GERMAN RESPONSE TO CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000386 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/AGS AND ERA, NEA/IR, DRL FOR YOUNTCHI E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GM IR SUBJECT: GERMAN RESPONSE TO CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMMING REQUEST REF: A) STATE 2659 B) PAETZOLD-NEA/IR E-MAIL BERLIN 00000386 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Political Counselor Jeff Rathke for reasons 1.4(b)/(d) ¶1. (C) (SUMMARY): With 2006 expenditures totaling nearly two million Euros, Germany's approach to supporting Iranian civil society focuses on broadcasting, exchange, cultural, and educational activities. Reflecting Germany's general caution on promoting civil society in the region, the GOG tends to define civil society broadly and implement programs with a strong governmental aspect, while outsourcing potentially more controversial projects to the political foundations. As both the German Embassy in Tehran and the foundations find their projects under increasing GOI pressure, it will take persistent encouragement for the Germans to expand their efforts. (END SUMMARY) -------------- MFA RESPONSE ON CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMMING -------------- ¶2. (C) In response to ref A, Iran Desk Officer Deike Potzel provided Poloff a five-page overview of the MFA's civil society programming on February 21. The following summarizes the points listed in the paper as well as comments made by Potzel: (BEGIN RESPONSE) ¶3. (C) The MFA spent 1,981,375 Euros in 2006 for the purposes of foreign cultural and educational policy in Iran: ¶4. (C) BROADCASTING: Financed by the federal government, the German international broadcasting network Deutsche Welle (DW) features daily two-hour Farsi language audio broadcasts available via radio broadcast and streaming media online. (NOTE: According to a DW contact, such broadcasts do not face jamming efforts by the GOI). The radio program features coverage of current events in Germany and the Middle East, placing special emphasis on human rights and women's and youth issues in Iran and worldwide. DW Television in English and Arabic can also be received in Tehran. The DW website also features a Farsi language section which will be expanded in spring 2007. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) journalists have participated in training and continuing education programs at Deutsche Welle's Academy which targets international journalists. ¶5. (C) PROGRAMS FOR MEDIA, JUDICIAL ACTIVISTS: The MFA has sponsored German-Iranian Media Dialogue activities since 2002, bringing German and Iranian media experts together in Berlin and Tehran. Four Iranian lawyers, three of them active in human rights and judiciary reform NGOs, participated in 2006 in internship programs at the Max Planck Institute, focusing on international criminal law and conflict of laws. ¶6. (C) VISITORS PROGRAM: Iranian civil society figures and government officials have been invited to Germany as part of the GOG's Visitor Program. 2006 visitors include an editor of Kargozaran newspaper, the Vice Minister for Education, a Majles member serving on the Education Committee, as well as the Director of the House of Artists. ¶7. (C) SUPPORT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS: The CDU- affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF),the SPD- affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FEF),and the Green Party-affiliated Heinrich Boell Foundation (HBF),all recipients of federal funding, have conducted Iran-related programs. Projects have included: work with civil society actors on NGO capacity building, support of entrepreneurship, as projects on environmental and youth issues. The FEF supports the Iranian Mussa Sadr Foundation and has conducted a project on promoting dialogue within Iranian society. (NOTE: Representatives of the KAF and FEF foundations have told recent NEA/FO visitors that they have scaled back their civil society programming for Iran, citing the lack of GOI security guarantees for both German and local staff as well as the current Iranian political situation. KAF reps added that Iranian invitees for events in Germany encounter GOI pressure or are refused exit permits. END NOTE.) ¶8. (C) CULTURAL PROGRAMMING: In 2006, the MFA sponsored two theater groups' participation in the Fajr Theater Festival, including one on female roles in classical German theater. In a similar vein, the MFA-affiliated Goethe Institute sponsored the submission of the film "The Life of Others," portraying the German Democratic Republic's secret police, to the 2007 Fajr Film Festival, where the film won BERLIN 00000386 002.2 OF 002 three awards, including Best International Film. Potzel noted the significance of the film's success despite its clear message against authoritarianism, adding that such success demonstrates the existence of some space for expression in Iran. The MFA has also sponsored literary events as well as the German publishing industry's participation in the annual Tehran book fair. ¶9. (C) EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING: Potzel noted that the Goethe Institute in Tehran has been closed since 1987 after a German television comedian made Ayatollah Khomeini the subject of a satirical clip. Attempts to re-open it during the Khatami presidency failed as the German and Iranian governments could not agree to the terms of a cultural agreement. Instead, a "Dialogue Point German" located in the German Embassy in Tehran, houses a Goethe Institute direct-hire, the German Foreign Exchange Service (DAAD),and a German-language institute which conducts language courses for more than 5000 language students annually. ¶10. (C) UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMING: A total of 2481 Iranian students from Iran studied in Germany in the fall semester of 2005 in addition to 1586 Iranian students with German residency. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has sponsored 19 Humboldt Research scholarships for Iranians over the last three years. DAAD sponsors a visiting professorship at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University, and will add a second professorship at the Technical University of Esfahan. DAAD sponsors Ph.D. scholarships for Iranian students, a dual-degree, German-language program between TU Esfahan and the University of Wuppertal, as well as German-Iranian university partnerships. DAAD has faced some difficulties working on the ground: a planned alumni event was canceled in Fall 2006 due to the current political situation. ¶11. (C) RESEARCH PROGRAMMING: In March 2005 a delegation of the Ministry for Education and Research (organized by the MFA) visited Iran to explore expanding German-Iranian research cooperation. Talks were held on water technology, health research, disaster management, and university cooperation. The fact-finding mission showed that in addition to the project work conducted since 2000 in water and sanitation technology, seismological topics and disaster management are both promising areas for research cooperation. ¶12. (C) OTHER PROGRAMS: The paper listed a number of other projects, including archaeological cooperation, the presence of a German Archaeological Institute branch office at the University of Tehran and MFA support for the German Embassy School of Tehran. (END RESPONSE) -------------- -------------- GERMANS FACE INCREASING CHALLENGES ON THE GROUND -------------- -------------- ¶13. (C) Meanwhile, post contacts have reported recently that civil society work has become increasingly difficult. In a January meeting, MFA contacts noted that while they want to increase civil society work on the ground in Tehran, they are unsure of how to go about expanding their efforts without endangering the activists on the ground. A parliamentarian who visited Tehran in mid-November told Poloff that German Embassy officials had noted to him that increasing governmental pressure on their civil society contacts made outreach efforts increasingly difficult. He cited the example of numerous civil society activists declining invitations to a reception for his delegation as an indication of the increased pressure. A cultural affairs officer assigned to Embassy Tehran (please protect) related similar challenges to Poloff in late December. ¶14. (C) COMMENT: Reflecting Germany's general caution on promoting civil society in the region, the GOG tends to define civil society broadly and implement programs with a strong governmental aspect, while outsourcing potentially more controversial projects to the political foundations. As both the German Embassy in Tehran and the foundations find their projects under increasing GOI pressure, it will take persistent encouragement for the Germans to expand their efforts. END COMMENT. TIMKEN JR