Posted on 02/09/2005 1:17:16 PM PST by TexKat
One French paper says Condoleezza Rice is a demon turned diplomat. Another notes that she dresses just like she negotiates -- with suave understatement. A third insists the fires of French-American antipathy need to be doused, not fanned. One day after Condi's first big speech, French critics both praise the Secretary of State and pick her apart.
Condoleezza Rice is wrong if she thinks one pretty Parisian performance will make up for two years of strain and outright antagonism with Europe. At least that is what France's three national newspapers seem to be snickering, Wednesday, after the freshly-minted US Secretary of State delivered her first official speech since she took office to a packed Paris house. In the speech, Condi said it was time for Europe and America to put behind past tensions and "open a new chapter in our relationship and our alliance." Her words were carefully tracked by French commentators, who regularly remind their readers of Condi's infamously undiplomatic 2003 response to France, Germany and Russia's refusal to support the war in Iraq. At the time, she said simply, "Forget France, ignore Germany, forgive Moscow."
As is her style, Condi was meticulous about everything during the half hour speech. She herself selected the location -- Paris' elite Institut d'Etudes Politiques, the traditional training ground of France's future politicians. Her delivery was, by all accounts, unspectacular -- somewhat monotone and dry, a clear reminder that she was once a Stanford provost, not a renowned orator -- yet also terrifically stately and surprisingly upbeat. Still, the French were skeptical. "All smiles and grace as her long silhouette took the stage of the Sciences-Po amphitheater, Condolezza Rice yesterday pulled out her best tricks to conquer Paris," writes the left-leaning daily, Liberation.
Condi's attention to detail, was also not lost on the fashion-centered French. "Dressed in low heels, a belted navy blue suit and a necklace of large pearls, she personified her discourse: impeccably groomed and seductive, but also no nonsense," Liberation writes. "She was a bit tense at first -- likely the result of finding herself in the city that was the capital of the rebellion against Washington -- but she quickly found her stride and her fervor to celebrate 'the cause of liberty.'" In the course of her speech, Condi used the word liberty "at least 20 times," the paper points out, not without perverse glee. Throughout, she seemed bent on portraying the US as a "missionary of democracy" and showed a "lovely optimism" about Iraq and "faith in occidental values," Liberation says.
One thing she worked hard to do was avoid conflict. "Up until now, Washington played off disunity," the paper writes, "separating the 'good' Europeans like the Brits and the Poles ('New Europe') who supported the war in Iraq, and the 'bad' ones, led by France and Germany ('Old Europe'), who were aggressively against it." Now, however, Condi is falling over with "signs of good will" and adroitly focusing on all subjects Europeans and Americans agree on, like the need to work to rebuild Iraq and Libya and the need for Middle East peace. Absent, it notes was much talk of sore spots like whether or not Iran should be allowed to have nuclear power for civilian use (the Europeans believe it should). Le Monde, France's paper of record, too looks skeptically at what it calls Washington's perception of "the dawning of a new age in the relationship between France and America." It will take more, it says, than pretty words and gestures from Condi. In fact, it announces Condi's visit thusly: "One of the people who during the first Bush administration was seen by the French as one of the little demons pushing Bush on his war crusade, is arriving in Paris today with what is apparently a plan to convince us, rather than a desire to simply sign us up" to her way of thinking. That is a step forward, it says. Also seemingly banned in Washington are the "little anti-French phrases" that so often slipped into top administration officials' dialogue during Bush I.
Naturally, France is anxious for a "new departure," the paper says and it is certainly helpful that the most controversial part of the Iraq war is over. Of course, the thorny questions of how to rebuild the shattered nation, how to establish peace in the Middle East and what to do about Iran's nuclear aspirations remain, offering both potential for reconciliation and strife. As far as Iran goes, the paper says "In Paris, no one believes the Americans will really use the threat of force," to get its way. And, in this case, Europe is more united on the subject and "there will be no way for America to create a scenario of the 'good' and the 'bad" Europeans as it did with Iraq."
As for all the talk of liberty, which the paper labels "the focus" of Condi's speech and the "new crusade of Bush" -- there can be but one answer. "France rejects the idea that the American model of democracy needs to be imposed throughout the world, even through non-military means," the paper says. Using the goal of democracy to influence the politics, economics or culture of other nations is, it insists, unacceptable and decidedly un-French.
The conservative Le Figaro offers the most praise for Condi and the greatest plea for better relations. "It is time to start putting out the flames rather than setting new fires," the paper says. "It's time to put an end to this rift, which if it is prolonged, can only lead to the grandest of inconveniences. After all, we can always say the same things, but choose different words, words less sharp, less hurtful, less schematic and more apt to generate dialogue without reducing the force of each side's convictions." While it sees a touch of artifice in the way the speech was presented, the paper says the desire to work with Europeans is honest. "The change is real," it says. "And the evolution is major in that warmer relations seem to be a priority of Bush II."
The best way to test the budding new relationship is to set it to work, says Le Figaro, and there is no place that needs more help than the Middle East. "America and Europe, has to put all the pressure they can on their respective allies in order to secure a peace agreement," the paper says. "This will be something that -- more than any speech -- will truly rebuild the relationship."
FYI
'"France rejects the idea that the American model of democracy needs to be imposed throughout the world, even through non-military means," the paper says.'
If France should find itself one day with 3,000 dead citizens due to terrorists, then France might better understand the U.S. attitude towards "imposing" democracy.
bttt
France has experienced terrorists attacks on it's civilians for decades.
"France has experienced terrorists attacks on it's civilians for decades."
Have they ever had 3,000 people to die in one day from it?
If not, they don't have much room to criticize the U.S.
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