French press review 1st September 2011

Most of this morning's papers anticipate the international summit on Libya, organized by France - with Heads of State, Prime Ministers and other luminaries from more than sixty countries and international organizations - which opens in Paris today.

"Libya - Year Zero" is the front page headline in Liberation. The paper says the summit marks the end of the military operation and the start of transition and reconstruction - which, in view of continued fighting, might be overly optimistic.

It also reports on what it calls "a secret deal" between Libyan rebels and Paris which guarantees 35 per cent of the country's crude oil for France, in return for recognition and support. News which will be music to the ears of consipracy theorists.

L'Humanité, the communist daily, seems to be one of them: "A conference where reconstruction has the whiff of oil" is its front page headline.

Inside, it asks whether the Paris conference aims to help Libyans or to share out the cake. On the menu, l'Humanité says: the financing of a country with in the background reserves of gas and oil.

La Croix says the conference will decide the shape of the new Libya. Which seems unlikely.

Le Figaro says that with regard to Libya French President Nicolas Sarkozy is celebrating the re-awakening of French diplomacy. More accurate perhaps - would be the awakening of European diplomacy.

Yesterday, the paper reports, Sarkozy told French ambassadors assembled at the Elysée Palace that in Libya, for the first time, Europeans have demonstrated that they are capable of intervening in a conflict on their doorstep.

While the United States held back, the 27, that's to say the European Union, took the initiative.

The Kadhafi clan stashed at least 35 billion euros and perhaps as much as 125 billion euros outside Libya - in Europe, the Gulf, Asia and the United States - le Figaro says.

What's needed now is the lifting of financial sanctions on Libya, it says. It is not enough to nibble at the edges for humanitarian reasons.

Aujourd'hui en France's take on the Libya story is "Sarkozy savours his victory". It notes that, defying scepticism, France was the first country to recognize the National Transitional Council.

Now, the paper says, Paris is in pole position for future contracts in the country.

Aujourd'hui en France carries a photograph, shot with a telephoto lens, which shows the Bedouin tent where Kadhafi lodged during a visit to Paris in 2007.

Two indistinct figures are visible, one of whom may or may not be the Libyan leader. Needless to say, Kadhafi won't be deciding the future of his country in Paris this week.

Meanwhile, several papers pore over the latest chapter of the long-running Bettencourt Affair - France's favourite soap opera.

Or rather - least favourite among politicians accused of accepting illegal campaign donations from l'Oreal cosmetics heiress Liliane Bettencourt.

The latest allegations come in a book, published today, and are attributed to a judge previously involved in investigating the case.

The title of the book is "Sarko killed me". Sarko, of course, is the nickname of the French President.

Aujourd'hui leads on the story, reporting the judge's claim that one of Madame Bettencourt's nurses told her she had seen Sarko accepting money in the run up to the last Presidential election.

However, the paper notes, the nurse denies having mentioned the President and the office of the President dismissed the claims as nonsense.

"Rumours. It's the woman - who saw the woman - who saw the bear" mocked a government spokeswoman. No doubt shrugging her shoulders.

Several papers revisit that other long-running soap opera - starring French former IMF chief, former government minister and one-time pin-up boy of the French Socialist Party - Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Le Figaro pictures DSK on its front page, looking dapper and well-groomed. But the paper observes grimly that he's expected back in France in a few days, and some Socialist leaders are keeping their distance. Which is scarcely surprising, given the revelations about his conduct with women, and lavish lifestyle.

Finally, Les Echos leads with the news that, despite tough economic conditions, the CAC index of France top 40 companies has risen by ten per cent in the past six months.

And the countries leading enterprises remain confident. Not all bad news then.