AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: October 23, 2007

UNCLAS VIENNA 002672 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: October 23, 2007 Female Migrants Face Double Disadvantage ¶1. A report issued on Monday by Doris Bures, Austria's Minister for Women's Issues (SPOe),shows that female migrants in Austria face a double disadvantage in the labor market. The report says women more often have jobs with lower incomes and recognition than those held by men. The study also reveals that female immigrants are more likely to be affected by poverty and unemployment and generally have less education. Quoting from a report issued by Minister for Women's Issues Doris Bures on female migrants in Austria, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung points out that the women's disadvantages in the labor market is also linked their often rather poor education, among other factors. More than half of female migrants only have compulsory education and are facing difficulties having their qualifications recognized. Meanwhile, the head of Austria's Economic Research Institute Wifo, Karl Aiginger, has criticized the way the integration of foreigners is handled. He has called for a speedy reform of the integration system, urging that more money be made available to integrate foreigners. According to Aiginger, the social partners were trying to push ahead on the issue, but the Finance Minister was "stepping on the brakes." The Wifo boss also warned that Austria needs to integrate more highly qualified and well educated foreigners soon, especially in the high tech field. Also, foreign-born children must be encouraged at all levels of schooling to learn German, the Wiener Zeitung quotes Aiginger. Buxbaum: Police to Be Investigated ¶2. The head of public security in Austria, Erik Buxbaum, has vowed to "clean up the mess" in the Vienna police department. He was speaking on Austrian television about revelations made recently in the trial of the commander of the Vienna police, which resulted in convictions on counts of abuse of office and leaking confidential information. Last week, the commander of the Vienna police, Roland Horngacher, was convicted of abuse of office and disclosing police information. He was given a suspended 15 month sentence, but said he would appeal the verdict. Reporting on the recent scandal within the Vienna police and the ensuing convictions on counts of abuse of office and leaking �0A;confidential information, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung says SIPDIS that Roland Horngacher, the commander of the Vienna police, has been found guilty of abuse of office and disclosing police information. Horngacher was given a suspended 15 month sentence and said he would appeal the verdict. However, on Monday Vienna's Public Prosecutor said he would be seeking an even tougher sentence. The trial also cast a shadow on a private organization calling itself "Friends of the Vienna police." An investigation is already underway into donations made to the group, to determine who made the donations and why. Solana to Meet New Iranian Nuclear Negotiator ¶3. Iran's new top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, is to meet European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Rome today. It is the first meeting since Jalili took over the position from Ali Larijani. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed Jalili in a surprise move last weekend, and Western diplomats are now concerned about a potential hardening in Tehran's position in negotiations over its nuclear program. Semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung believes that the appointment of Saeed Jalili as Tehran's new top nuclear negotiator means nothing more than "a new face, but the same old positions." Larijani's resignation caused deep concern, both in Iran and internationally, and was met withregret from moderate Iranian circles, the daily ontinues. Commentator for the daily Arian Faal suggest that Larijani's departure only serves to stregthen the circle of hardliners around President hmadinejad. It also clearly shows the growing rit between Iran's pragmatic conservatives and thehard-line faction. The commentator believes that it was Larijani's open protest against Ahmadinejad's repeated interference in the nuclear talks with the West that made his resignation unavoidable. Jalili can be expected to follow the confrontational course set by his boss Ahmadinejad, Faal argues. Kosovo Talks Resume in Vienna ¶4. A new round of talks on the future of Kosovo began at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Representatives of the "Troika" - the US, Russia and the EU - resumed their negotiations on finding a solution for rival Serbs and ethnic Albanians, according to semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung. PKK Attacks on Turkey: US Is Negotiating ¶5. Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to try to head off a major Turkish operation against fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK, in northern Iraq. In response to US efforts to that effect, Turkey has agreed not to launch military intervention in northern Iraq for the time being. In addition, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan is traveling to Baghdad today for talks with senior Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The PKK has meanwhile issued a statement saying it is ready for dialogue. Although the government in Ankara has decided not to launch military intervention in northern Iraq for the time being, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung reports that Turkey is nonetheless clearly "showing its teeth." Similarly, mass-circulation tabloid Kronen Zeitung believes that a "Turkish military incursion into Iraq is becoming increasingly likely," following the clashes between Turkish soldiers and PKK rebels. Liberal daily Der Standard point out that while Turkey has postponed its invasion into northern Iraq at the urging of the United States, the PKK on Monday announced the conditions under which it might be prepared to call a cease-fire. These include Turkey stopping its attacks on Kurdish positions, giving up its invasion plans, and committing itself to peace, the Standard quotes. According to mass-circulation daily Kurier, public pressure is increasing "massively" on Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan to respond to the PKK attacks by launching a military operation in northern Iraq. The Turkish Ambassador in Vienna, Selim Yenel, told the daily that public opinion in Turkey on the issue is clear: "The government (in Ankara) must act." New Bin Laden Message ¶6. A new audio recording, apparently by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, is urging insurgent groups in Iraq to unify their ranks "under the banner of Islam." The recording, aired by Arab news network al Jazeera, was released as some Sunni groups shifted their support to the Iraqi government and against al Qaeda. Austrian media quote an al Jazeera analyst as suggesting the message is likely an attempt by bin Laden to regain control over Sunni insurgents in Iraq, says ORF online news. US President Wants More Money for Iraq, Afghanistan Wars ¶7. US President George Bush has asked Congress for an extra 46 billion US Dollars to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and a joint US-Mexican program against the cross-border drug trade. The President has requested a total of nearly 200 billion US Dollars in war funds for the next budget year ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal reports. McCaw