INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - G-8: Climate Change - Africa

Published: Tue 5 Jul 2005 12:07 PM
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 004671
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 ITA/EUR/FR
AND PASS USTR/PA; USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA;
ROME/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - G-8: CLIMATE CHANGE - AFRICA
AFGHANISTAN GUANTANAMO
PARIS - TUESDAY, JULY 05, 2005
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:
1. G-8: CLIMATE CHANGE - AFRICA
2. AFGHANISTAN
3. GUANTANAMO
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:
THE G-8, WHICH BEGINS TOMORROW, IS A BIG FRONT-PAGE STORY,
WITH RELATED STORIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HELPING AFRICA, AS
REPORTED ON MONDAY IN LA TRIBUNE: "THE SUCCESS OF THE G8. WILL
DEPEND ON THE CLIMATE ISSUE AS MUCH AS THE ISSUE OVER AID FOR
AFRICA. THE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE CLIMATE WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR
TONY BLAIR, CAUGHT BETWEEN ISOLATING THE U.S. AND AVOIDING
FAILURE FOR THIS SUMMIT." TODAY, RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO
HEADLINES "WEALTHY NATIONS CONFRONT EACH OTHER BEFORE THE G8"
BUT FINANCIAL LA TRIBUNE IS MORE OPTIMISTIC: "THE G8 UNDER
GOOD AUSPICES." CATHOLIC LA CROIX IN ITS EDITORIAL FAULTS
POLITICIANS AS WELL AS THE CIVIL SOCIETY FOR THEIR
"CONSERVATIVE" MEASURES TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE. THE CHIRAC-
PUTIN-SCHROEDER MEETING OVER THE WEEKEND WAS DESCRIBED ON
MONDAY BY LE PARISIEN IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS: "THEIR
OBJECTIVE? TO SHOW THEIR SOLIDARITY WHEN FACED WITH THE BUSH-
BLAIR TANDEM." (SEE PART C)
TODAY'S SECOND MAJOR STORY REVOLVES AROUND THE CHOICE FOR THE
2012 OLYMPIC SITE TO BE DECIDED TOMORROW BETWEEN SEVERAL
CANDIDATES, INCLUDING NEW YORK, PARIS AND LONDON. THE FRANCO-
BRITISH DISCORD SERVES AS A BACKDROP FOR REPORTS ON THE CHOICE
BETWEEN LONDON AND PARIS. RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO HEADLINES:
"2012 OLYMPICS: THE OTHER CHIRAC-BLAIR DUEL." ACCORDING TO LE
PARISIEN, "A FRENCH VICTORY WOULD ALLOW PRESIDENT CHIRAC, WHO
IS SAID TO BE FEELING DEPRESSED FOLLOWING THE FAILED EU
REFERENDUM AND THE BLAIR `OFFENSIVE' ON EUROPE, TO ARRIVE AT
THE G8 FEELING PERKIER."
THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN IS REPORTED IN LE FIGARO AS
"DIFFICULT FOR THE U.S. ARMY" WHILE LIBERATION REPORTS ON THE
REDISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES THIS FALL, WITH FRANCE
"TAKING OVER IN KABUL." (SEE PART C)
LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION CARRIES AN OP-ED BY SALMAN RUSHDIE
ON GUANTANAMO. (SEE PART C)
SEVERAL OUTLETS IN THE WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA REPORT
EXTENSIVELY ON COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CIA AND ITS FRENCH
COUNTERPART, THE DGSE, AFTER A SUNDAY WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE
REPORTED THAT WASHINGTON AND PARIS HAD CREATED "A SECRET
INTELLIGENCE CELL IN PARIS FOR ANTI-TERRORIST COOPERATION."
(LA CROIX)
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:
G-8: CLIMATE CHANGE - AFRICA
"WEALTHY NATIONS CONFRONT EACH OTHER BEFORE THE G8"
ALAIN BARLUET IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (07/05): "THE
SUMMIT WILL BE UNDERMINED BY THE TWO PRIORITIES SET OUT BY
BLAIR: CLIMATE CHANGE AND AID TO AFRICA. ACCORDING TO THE
BRITISH PRESS, THE FINAL COMMUNIQU WILL MAKE TWO REFERENCES
TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL. WHICH IS REJECTED BY A U.S. PRESIDENT .
WHO SAID IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ITV THAT `IF THE G-8 ACTION PLAN
ON CLIMATE CHANGE LOOKS LIKE THE KYOTO PROTOCOL, THEN THE
(AMERICAN) ANSWER IS NO.' ON AGRICULTURE, PRESIDENT BUSH
INCREASED THE PRESSURE ON CHIRAC WHEN HE STATED THAT THE U.S.
WAS `ABSOLUTELY' READY TO CANCEL AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES IF THE
EU DID THE SAME."
"BUSH REJECTS ALL MENTION OF KYOTO"
PHILIPPE GELIE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (07/05): "UNDER
THE INFLUENCE OF THE INDUSTRIAL AND OIL LOBBIES, PRESIDENT
BUSH HAS BEEN FAVORING A PURELY VOLUNTARY APPROACH TO FIGHTING
CLIMATE CHANGE. IN SPITE OF THE LACK OF RESULTS TO THIS LINE
OF ACTION, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT IS NOT CHANGING COURSE.
ALTHOUGH WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR JAMES CONNAUGHTON SAID BEFORE THE
G-8 THAT `A STRONG CONSENSUS EXISTS FOR CONCRETE ACTION AND
COMMON STRATEGIES' BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND ITS ALLIES,
PRESIDENT BUSH SEEMS TO BE MORE ISOLATED THAN EVER."
"CONSERVATIVE APPROACH"
DOMINIQUE QUINIO IN CATHOLIC LA CROIX (07/05): "WILL A WIND OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES BLOW ON THE G8? WILL THE TABOO WORDS
`KYOTO PROTOCOL,' WHICH OUTRAGE PRESIDENT BUSH, BE UTTERED? OR
WILL THE G8 SATISFY ITSELF WITH GOOD INTENTIONS WHEN THE KYOTO
PROTOCOL OBJECTIVES HAVE ALREADY BECOME OBSOLETE? THE HARSHEST
REPROACH ONE CAN DIRECT AT POLITICIANS AND INDIVIDUALS ALIKE
IS INDEED THAT THE APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE IS TOO
CONSERVATIVE. THE POLITICAL DECISIONS - OR NON-DECISIONS- MADE
TODAY IMPACT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS IS WHERE OUR
RESPONSIBILITY LIES."
AFGHANISTAN
"REVERSAL FOR U.S. ARMY ON AFGHAN FRONT"
MARIE-FRANCE CALLE IN RIGHT-OF-CENTER LE FIGARO (07/05): "IT
IS BECOMING VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INFORMATION ON MILITARY
OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN. THE AMERICANS DO NOT WANT TO
ENDANGER THEIR SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS. OBSERVERS ESTIMATE
THAT THE TALIBAN HAVE RETURNED EN FORCE SINCE THEIR WINTER
PAUSE. THEY ARE SAID TO BE HELPED BY PAKISTANI `FOREIGNERS'
AND `ARABS' BELONGING TO BIN LADEN'S NETWORK. THE ANNOUNCED
ARREST YESTERDAY OF FOUR AFGHAN JOURNALISTS WORKING FOR THE
WEST WILL NOT HELP TRANSPARENCY. ONE THING IS CERTAIN: WITH
UNDER TWO MONTHS TO GO BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS, THE
TALIBAN SEEM BETTER ARMED, BETTER ORGANIZED THAN THEY WERE
BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE IN FOR
ELECTIONS WITH HIGH RISK STAKES."
"KABUL TO BECOME FRANCE'S RESPONSIBILITY"
JEAN-DOMINIQUE MERCHET IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (07/05):
"THE FRENCH MILITARY WILL BE TAKING OVER RESPONSIBILITY IN
KABUL JUST WHEN THE COUNTRY'S OVERALL SECURITY IS WORSENING.
THE U.S. WILL RETAIN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, `THE
MOST DANGEROUS' ACCORDING TO A FRENCH SOURCE. WHILE THE
PENTAGON WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE ITS TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN.
MILITARY EXPERTS ON THE GROUND DO NOT SHARE THIS VIEW.
ACCORDING TO ANOTHER FRENCH SOURCE `THEY DOUBT NATO'S ABILITY
TO CONDUCT ANTI-GUERRILLA OPERATIONS.'"
GUANTANAMO
"GUANTANAMO, EVERY MAN TO HIS OWN TRUTH"
SLAMAN RUSHDIE IN LEFT-OF-CENTER LIBERATION (07/05): "IN A
WAR, TRUTH IS ALWAYS AMONG THE FIRST VICTIMS. IT IS ALWAYS
DIFFICULT TO LET `FACTS' TELL THE TRUTH. BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS
ON SLIPPERY GROUND. ON GUANTANAMO AND RELATED STORIES, THE
CONSERVATIVES' TAKE IS THAT WHEN THERE IS A WAR, DETAINEES ARE
OUR SWORN ENEMIES. THE LIBERALS' TAKE IS THAT THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH TO GITMO AND ABU GHARAIB REFLECTS
POORLY ON CIVIL LIBERTIES AT HOME. THE THIRD POINT OF VIEW
COMES FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND GIVES A `NON-AMERICAN VERSION
OF THE FACTS.' WITH A DOSE OF CYNICISM IT CONCLUDES THAT
AMERICA HAS SHOWN TOO MUCH INDULGENCE FOR ITS OWN MILITARY. AN
INTERNAL INVESTIGATION THAT LEADS TO SELF-EXCULPATION IS AT
THE LEAST DUBIOUS. WHILE FANATICS AND THEIR ACTS MUST BE
JUDGED SEVERELY, WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THAT WHEN JUDGING
OTHERS WE MUST ALSO LOOK AT OURSELVES IN THE MIRROR."
STAPLETON
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