European press review

Today's European papers cast an eye over the Tamil Tigers' daring attack on Colombo airport, the continuing crisis in Macedonia and the challenges facing the new leaders of Bulgaria and Indonesia.

Tamil Tigers show 'ruthless' stripes

London's The Independent sees "little reason" to "cheer as freedom fighters" the Tamil Tigers whose suicide bombers blew up 13 planes at Colombo airport on Tuesday morning. They are "a ruthless bunch" waging a "fanatical and pitiless" fight, it says.

"Partly funded by rich Tamils in neighbouring India, the Tigers are ready to stop at nothing in order to achieve their separatist aims," the paper adds.

It accuses the government of paying lip service to "the need for compromise" while making "too little attempt to address the concerns of ordinary Tamils".

On the contrary, the paper notes, the large-scale arbitrary arrests of Tamils are "based almost solely on their ethnicity", and there are reports of "frequent disappearances" of those in custody.

Despite the 100,000 troops deployed at an annual cost of more than $850m dollars, "there is no sign of any light at the end of the tunnel", the paper says.

Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau says the raid was more serious than previous suicide attacks, in three respects.

The paper points out that this is the first time the country's tourist industry was targeted and that the attack comes at a time when the Norwegian-brokered peace talks are stalling.

"Thirdly, and perhaps most decisively," it says, "the island's government is going through a crisis and has been weakened."

The paper suggests this may have tempted the Tamil Tiger guerrillas to deal the government a heavy blow.

"They succeeded cruelly," it concludes.

Macedonia: Americans do it their way

Berlin's Die Welt welcomes German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's readiness to send troops to Macedonia as part of a Nato peace mission.

The paper interprets US President George W Bush's statement that the allies "went into the Balkans together and will leave together" as a call for Nato solidarity which no German government can fail to heed.

"The government seems to have learnt its lesson following the embarrassing vacillation surrounding Germany's participation", the paper says.

But in another commentary, the same paper warns that the government would risk the lives of soldiers if it were to send them on dangerous missions without going back on cuts in the defence budget.

"Before any new deployments, the German army will have to be rearmed," the paper argues.

Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung describes the Bush statement as a "slogan" that hides a lack of co-ordination between the Europeans and the Americans.

"All too often," it says, "the Americans play their own game, and all too often this means the Europeans are condemned to inaction."

As an example, the paper mentions what it calls "Washington's special relationship with the leaders of the Albanian KLA militia".

According to the paper, although the USA has now turned its back on the radicals, the West's reputation as a neutral mediator has been damaged.

Bulgarian ex-King's crowning achievement

The Spanish daily El Pais carries a front-page photograph of the former king of Bulgaria being sworn in as the country's new prime minister after winning a landslide election victory.

In an editorial, the paper describes the investiture as "an unprecedented scene experienced for the first time in Europe", but warns that the new leader faces "a difficult task".

It wonders if the 800 days ex-King Simeon has set himself to cure Bulgaria's woes may be over-ambitious given that the country "has been left behind, corruption reigns" and the new premier "has no political experience".

El Pais thinks that speeding up negotiations to join the EU and Nato will be Simeon's "best tool" but argues that his technocratic, pro-Western economic team must not be tempted to "import external recipes not suited to the reality of Bulgaria".

"In any case, Bulgaria needs strong therapy and deep-seated reforms to overcome the inertia of its Soviet past and the corruption of the system", it adds. "To improve in 800 days it will need drastic measures, sacrifices and fast political learning" from the ex-King and his government.

Megawati in Indonesia power surge

"A new chapter has begun in Indonesia's troubled history," says France's Le Monde as Megawati Sukarnoputri takes over the presidency from Abdurrahman Wahid, sacked by parliament for incompetence and corruption.

The paper contrasts Mr Wahid's "at times surrealistic optimism" with Mrs Sukarnoputri's "genuine pragmatism". "She seems to have understood that her compatriots are fed up to the back teeth after three years of chaos, and need a period of respite," it adds.

The new president has a "huge programme" to deliver between now and 2004, the paper notes. She must "prevent her country from breaking up, restore internal security and normalise the economy".

"But in a country where money is at the centre of everything, the honeymoon promises to be short," the paper warns.

Ariel Sharon - the next Pinochet?

Austria's Der Standard ponders the possibility of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon facing criminal charges over the 1982 massacre of Palestinian civilians at the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps by a Lebanese militia allied to Israel.

The paper writes that the case against Mr Sharon, who was Israel's defence minister when the killings happened, is likely to be pressed in Belgium where local laws allow for the prosecution of foreign nationals for human rights violations. "That is why Sharon tries to avoid Belgium," it points out, adding that "he has little to fear at present because he has classical international law on his side - no head of state or government can be prosecuted under the jurisdiction of another country".

"This immunity, however, runs out as soon as their term of office is over," it says.

"Sharon should try to remain in office for as long as possible. As illustrated in the Pinochet case, political pensioners are no longer safely exempt from prosecution," the paper advises.

Concorde: A supersonic 'business fiasco'

"A source of technological pride - and a business fiasco", is how the French daily Liberation sees Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic jet.

As Air France and British Airways prepare to resume passenger flights on their Concorde fleets - a year after a crash near Paris which killed all 109 people on board and four on the ground - the paper is doubtful about whether the aircraft's resurrection will be a commercial success.

"As far as the travel market for company bosses and their top executives is concerned, Concorde is facing competition from small, private jets, which are certainly less fast but often better suited to the needs of their clients," the paper writes.

Nonetheless, the paper adds that the Anglo-French aircraft still holds a fascination for the bosses of multinational companies who like to fly from Paris to New York and back again on the same day - while being served caviar and champagne.

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.