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 009147
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY (FRANK); BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU;
AF/PA; EUR/WE (DEBORAH MENNUTI)/P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA
(BERBENA); INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE
HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR AND PASS USTR/PA
(ANN LUZZATO); USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; ROME/PA;
BRUSSELS/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - UKRAINE: VICTORY OF
YUSHCHENKO
PARIS - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2004
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:
1. UKRAINE: VICTORY OF YUSHCHENKO
(B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:
THE TRAGEDY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA CONTINUES TO DOMINATE HEADLINES
TODAY AND EDITORIALISTS REFLECT ON THE SCOPE OF THE
CATASTROPHE, THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF NATURAL PHENOMENA AND THE
SOLIDARITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN TIMES OF CRISIS.
THE FINANCIAL PRESS FOCUSES ON THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF
THE CATASTROPHE FOR THE ASIAN ECONOMY AND MARKETS. THE BLOW TO
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE REGION COMES AT A TIME "WHEN
TOURISM HAD INCREASED AS THE FEAR OF BIRD FLU AND SARS HAD
DIED DOWN." (ECONOMIC RIGHT-OF-CENTER LES ECHOS)
ON THE OUTCOME OF THE LATEST ROUND IN THE ELECTIONS IN
UKRAINE, COMMENTATORS TODAY AGREED THAT UKRAINE HAS TAKEN
GREAT STRIDES NOT JUST IN TERMS OF POLITICAL AUTONOMY BUT ALSO
TOWARDS REAL DEMOCRACY. RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO'S EDITORIAL
CALLS THE ELECTION "HISTORIC." HOWEVER, REPORTS AND EDITORIALS
ALSO NOTE THAT THE COUNTRY REMAINS DEEPLY DIVIDED AND THAT
YUSHCHENKO WILL HAVE TO SHOW A GREAT DEAL OF TACT IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE A SEMBLANCE OF NATIONAL COHESION. (SEE PART C)
THE POSSIBILITY OF EU MEMBERSHIP FOR UKRAINE ALSO ELICITS A
NUMBER OF COMMENTARIES: "RUSSIA HAS LOST AN OBEDIENT SERVANT
AND EUROPE HAS GAINED A NEW PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH." (FRANK DE
BONDT IN REGIONAL DAILY SUD OUEST)
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
UKRAINE: VICTORY OF YUSHCHENKO
"THE UKRAINIAN LESSON"
THE UNSIGNED EDITORIAL IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LE MONDE (12/28): "ON
THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT, THE NEW PRESIDENT WILL HAVE TO FIND A
SUBTLE BALANCE BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S BIG BROTHER - RUSSIA. AND
THE WESTERN WORLD THAT IT ASPIRES TO IMITATE. BETWEEN THE
ATTRACTIVENESS OF NATO AND THE EU. AND THE REALPOLITIK THAT
INCITES IT NOT TO CLASH HEAD ON WITH THE KREMLIN. EUROPE'S
ROLE WILL BE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP UKRAINE DEVELOP
A STABLE DEMOCRACY AND A MODERN ECONOMY."
"YUSHCHENKO'S CHALLENGES"
COMMUNIST L'HUMANITE'S PAUL FALZON (12/28): "THE NEW PRESIDENT
WILL URGENTLY HAVE TO TAKE STEPS TO RECONCILE WITH RUSSIA
WHICH BLATANTLY SUPPORTED YUSHCHENKO'S OPPONENT DURING THE
CAMPAIGN. PUTIN MAY HAVE MELLOWED SOMEWHAT, BUT IT IS NOT
IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE MAY SEEK TO MAKE YUSHCHENKO PAY FOR THE
SUPPORT THAT HE GOT FROM EUROPE AND THE U.S. RUSSIA HAS LOST
FACE. AND COULD TRY TO PROVE TO THE NEW UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT
THAT IT REMAINS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH BY FUELING
TENSIONS IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. YUSHCHENKO SEEMS
TO HAVE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE THREAT WHEN HE STATED THAT HIS
FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT WOULD BE TO MOSCOW."
"UKRAINE MUST BE REUNITED"
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE PLOQUIN'S EDITORIAL IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX
(12/28): "IN THIS UNCERTAIN PERIOD SEVERAL SCENARIOS ARE
POSSIBLE: FIRST, THAT UKRAINE COULD UNDERGO A DYNAMIC PROCESS
OF TRANSFORMATION; NEXT, THAT IT COULD SUCCUMB TO A MORE
CHAOTIC AND SLOW EVOLUTION AND LAST THAT IT COULD SIMPLY GET
STUCK IN A RUT. THE OUTCOME DEPENDS FOREMOST ON THE
UKRAINIANS, BUT ALSO ON THE LINES THAT WILL BE THROWN TO THEM
BY RUSSIA, EUROPE AND THE U.S. THE EU ESPECIALLY WILL HAVE TO
MAKE IT CLEAR TO VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO THAT IF HIS COUNTRY ASPIRES
TO EU MEMBERSHIP, IT WILL HAVE TO EMBODY THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
ORANGE REVOLUTION."
"THE FOURTH ROUND"
CHARLES LAMBROSCHINI IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (12/28):
"THE NEW UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT NOT ONLY SURVIVED AN ATTEMPT AT
POISONING BUT HE HAS ALSO BECOME A LION. THE UKRAINIANS HAVE
NOT ONLY CHOSEN A CANDIDATE, THEY HAVE IMPOSED DEMOCRACY.
AFTER THREE ROUNDS, YOUCHENKO NOW NEEDS TO WIN THE FOURTH. HE
WILL HAVE TO CALM THE MORE RADICAL FACTIONS. AND FIND A WAY TO
REUNIFY A COUNTRY THAT HAS BEEN DEEPLY DIVIDED BY THE ALARMIST
PROPAGANDA OF YUSHCHENKO'S OPPONENT VIKTOR YANUKOVITCH. IN
ORDER TO ACHIEVE UNITY, YUSHCHENKO WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH
MOSCOW. BECAUSE UKRAINE WILL NEVER FIND APPEASEMENT UNTIL
RUSSIA HAS ONCE AND FOR ALL OVERCOME ITS IMPERIALISTIC
NOSTALGIA."
"YUSHCHENKO: A CLOSELY WATCHED PRESIDENT"
SACHA BALIT VANDERBROUCK IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER FRANCE SOIR
(12/28): "YUSHCHENKO WILL HAVE TO WORK AROUND UKRAINE'S BIG
BROTHER -RUSSIA, AS THE LATTER COULD STILL SEEK TO DESTABILIZE
THE COUNTRY. YUSHCHENKO HAS NEVER HIDDEN HIS FONDNESS FOR THE
WEST NOR DESIRE TO SEE HIS COUNTRY ONE DAY BECOME PART OF THE
EU. THE EU, FOR ITS PART, IS IN A VERY DELICATE SITUATION
TODAY. INDEED, A MAJORITY OF EU MEMBER STATES ARE NOT
FAVORABLE TO UKRAINIAN MEMBERSHIP IN THAT IT COULD STRAIN THE
EU'S RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA. THE U.S. HOWEVER, DOES NOT SEEM
OVERLY CONCERNED BY THIS AND IS DILIGENTLY WORKING IN THE
WINGS FOR UKRAINE'S MEMBERSHIP IN NATO WHICH COULD OPEN A
WHOLE NEW PANDORA'S BOX." WOLFF