European press review

The dilemma facing the French and German leaders over their respective countries' role in any war against Iraq comes under the spotlight in today's press.

American influence over the new, enlarged EU is also examined. And the cloning debate needs to be addressed urgently, believes one daily.

Chirac treads a fine line

Two of France's leading dailies point to French President Jacques Chirac's delicate balancing act over the possibility of war against Iraq.

"As America and Britain step up their military deployment in the Gulf," the centre-right Le Figaro reports, Mr Chirac "took the opportunity of the traditional New Year greetings to the diplomatic corps to repeat France's opposition to all unilateral action."

If the UN decides for war, then there will be war, and France will participate

Liberation

"Let us resolutely reject the temptation of unilateral action," the paper quotes Mr Chirac as saying. "Any eventual decision to use force must be explicitly taken by the UN Security Council on the basis of the inspectors' findings."

However, the paper notes, in another speech, the president told the French armed forces to "be ready for any eventuality" over the prospect of an intervention in Iraq.

The left-leaning Liberation believes Mr Chirac "has very skillfully taken a twin-track approach" to the Iraq question.

He has "distanced himself from Bush by urging him to go through UN channels", while "simultaneously reassuring him that France stands firm as an ally".

Paris and London are planning for D-Day

Die Welt

However, the situation contains a number of paradoxes, Liberation argues. "A left-wing French president would find it easier to take a pro-war stance because the opposition's support would be a foregone conclusion".

The centre-right Chirac will not be able to rely on corresponding backing from the Left.

"But if the UN decides for war, then there will be war, and France will participate," Liberation states, pointing to another paradox.

Mr Chirac will then find himself "rowing against the current of anti-war feeling which he himself encouraged".

Test for Schroeder

The German press highlights the difficulties of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's position faced with signs that Britain and France are gearing up for war.

For Die Welt, "Paris and London are planning for D-Day".

The old continent presents the absurd picture of the diplomatic isolation of the man who probably best represents pan-European scepticism

Frankfurter Rundschau

A commentary in Frankfurter Rundschau fears that the situation shows the poverty of European foreign policy.

By failing to oppose military action, Britain and France are pursuing national rather than European interests.

"In this way, the old continent presents the absurd picture of the diplomatic isolation of the man who probably best represents pan-European scepticism," the paper argues, in reference to Mr Schroeder's opposition to the war.

"A war without new evidence of Iraqi nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and without a second UN resolution would mean the end of any European foreign policy before it has even got off the ground."

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung believes a UN Security Council vote on military action against Iraq would be the chancellor's "moment of truth".

Germany's saviour has shown himself to be a knight in rusty armour

Svenska Dagbladet

"If, as is to be expected, the allies were to vote with America, then Berlin would not be able to vote against without completely isolating itself."

Berlin, which now sits on the Council, is therefore praying its position will not be tested, and there will be no war, or at least no vote, the daily adds.

Sweden's Svenska Dagbladet agrees that Mr Schroeder is in for a rough ride and the UN Security Council seat will be "nowhere near as comfortable as Schroeder had hoped".

His attempts to reposition himself by saying that Germany could accept military action without participating had lead to criticism at home that he broke promises made in the election campaign.

"Germany's saviour has shown himself to be a knight in rusty armour," says the paper.

Washington calls the shots

An editorial in France's Nouvel Observateur is sceptical of the enlarged European Union's ability to stand up to America in the international arena.

The Europeans seemed to find it altogether natural that America should decide what is good for Europe

Nouvel Observateur

Poland's announcement, less than two weeks after being accepted into the EU, that it had decided to equip its air force with American F-16 planes in preference to their Swedish and French equivalents, showed "Europe's total capitulation to the United States", it argues.

"The latest country to be admitted into the Union lost no time in showing allegiance to the American empire."

Recalling President George W Bush's insistence during last month's EU summit in Copenhagen that Turkey be invited to join, the paper laments "that aside from a few grumblings backstage, the Europeans seemed to find it altogether natural that America should decide what is good for Europe".

Cloning quandary

After suspicion that human cloning claims by the Quebec-based Raelian cult could be a hoax, the Swiss Tribune de Geneve believes that what it calls "this cloning soap opera" at least has merit of "giving a boost to the debate".

A blanket ban on all forms of cloning would do huge damage

Tribune de Geneve

"For better or worse, cloning, whether of the human or therapeutic variety, is undeniably part of our immediate future."

"The boundaries for this kind of research should urgently be laid down," it demands, adding that the cloning of human beings should be classed as a crime.

However, "a blanket ban on all forms of cloning would do huge damage to the 'therapeutic' variety thought capable of providing cures for most diseases currently deemed incurable".

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