AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: January 27, 2007

UNCLAS VIENNA 000212 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 27, 2007 Strache Photos: Waiting for an Explanation ¶1. FPOe boss Heinz-Christian Strache is expected to give what he called an "unambiguous and definite statement" on the series of controversial photos showing him during a paintball game and giving a neo-Nazi salute, which emerged last week. FPOe sources at the weekend claimed the pictures originated with far-right neo-Nazi circles, who "want to cause the Freedom Party trouble." Independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten says the controversy over the "war games" and neo-Nazi photos is putting pressure on FPOe leader Strache. In an interview with the daily, former FPOe MP Helene Partik-Pabl harshly attacked Strache, arguing that if he, Ewald Stadler and Andreas Moelzer had been "eliminated from the party" in time, the split between the FPOe and the BZOe and the current Freedom Party crisis might have been avoided. The Strache photos have meanwhile also led to a quarrel between the coalition partners SPOe and OeVP, mass-circulation daily Kurier writes in a front-page report. After Vice-Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer from the People's Party on Sunday criticized the Social Democrats for their "far too mild assessment" of the images, SPOe party manager Josef Kalina accused the OeVP of hypocrisy. After all, Kalina added, it was the OeVP that had originally brought the FPOe into the government. Expensive Jets ¶2. With cost of up to 5 billion Euros, instead of about 2 billions, the Eurofighter jets for Austria are going to be more than twice as expensive as initially calculated, the head of the Eurofighter parliamentary investigative committee, Peter Pilz from the Greens, told Austrian television. Speaking on ORF TV's Sunday morning program Meet the Press, Peter Pilz, the Green Party security spokesperson and head of the parliamentary investigative committee looking into the purchase deal for the Austrian Eurofighter interceptors, suggested that according to his findings and calculations, the deal would be more than twice as costly as initially thought. In addition to the purchase price, Pilz had added financing and operating expenses, as well as the money needed for the jets' modifications and equipment, mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich explains. The Greens MP stressed he is still convinced a cancellation of the purchase contract remains a feasible option. Pilz's statements have caused quite a stir in the investigative committee, mass-circulation tabloid Kronen Zeitung says on its front page. More than 250 Killed in Iraq ¶3. Iraqi officials say between 250 and 300 Sunni insurgents have been killed in a day-long battle around the holy city of Najaf. The militants had allegedly been planning to kill pilgrims at the Shiite Muslim religious festival of Ashura, which as been accompanied by a wave of violence. US and Iraqi troops were involved in the battle. All Austrian media continue to report on the situation in Iraq, where hundreds of Sunni insurgents were killed in an offensive at the weekend by US and Iraqi forces in an effort to prevent a large-scale attack during the religious Ashura festival celebrations. Meanwhile, in the US, tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in Washington DC on Sunday, demanding the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, major Austrian media say. The protests, however, are "leaving the US President cold," who emphasized he is going to follow through with his Iraq strategy, liberal daily Der Standard writes. In centrist daily Die Presse, Washington correspondent Norbert Rief suggests the protests were aimed not only against President Bush, but also against Congress, where the demonstrators expect the Democratic majority to use its power to oppose the President's Iraq policy and end the war. Saudi Arabia to Mediate in Palestinian Conflict ¶4. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has invited rival Palestinian leaders to a meeting in Mecca in an attempt to end factional fighting among Palestinians. At least 24 people have died over the last three days in clashes between the governing Hamas faction and its rival Fatah. Hamas and Fatah have accepted the invitation, but as yet no date has been set for the meeting. "The Gaza Strip is burning, headlines independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten, and writes that in a "fratricidal war," radical Islamic Hamas and the secular Fatah are vying for power. Last weekend saw the worst fighting between supporters of the two factions since the founding of the Palestinian autonomous authorities - despite urgent calls for a cease-fire from both the Fatah and Hamas leadership. In the face of increasing violence, talks about the formation of a unity government have been postponed indefinitely, the daily days and quotes an unidentified advisor of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who suggests the "developments have convinced Hamas it will win its fight for survival against Fatah." Iran to Boost Influence in Iraq ¶5. According to its Ambassador in Baghdad, Iran wants to step up its military and economic influence in Iraq. Ambassador Hassan Kasemi Qumi told the New York Times that Tehran is prepared to support Iraqi forces with drill sergeants and equipment in their efforts to stabilize the country. Iran also wants to become more engaged in Iraqi reconstruction efforts. While several Austrian media are sourcing the New York Times as reporting Iran may be pushing to step up its influence in Iraq - a development which is likely to lead to a further estrangement between Washington and Tehran - mass-circulation daily Kurier writes that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the country's radical-populist President is facing increasing open resistance at home. As powerfully eloquent as Ahmadinejad may appear abroad, it is not he who is calling the shots in Iran, the daily's foreign affairs writer Konrad Kramar suggests. Resentment against the "inconvenient puppet" they raised to power and his confrontation course is spreading among the country's Mullahs led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says the Kurier. Via a newspaper, Khamenei recently advised Ahmadinejad to "stay out of" the Iranian nuclear program. The Mullahs are angered about their President's appearances on the international stage, which have caused even Russia and China to distance themselves from Tehran, thus enabling UN sanctions. Among Iranians, Ahmadinejad's popularity is also on the decline: More than a year after his election victory, improvements he promised have failed to materialize, while inflation and prices continue to rise. McCaw