Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - Nuclear Issues - North Korea

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

201018Z Sep 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006381

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 - Nuclear Issues - North Korea
European Issues - German Elections - European Defense
PARIS - Tuesday, September 20, 2005

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

1. Nuclear Issues - North Korea
2. European Issues - German Elections - European Defense

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Many front pages continue to focus on Germany's elections and
the lack of political consensus they reveal. Several
commentators make analogies with the political situation in
France and most acknowledge that the political stalemate in
Germany is indicative of Europe's social and political
immobility. In La Tribune Francois-Xavier Pietri comments: "A
weak coalition in Germany pleases no one in Europe. Everyone
knows that a coalition is never fertile ground for reforms."
For Catholic La Croix, "the losers are the winners and vice-a-
versa." while Gerard Dupuy in Liberation comments that "for
once, the austere German political game is a bit more sexy."
(See Part C)

Inside, nuclear issues are one of today's major international
stories, with the six-party talks with North Korea and the
agreement reached yesterday highly profiled. Most reports pay
tribute to the achievement, but warn about the need to "wait
and see." President Bush is quoted about the need to be able
to "verify" North Korea's commitments. (See Part C) Other
reports on Iran stipulate that the EU-3 "is determined to
bring Iran before the UNSC."

Right-of-center Le Figaro reports on European defense
cooperation (See Part C) and on a press conference between
Ambassador Stapleton, General Jones and France's General Henri
Bentegeat, who is quoted: "Military relations between Paris
and Washington are numerous, in spite of the political
turbulence of the past three years. Our relations continued
and they have now gone back to the level before the Iraq
crisis. There will be no quarrel about NATO and Afghanistan
between Paris and Washington, except possibly about wording."

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

Nuclear Issues - North Korea

"North Korea Gives Up Its Nuclear Arsenal"
Jean-Jacques Mevel in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/20): "The
North Korean commitment which Beijing was able to extract from
Pyongyang is the first tangible sign of success after two
years of on and off negotiations. On paper, Washington and
Pyongyang are a step closer to settling their conflict. But it
is only a promise. The Beijing declaration sets no deadline,
gives no detail and no means of verification. President Bush,
who cautiously saluted the agreement, insists on the need to
be able to ensure that Pyongyang respects its commitment. But
the declaration leaves for later the settlement about light
water nuclear commercial plants, which North Korea is asking
for. Down the road, the most difficult phase will be the
verification stage. Success depends on trust and sincerity
from both sides, two things which have been missing until now.
Just as they were missing from Iraq and the U.S. before their
lack led to war."

European Issues - German Elections - European Defense

"The Lessons of a Missed Opportunity"
Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/20): "One
thing is certain: Germany is paralyzed. One hopes that when
the time comes, Germany's political leaders will know how to
put Germany's interests before their partisan calculations.
Not only have the Germans postponed their country's much
needed economic reform, they have thrown the EU into a period
of political immobility. But the Germans voted pretty much
like the French would have. One of the lessons from this
ballot where almost everyone loses concerns the choices being
offered to the voters: no one had the right answers or the
creativity to help the voters overcome their fear of change."

"A Paralyzed Europe"
Francois-Xavier Pietri in right-of-center La Tribune (09/20):
"It is clear that Germany's uncertainties do not help Europe's
affairs. The period of political turbulence in which Germany
is being propelled is rather unwelcome. The business world is
wary of a political maelstrom just when Europe's number one
economy was beginning to show signs of recovery. They know
that coalitions are never fertile ground for reform.
Governments themselves are in a quandary. France has nothing
to gain from a weak coalition when it is looking to boost the
Franco-German locomotive. 2005 started badly for Europe's
construction with the double `no,' from France and the
Netherlands this past spring. Germany's uncertainties will
weigh in on European affairs, and most specifically on the
difficult negotiations for Turkey's EU membership. This year
will not go down as a good year for Europe's construction."

"Europe's Military Industry At Stake"
Arnaud de La Grange in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/20): "The
president of the European Defense Agency, Nick Witney, in
spite of being a staunch supporter of transatlantic ties, has
pulled the alarm about the future of the industrial and
technological base of Europe's defense industry. Because of
his Atlanticism, his warning takes on added weight. Europe's
research capabilities are in his view alarming: the U.S.
spends five times what Europe spends in defense research. And
he sends home the message when he says that all governments,
`no matter what their strategic and political relations with
the U.S.,' must realize that a true transatlantic defense
cooperation is nothing but an illusion. `It would be
different,' he adds, `if the Americans opened, in a reasonable
manner, their markets to the Europeans, which they do not.'
While Europe buys American, `the American market is closed to
European products.' This is why both politicians and
industrialists are convinced that the solution lies in `the
development of a European armament market.' Defense Minister
Alliot-Marie defends herself against accusations of
protectionism by insisting on the `industrial, technological
and operational needs.' The term `European preference' could
trigger the beginnings of a conflict. This is why the French
Ministry prefers to talk about a natural rather than an
imposed preference." STAPLETON

© Scoop Media