AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: June 19, 2007

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SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: June 19, 2007


Schmied to Present Comprehensive School Model


1. Austria's Minister for Education, Claudia Schmied from the Social
Democrats, will unveil her plans for a comprehensive school system
for 10- to 14-year-old students later today. During a test stage
beginning in fall 2008, the comprehensive system will be introduced
in five Austrian regions. However, the Austrian teachers union and
the OeVP provincial governors have voiced their skepticism regarding
the Minister's plan.
In addition to launching a test of the comprehensive school system
in up to five regions in Austria as of fall 2008, Education Minister
Claudia Schmied also wants to abolish the rule in her proposed "new
middle school model" that student have to repeat a year in school if
they fail in one or more subjects, independent provincial daily
Salzburger Nachrichten wrote. In an interview with centrist daily
Die Presse, Schmid emphasized that "regarding the new middle school,
the reform process is already underway, and I invite everyone to
participate." Under the new model, students will no longer be split
up in groups according to their performance, as is currently the
case in some secondary schools in Austria, but will receive
"individual support," Schmied explained, adding that she is aware
that this is a considerable challenge to the teachers and teacher
training as well."


OeVP: New Policy for Immigrants


2. The People's Party's integration spokesperson and state secretary
for labor, Christine Marek, emphasized that migrants have rights as
well as duties. She said security has played too large a role in the
current debate over immigration, and called on her party to
completely rethink its approach regarding the integration of migrant
workers. The Social Democrats responded, saying that the idea would
be a change of direction for the OeVP.
Like several Austrian media, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung
reported on OeVP integration spokesperson Christine Marek's call on
her party to completely rethink its approach regarding the
integration of immigrant workers. The opposition Greens said the
development was a good thing and Austrian relief organization
Diakonieb also welcomed the "new tone" in the integration debate.
Diakonie's director, Michael Chalupka, said that those who are
legally in the country should have the right to work legally, and
added it would be an important step in the integration process. In
contrast, the opposition Freedom Party (FPOe) and the Alliance for
the Future of Austria (BZOe) voiced their objections to the proposed
change of policy.


US Offers Condolences


3. A leading Austrian daily briefly noted that on June 18 the United
States sent condolences to the family of former Austrian President
and former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, who died in Vienna
last week. ORF radio also reports that the US Embassy in Vienna
released a statement yesterday, "four days after Waldheim died." As
well as offering condolences, the statement also said the United
States "looks forward to continued close relations with Austria and
its people."
All major Austrian media, including semi-official daily Wiener
Zeitung, independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten, and
centrist daily Die Presse report on the statement issued by the US
Embassy in Vienna yesterday, expressing its "sincere condolences to
the family of Dr. Kurt Waldheim." Meanwhile, domestic affairs writer
Wolfgang Sablatnig commented on what he described as a "meager
two-liner" in mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich: "The decision to
put President Kurt Waldheim on the watch list in 1987, thus barring
him from immigration, the US is refusing to revoke beyond Waldheim's
death. The US could not totally avoid giving an official commentary
on the occasion of the former UN Secretary General and Federal
President. In a meager release, the US Embassy announced on Monday
that the US offers 'sincere condolences' to Kurt Waldheim's family.
Also, 'the United States looks forward to continued close relations
with Austria and its people.'"


EU, US Lift Embargoes on Palestinian Government


4. The European Union and the United States are lifting their
embargoes on aid to the new Palestinian government. After talks in
Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers said they would resume "normal
relations" with the Palestinian authority immediately. Their move
follows the appointment of a new Palestinian government without the
militant group Hamas. In Washington, US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice promised full assistance to the Palestinian
authority and emergency humanitarian aid to Gaza via the United
Nations.
ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal quoted US Secetary of
State Condoleezza Rice, who said in Wasington that Hamas "has made
its choice. It has sught to attempt to extinguish democratic debate
with violence, and to impose its extremist agenda onthe Palestinian
people in Gaza. Now, responsiblePalestinians are making their
choice, and it is he duty of the international community to support
those Palestinians who wish to build a better lifeand a future of
peace." Meanwhile, in a phon call with US President George Bush,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for a new effort on peace
talks, ORF radio adds. In an report on the situation in the
Palestinian territory, centrist daily Die Presse wrote that while
the "US and Israel are releasing funds to Abbas," an "isolated
'Hamastan' is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster following the
division of the Palestinian territories" between the
Fatah-controlled West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza. EU foreign
policy chief Javier Solana and Foreign Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said on Monday that the European Union has also said
that it wants to resume direct payments to the new Palestinian
government. The EU is thus backing the Palestinian emergency
government of President Abbas. Ferrero-Waldner explained that the EU
would discuss "as soon as possible" the amount of money to be
transferred to the Palestinian government with new Prime Minister
Salam Fayad.


North Korea Wants to Shut Down Reactor


5. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it will send a team
of inspectors to North Korea next week for talks regarding the
shutdown of its nuclear reactor. This is the first concrete step
towards Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and follows the release of
frozen funds last week. According to an unidentified North Korean
official, North Korea plans to shut down the YongQn nuclear
reactor in the second half of July.
Independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten quoted the White
Hose as stressing North Korea's decision to allow IAEA inspectors
back into the country was a "good step." If the nuclear reactor at
Yongbyon is sealed and shut down as planned, Pyongyang will receive
a first 50,000-ton shipment out of the promised one million tons of
crude oil, the daily explained. The ultimate goal is the resumption
of full diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea.
Kilner