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Lucia A Keegan  09/05/2006 05:29:56 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iran Iraq, Elections and 9/11 
Darfur 
PARIS - Friday, September 01, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iran 
Iraq, Elections and 9/11 
Darfur 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Ambassador Stapleton who hosted a preview last evening of a France 2 
television documentary on 9/11 is prominently featured in Le 
Parisien, which relates the "high level of emotion" in the audience, 
including the Ambassador, who "lost two friends in the tragedy." 
 
A wide variety of stories make today's front pages, with domestic 
economic and social news topping international reports. Le Figaro is 
the exception with the lead story devoted to a foiled terrorist plot 
in Morocco, alleging that terrorists who infiltrated the highest 
level of government were planning to attack "the symbols of power," 
tourist sites and domestic and foreign high officials. 
 
Iran continues to be a major international story. In Le Monde, the 
editorial contends "time has come for determined action and unity to 
deal with Tehran's posturing." Maurin Picard in Le Figaro says Iran 
"is sticking to its guns." (See Part C) Francois Gere of the French 
Institute for Strategic Analysis, is interviewed in Le Monde, Le 
Parisien and Le Figaro and says "America's approach is heading for 
an impasse. Threatening without following through is useless. The 
discrepancy between the high level of threats and the limited means 
we have to implement them is very dangerous... France's position of 
a dialogue with Iran is more realistic."  An op-ed in Le Figaro by 
Francois Heisbourg of the Foundation for Strategic Studies echoes 
Gere when he says "coercive measures against Iran must be used with 
caution... We must avoid handing Iran anything it might use against 
the West. (See Part C) 
 
President Bush's mid-term election speeches are noted by Philippe 
Gelie of Le Figaro as a "mix of Iraq and 9/11" in the President's 
"fight for an ideology." (See Part C) 
 
The Donors Conference on Lebanon is reported. Both Liberation and Le 
Figaro mention that 900 million dollars have been pledged for 
Lebanon's reconstruction. TF1 noted that "the allocation of money 
will be tightly controlled."  Radio RTL quoted PM Fouad Siniora who 
said that "Hezbollah will not get any money." 
 
Europe's involvement in UNIFIL, but also in the negotiations with 
Iran, leads Le Figaro to entitle a report "Europe on all fronts" as 
the EU-25 FM head for an informal conference in Finland on Saturday: 
"It is with their heads held high that the chiefs of Europe's 
diplomacy head to Finland. Proud of having been able to pull 
together thousands of men for UNIFIL, they will try to decide on a 
strategy to end the impasse with Iran." 
 
Liberation devotes a major article to Darfur and the "Blue Helmets 
on their Way to Chaos." Le Monde reports that President Bush is 
proposing a bilateral meeting with the Sudanese president on the 
margins of the UNGA in New York. With this meeting, Le Monde says, 
"the US is trying to push hard" on the Darfur issue. In Le Figaro, 
the report says "Ambassador Bolton was able to keep his word... 
about a resolution to replace the African forces. But the arrival of 
the Blue Helmets is dependent on Khartoum's goodwill." (See Part C) 
 
Le Figaro Economie carries a report entitled "Transatlantic 
Controversy Over Airline Safety" rising costs and the negotiations 
underway between Washington and Brussels to determine who must bear 
them. The article says that "flights to the U.S. might be disrupted 
because of an imbroglio between the two capitals... over the 
personal passenger data airlines must give Washington... According 
to Brussels, the U.S. administration is taking advantage of the 
renegotiations under way to demand even more information." 
 
La Croix devotes its lead to France's renewed attraction for 
tourists. In Le Figaro Economie, one report is entitled: "American 
Spendthrift Tourists Are Back in Paris." 
Le Figaro Economie carries a short profile of "American style" Clara 
Gaymard who is taking over as CEO of GE France. The report recalls 
her previous position promoting French investments in the U.S. and 
American investments in France. 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iran 
 
"Against Iran's Nuclear Ambitions, Coercive Measures Must Remain 
Cautious" 
Francois Heisbourg in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "While Iran 
says it is open to negotiations, it has for the time being opted for 
rejecting the West's offer. Three things are at risk here. The 
UNSC's authority risks being undermined, because resolution 1696 
implies coercive measure in the event of non respect by Iran... The 
future of non-proliferation depends on the outcome of the crisis... 
because the precedent created by Iran having the bomb carries many 
more consequences than is the case for Israel or Pakistan... Last, 
it is the entire equilibrium of the Middle East which is in the 
balance... It is therefore gratifying to see that under these 
circumstances, nations like Russia and China sided with the 
Europeans and the Americans... But it is less certain that this 
unity will prevail after August 31st... The invitation made by the 
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton to America's allies that they can impose 
sanctions outside the framework of the UNSC is counter productive... 
Strategically, such international alignment would be exactly what 
needs to be avoided: 'the West against the rest.' The only viable 
way out is to build the unity that prevailed until now... and to ask 
ourselves the question of whether new measures decided by the UNSC 
have a chance of reaching their goal. We must remember that Iran 
does not totally ignore the international community and that a 
united front may well work. And so, before saying that sanctions 
will not work, we need to explore all avenues. But, if we must 
resort to more coercive measures, we must be careful not to hand 
Iran anything it might use against us. America and Great Britain's 
mired situation in Iraq is a great source of strategic weakness 
towards Iran. Conversely, the deployment of European soldiers in 
Lebanon will be additional points of pressure on Iran through 
Hezbollah." 
 
"Faced with Iran" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in its unsigned editorial (09/01): "For 
several weeks French diplomats have been insisting on the need to 
dialogue with Iran... such solicitude is certainly not justified by 
the reality of the situation. In Lebanon, Iran continues to try to 
provide weapons to Hezbollah and to denounce Resolution 1701... On 
the issue of its nuclear program, Iran has shown no intention 
whatsoever of conforming to the demands of the UNSC... For months 
Iran has been hedging, shirking its obligations and refusing any 
gesture of good faith...There may still be time for diplomacy, 
especially considering that the Bush Administration is incapable of 
launching a new offensive in the Middle East. However the unity of 
the UNSC on the issue is far from being a given. The situation in 
Lebanon has changed the context... The deployment of 2000 French 
soldiers... puts French diplomacy at the mercy of Iran's mood 
swings. To acknowledge this publicly and explain that the Iranian 
nuclear issue could impact the security of the European troops in 
Lebanon would contribute to shedding light on the situation... In 
order to maintain a semblance of credibility, the great powers are 
now forced to take action. The August 31 deadline is passed, now it 
is time to discuss sanctions on Iran." 
 
"Iran Sticks to Its Guns" 
Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "President Bush 
has asked for 'consequences' in response to Iran's attitude. 
Meanwhile Tehran's trade partners, Russia and China, are dragging 
their feet about further sanctions... and the EU-25 ministers 
acknowledge the failure of their strategy of incentive." 
 
Iraq, Elections and 9/11 
 
"Bush Puts Iraq in the Campaign" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "President Bush 
is opting for a new approach. Instead of speaking about the 
increasingly hard to pinpoint progress in Iraq, he is insisting on 
the vital stakes of the 'global war' on terror. This is a risky 
wager on his part, but the last one he can rely on. While there is 
little hope of making America forget about Iraq two months before 
the mid-term elections, his stance is to turn a handicap into an 
asset... In a new series of speeches, President Bush is lumping 
together 9/11 and Iraq in one 'decisive ideological war for the 21st 
century...' Other speeches, intended to coincide with 9/11 
commemorations and the UNGA are expected to pave the way for the 
mid-term elections on November 7. This is the third time in one year 
that the President has launched a PR operation of this scale... But 
this time there is an obvious shift in the rhetoric: 'successes and 
reversals' in Iraq are mentioned only in passing, while the gist of 
the debate focuses on fundamental challenges... such as terrorism, 
which remains the number one concern for most Americans... Hence the 
mix." 
 
Darfur 
 
"Waiting For Khartoum's Green Light" 
Jean-Louis Turlin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/01): "Ambassador 
Bolton was able to keep his word... about a resolution to replace 
the African forces. But the arrival of the Blue Helmets is dependent 
on Khartoum's goodwill... The UN resolution sends a message which is 
both firm and conciliatory to Sudan. It is firm in that it sets a 
definitive calendar for the new deployment, which can resort to 
force to protect local populations. The conciliatory element resides 
in the obvious desire for dialogue with the Sudanese authorities on 
the hyper-sensitive subject of the transition... Meanwhile according 
to Jan Egeland, the region is on the brink of a new catastrophe... 
For Ambassador Bolton, 'silence' from Khartoum is to be interpreted 
as consent. About the negative messages coming from Khartoum, the 
American Ambassador adds: 'one must distinguish between rhetoric and 
facts.'" 
 
"In Darfur, the Blue Helmets on the Road to Chaos" 
Christophe Ayad in left-of-center Liberation (09/01): "Despite 
Khartoum's opposition, the U.S. managed to pull off its efforts at 
the UNSC... Ambassador Bolton is convinced that despite its stance, 
once it is facing the fait accompli, the Sudanese government will 
play along... Indeed, despite its bellicose and anti-West rhetoric, 
the Sudanese regime has always shown flexibility when its survival 
is in the balance. In the end, after more attempts to play for time, 
it will accept the resolution." STAPLETON