AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: January 18, 2007

UNCLAS VIENNA 000114 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, INR/EU, AND EUR/PPD FOR YVETTE SAINT-ANDRE OSD FOR COMMANDER CHAFFEE WHITEHOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO AU OPRC SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: January 18, 2007 Administrative Court President Attacks Haider ¶1. Speaking on ORF TV yesterday, the President of the Austrian Administrative Court Clemens Jabloner, like the new Justice Minister Maria Berger earlier this week, suggested the federal government could take Carinthian Governor Joerg Haider to court over the issue of bi-lingual road signs in Austria's southernmost province. Haider has harshly rejected this proposal. Speaking on ORF TV's late night news Zeit im Bild II on January 18, Administrative Court President Jabloner not only suggested Austria could file charges against Carinthian Governor Haider and push for his removal from office over his refusal to have all the required bi-lingual town signs put up in his province, but also added that "personally" he believes that Haider's "days as a politician are numbered." Also on ORF television, Haider dismissed Jabloner's statements as "biased" and "an anticipated conviction," and criticized the Court President as "a judge dabbling in politics." It was "my right to voice my opinion on a politicking judge, who should decline to comment on this issue out of fairness and for the sake of objectivity," Haider added. Jabloner in turn emphasized that the issue of bi-lingual town signs was included in the Austrian State Treaty. Interview with Molterer ¶2. In an interview with an Austrian daily, Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Wilhelm Molterer says the government will pursue a "highly restrictive budget course" for the next two years. He expects efforts from the provinces and communities to support the economy measures at the federal level, Molterer added. In an interview with semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung, Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Wilhelm Molterer explained his planned "restrictive budget course" a necessary measure, because "everything we fail to do now we won't have available for tax reform in the end." Molterer also announced a "double budget" for 2007 and 2008, and outlines as key goals increasing spending power of the middle class" and to motivate businesses towards full employment through tax reform." Similarly, in an interview with independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten, Molterer emphasizes that "tax reform is doable provided that we can afford it, if we're making enough profit. Every budget deficit is potentially growth-inhibiting. In addition, we cannot expect the current stable economic growth to continue indefinitely." Waiting for Confirmation in Sahroudi Case ¶3. Austria's new Justice Minister Maria Berger says if rumors of Mohammed Jafari Sahroudi's arrest are confirmed, she would consider requesting his extradition to Austria. Sahroudi is a main suspect in the murder of three Iranian Kurdish opposition politicians in Vienna in 1989, and may be among five Iranians arrested in Iraq last week. Mass-circulation daily Kurier meanwhile reports on "confusion regarding the arrested Iranian." While "diplomatic efforts are in full swing," it is becoming "increasingly questionable" whether the person arrested in Irbil is indeed the alleged murderer of the Kurdish politicians in Vienna, the daily says. Observers are even hoping the issue will be revealed as a case of mixed-up identities. Should the arrested suspect turn out to be Sahroudi after all, Austria could be facing some difficulties with Iran, according to the Kurier. Should it be officially confirmed the Iranian is Sahroudi and should he be extradited to Austria, Tehran has already demanded that he be released immediately. Dodu L. to Remain in Austria ¶4. Following his arrest at Vienna's Schwechat airport, Albanian-born US citizen and terrorist suspect Dodu L. could be detained in Austria for a longer period of time. According to an Austrian tabloid, extradition proceedings could take up to one year. According to a report in mass-circulation tabloid Kronen Zeitung, the US citizen of Albanian origin, who was arrested at the Vienna airport is currently being detained in Austria and is waiting for his extradition. It is not yet clear when that will happen, or where he will be extradited to, the tabloid adds, explaining that not only the United States has claimed him, but also Montenegro, where he is wanted for having planned to carry out two bomb attacks at the parliamentary elections there last September. Public prosecutor Stefan Benner from the Austrian Ministry of Justice told the Kronen Zeitung that the Austrian authorities "expect Dodu L. will not consent to being extradited, and therefore proceedings in the case could take quite some time," perhaps even "up to one year." Although Montenegro issued an international arrest warrant for Dodu L., it is not clear whether he will be extradited there, as Benner "would not be surprised if other countries also begin filing warrants, given the suspect's international activities." An extradition to the US, however, can be ruled out if there is no pending trial against Dodu ¶L. there, according to the tabloid. Ambassador at Stepic Event ¶5. US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw attended the event to celebrate the 60th birthday of Herbert Stepic, the Director General of Ost Raiffeisen - the stock-exchange-listed subsidiary for Eastern Europe of Raiffeisen bank. On Wednesday, US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw was among the 300 high-ranking guests attending a luncheon hosted by Raiffeisen bank Advocate General Christian Konrad and Raiffeisen boss Walter Rothensteiner on the occasion of Herbert Stepic's 60th birthday, Austrian Press Agency APA and ORF television report. Stepic is the Director General of Ost Raiffeisen, APA explains, and ORF teleivison quotes Ambassador McCaw as honoring him as "one of the pioneers of Eastern European banking." Senators Oppose President's Iraq Plan ¶6. Bipartisan opposition is mounting in Washington to President George Bush's plans to boost US troop levels in Iraq. Senators from both political parties have unveiled a non-binding resolution opposing the increase. In related news, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said he supports the deployment of additional forces to Iraq, but at the same time urged a timetable for a US pullout by the end of this year. ORF radio early morning news report Morgenjournal reports that the resolution submitted by the Senators both from the Republican and the Democrat parties opposing US President George Bush's plan to increase US troop levels in Iraq, already has the support of two senior Republicans, and will probably be voted on within the next two weeks. Democrat Senator Carl Levin, who is backing the resolution, is quoted on ORF Radio as saying the resolution "sends a powerful message not just to the President and to the American people, but also to the leaders and the people of Iraq that Congress does not support an escalation of our military presence in Iraq." White House spokesperson Tony Snow said that President Bush would continue to proceed with his plan to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq, the Morgenjournal continues. Bush also met a group of Republican Senators at the White House in an effort to stop them supporting the resolution. Meanwhile, ORF online news quotes California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as calling for a US withdrawal from Iraq by end 2007: "We should set up a deadline and a timetable for our pullout," Schwarzenegger said, stressing the US needed to make clear to the Iraqis that its military could not stay there indefinitely. However, the Governor supports President Bush's strategy to boost troop levels in Iraq for a limited period of time in order to curb violence in the country, ORF online news writes. McCaw