sorman in right-of-center Le Figaro (08/07): "Arab countries do 
not accept the existence of Israel ... since its creation Muslim 
nations have vowed to eliminate it ... and the only nation which 
carries any weight is the U.S... Israel has for 60 years 
crystallized the hatred of the Arab-Muslim world - anti-Zionism 
being a sort of Arab aphrodisiac, according to the late Moroccan 
King, is really 'disproportionate...' Economics alone doesn't 
explain this conflict since Israel has no oil nor any natural 
resources other than the value added by its population... It may be 
that Israel is seen as the forward base of a democratic West in the 
Islamic world... and that what is going on is a war between the Arab 
moderates and the Arab fundamentalists. Recent free elections in 
Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain  show that Arabs can free themselves and 
their future - Allah willing." 
 
Iran 
 
"Iran Threatens the West" 
Delphine Minoui in right-of-center Le Figaro (08/07): "Tehran has 
rejected the latest UN resolution on the nuclear issue, with Iran's 
negotiator calling the resolution 'illegal.' According to Iran's 
chief negotiator, Ali Larijani, the West has 'killed' the 
negotiations with its adoption of a text that goes 'against' the 
nature of the talks. Iran's Parliamentary Foreign Relations 
Commission spokesman says that the 'issue here is not trust; what is 
at issue is that Americans wants to impose their plan on the Greater 
Middle East...'" 
 
"Iran Is Scary Enough Without the Bomb, But With It????" 
Therese Delpeche of the CERI (Center for International Research) in 
right-of-center Le Figaro (08/07): "The resolution adopted on July 
31st shows once again that it is not Washington and European 
capitals alone that demand that Iran suspend its nuclear program. 
The only nation that voted against the resolution was Qatar... 
Qatar's vote is an indication of how much the region fears Tehran: 
Qatar has no sympathies for Iran. Neither did it vote in this manner 
to protest against Israel's strikes against Lebanon... General 
belief has it that the attack by Hezbollah was triggered by 
Tehran... days before the G8... where Iran's nuclear issue was to be 
discussed. It is reasonable to wonder about a diversion method by 
the Iranians, who share ideological ties with Hezbollah... Those who 
share this opinion in New York also fear that Iran could take other 
unpleasant initiatives... While Doha's vote demonstrates to what 
extent Tehran's attitude has the Middle East in a frenzy, we need to 
draw the proper lessons. Iran has now been acknowledged as 
possessing considerable nuisance power. And many fear that the 
Iranian regime might take advantage of the situation, as 
demonstrated by the stance of those who acknowledge that Iran 
possesses a 'stabilizing' role. Another lesson that must be drawn is 
that America's allies have more limited confidence in America's 
ability to protect them. This is very serious because it can lead 
certain nations to revise their nuclear defense policies... Reason 
dictates a forceful response to Iran's threat... possibly before the 
UNSC welcomes its new members next January: Venezuela, South Africa 
and Indonesia. Diplomacy always acts as if time was on its side. 
Considering the threats brought to light these past few weeks, one 
would hope for a decision before January. But this outcome remains 
illusory." STAPLETON