VZCZCXRO6062
RR RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHFR #6943/01 2931651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201651Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2397
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1364
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0208

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006943 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/WE, INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO OPRC FR
SUBJECT:  MEDIA WRAP-UP: DPRK SANCTIONS, IRAQ AND FRENCH-TURKISH 
TENSIONS.  OCTOBER 20, 2006 
 
 
PARIS 00006943  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) This week's commentary led with items on potential 
sanctions following North Korea's nuclear test and the difficulty of 
finding a balance between a firm stance and China's concerns over 
the "disintegration" of North Korea (DPRK), with a number of media 
linking the DPRK and Iran.  Iraq stayed high on the media agenda 
following speculation about the Baker Study Group's possible 
recommendations and commentary on the British stance and a possible 
new Pentagon doctrine.  French editorialists analyzed the growing 
tension between France and Turkey in the context of a bill aiming to 
criminalize denial of the 'Armenian genocide' within the framework 
of complex EU-Turkey negotiations.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
DPRK SANCTIONS -- IRAN WATCHFUL 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Secretary of State Rice's trip to Asia led left-of-center 
Le Monde to argue in an editorial that "the united front at the 
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was fragile and that serious 
snags could be expected between Washington and Beijing" on the DPRK 
sanctions issue.  Right-of-center Le Figaro intoned that "China's 
reservations would be at the center of the talks with Secretary 
Rice" and that Beijing "was concerned about the regional 
consequences of a disintegration of the North Korean regime." 
Right-of-center Le Figaro also argued that China "was afraid of 
having to pick up the pieces in the event that the Bush 
Administration went ahead with its old design of toppling the regime 
of the third member of the 'axis of evil.'" 
 
¶3. (SBU) Right-of-center Le Figaro noted that "Iran was watching 
developments with interest" and would take into account the level of 
"determination adopted in implementing the sanctions."  France's 
call for unity from the international community "when it is facing 
other proliferation crises" led right-of-center Le Figaro to agree 
that "making a connection between the two current nuclear crises was 
inevitable" and "forced the EU to adopt a tougher stance towards 
Iran, while remaining cautious." 
 
----------------------------------------- 
BAKER IRAQ STUDY GROUP ELICITS CONJECTURE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Right-of-center Le Figaro reported that, far from past 
plans to bring home the GIs, "the numbers of soldiers on the ground 
had increased to 141,000, with great pressure to maintain troops in 
Iraq for a long period."  Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le 
Figaro cited escalating casualties to speculate on the "Pentagon's 
last touches to a new doctrine" without developing his subject. 
Right-of-center Le Journal du Dimanche claimed that "Washington was 
considering a 'coup' in Iraq to put an end to the quagmire." 
Popular right-of-center France Soir quoted UK General Richard Dannat 
and Le Journal du Dimanche as it editorialized about "pulling out" 
or reverting to "a coup." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Left-of-center Le Monde suggested that Washington's "Iraq 
strategy" would be a factor in the November elections and picked up 
the L.A. Times' report that Baker was suggesting two options, 
"Baghdad's stabilization with help from Syria and Iran or a gradual 
pullout from Iraq to bases situated outside Iraq."  Left-wing 
Liberation argued in a harsh editorial that "Iraq was a millstone 
around the Republicans' necks" and that President Bush was no longer 
credible, claiming, "The time for lofty speeches about democracy is 
over."  The editorial alleged that Washington was uneasy about the 
Iraqi government's lack of progress, concluding, "Baker will have to 
offer a way out that preserves America's honor and guarantees Iraq's 
survival:  in short, mission impossible." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
TURKEY REACTS TO FRENCH 'ARMENIAN GENOCIDE' BILL 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Commentators argued that "since Chirac recently linked 
Turkey's EU membership to the 'Armenian genocide'" a "slow 
deterioration" in Franco-Turkish relations was taking place, peaking 
with the Socialist-led bill criminalizing revisionism of the 
'genocide.'  Despite Chirac's call to Turkish PM Erdogan, and PM 
Villepin's opposition to the bill, "because it is not a good idea to 
legislate about matters of history or remembrance," right-of-center 
Le Figaro concluded that "France's prestige in Turkey was 
tarnished."  One commentator in left-of-center Le Monde criticized 
the Socialists for "playing up to France's Armenian constituency and 
 
PARIS 00006943  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
more broadly to all those in France who oppose Turkey's EU 
membership."  Right-of-center Le Figaro emphasized that "what Turkey 
is calling 'Chirac's criteria' for EU membership did not fit with 
the Copenhagen criteria," leading France's EU allies to "distance 
themselves from a stance which did not reflect Europe's position," 
as noted by the Finnish EU-President.  Reports of media-fueled 
anti-French feelings in Turkey and demands for "retaliatory trade 
sanctions" led left-wing Liberation to comment that "Turkey can 
boycott, but with moderation," a position shared by most 
commentators who argued that "Ankara cannot afford to push French 
companies out of Turkey." 
HOFMANN