AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: August 1, 2007

UNCLAS VIENNA 002041 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: OPRC KPAO AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: August 1, 2007 Mud-Throwing Between Elsner and Flttl ¶1. All Austrian media report extensively on the continuation of the BAWAG trial where the two main figures, former BAWAG boss Helmut Elsner and investment banker Wolfgang Flttl have apparently abandoned all conventional politeness and are attacking each other with full force. When Flttl explained how he lost 639 million dollars in just three days and that the BAWAG must have been aware of this, Elsner accused him of betrayal and lying. Flttl, on the other hand, responded by saying that the BAWAG managers were either "complete idiots" or had been too stupid or too lazy to read the English version of the contract between the bank and himself. According to mass circulation tabloid "Neue Kronenzeitung," Flttl goes as far as to claim that Elsner threatened him - allegedly, the former BAWAG boss had indicated that if he were to go down, he would see to it that Flttl and his father Walter Flttl, who was formerly Director General of the BAWAG, would go down with him. With this lever, Elsner succeeded in extracting a promise from Flttl that he would transfer his private fortune to BAWAG. Helmut Elsner rejected these charges, saying that he merely "drew his [Flttl's] attention to the fact that it would be an enormous personal scandal for him if the losses were made public." With regard to Flttl's claim that Elsner had given him the order to continue speculating with the Japanese yen even after a large part of the money was already lost, "Die Kronenzeitung" quotes Elsner as saying that "I cannot even charge him with erring here. He is simply lying." Turn Your Insides Out ¶2. This will be the motto from now on for passengers who have booked a flight to the US, says Oe1 morning radio news in reference to the new agreement between the US and the EU Commission regarding the transfer of passenger data to US authorities, effective August 1. Data protection is a critical issue in this regard - data protection specialists have already criticized the agreement, pointing out that individual states or the EU Commission have virtually no control over how the passenger data are used. Passengers now have to give their US address at the check-in as well as information such as credit cards and mobile phone numbers. This is expected to considerably delay check-in procedures. [Oe1 radio morning news] America's New Weapons Bazaar in the Middle East ¶3. All Austrian media report extensively on the new US plan to provide massive military assistance to its allies in the Middle East, pointing out that there is more than generosity behind the expensive gifts that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates are to distribute during their SIPDIS Middle East trip. They mean excellent business for the US arms industry and will serve important strategic goals of the Bush administration. Centrist daily "Die Presse" analyzes the motives behind the extensive weapons assistance the US is planning to give to Middle Eastern states. There is, first of all, the desire to increase pressure on Iran where the fronts are still hardened on the chief issue of controversy between the two arch enemies: The nuclear ambitions of Iran. Therefore, the Bush administration is trying to strengthen the Gulf states versus their neighboring military power Iran, while at the same time building up Israel's conventional defense potential to prepare that country for a possible military showdown with Iran. Arming Israel also serves as a warning signal in the direction of Syria and the Hezbollah. Finally, with its promise of high-tech weapons, the Bush administration wants to keep Saudi Arabia on its best behavior with regard to Iraq. The Saudis have so far been very critical of the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government and US intelligence services even claim to have found evidence that Saudi Arabia actively supports Sunni rebels in Iraq. Saudi Arabia is an uncertain ally in the "war against terror," writes the daily in reference to the counrty's al-Qaida links. This is also the reason why Bush's plans met with massive resistance on the part of the Democrats in Congress. Islamic States: Murder of Hostages Is Barbaric Act ¶4. The fate of the 21 South Koreans and one remaining German still being held hostage by the Taliban is still open - there has been a new ultimatum for the South Koreans that will expire on Wednesday at 9:30. The government in Kabul has already rejected the demands of the kidnappers, saying that they did not want to encourage extremists by making concessions. In the meantime, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has condemned the kidnappings and demanded the immediate release of the hostages. [Der Standard; other Austrian media] Final Act in Northern Irish Conflict ¶5. After decades of bloody fighting, the British mission in Northern Ireland came to an end on Tuesday at midnight. After 38 years, London withdrew its army. "Operation Banner" during the course of which more than 300,000 soldiers were sent to Northern Ireland had been the longest military mission in the history of the British armed forces. The governments in Britain and Northern Ireland have both welcomed the end of the military mission. Semi-official daily "Wiener Zeitung" quotes Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern's statement that "[t]his is a further stage on the way to a completely normal, peaceful life in Northern Ireland." Of the 27,000 British soldiers, 5,000 will remain in the country, writes the daily - but their role will be that of a "peace garrison" in the Northern Irish border town Crossmaglen. It is to be hoped that the British have learned from their Northern Irish experience, writes Martin Alioth, commentator for independent daily "Der Standard," in reference to further British military missions: "There are numerous British who believe that the army rescued Northern Ireland from the apocalypse. The truth is grayer, however - after all, the military was only a neutral mediator for a brief period of time and then soon turned combatant, giving the IRA the opportunity to redefine the demands of the civil rights movement in terms of a post-colonial liberation war, which then degenerated into a civil war. ... Now British troops are needed elsewhere more urgently. But it would be dangerous if they exported the Northern Irish experiences one-to-one to far-away deserts." UN Sends Peacekeepers to Darfur ¶6. After lengthy negotiations, the UN Security Council decided on Tuesday to send about 26,000 soldiers to the Sudanese crisis region Darfur - so far the most comprehensive and one of the most expensive missions of UN peacekeeping forces. The conflict in Darfur has already cost more than 200,000 lives. Independent daily "Der Standard" reports on the latest UN decision, which was also backed up by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who warned that there will be consequences if Sudan does not adhere to the conditions stipulated in the much-revised resolution. "In case of a violation of the ceasefire, there will be further sanctions," the daily quotes from Brown's statement. The British Prime Minister called Darfur "the greatest humanitarian catastrophe" the world has ever seen. However, the unanimity with which the resolution was passed could only be achieved by eliminating some of the critical passages from the resolution text, writes "Der Standard." In the final version, there is no more mention of the continuing attacks on the part of government troops and Janjaweed militia on civilians and members of assistance organizations. However, the western claim that the use of violence for self-defense was permissible was maintained - this is a guarantee that members of humanitarian organizations can move about freely in Darfur. Kilner