AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: November 16, 2007

UNCLAS VIENNA 002818 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: November 16, 2007 Austria Is Destination for Migrants ¶1. According to a report on migration trends by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, which was published on Thursday, Austria is an important destination for immigrants. The authors of the study warn, however, that Austria is not sufficiently aware of this fact and has failed to create the necessary conditions for immigration and integration. They point out that since their first report in 2003 immigration has reached record levels. Never before have so many immigrants come to Austria in such a short space of time and stayed here. Green Light for Wiesenthal Institute ¶2. The Austrian cabinet has given its verbal support to plans for a Vienna institute to house the archives of Simon Wiesenthal, the late head of Vienna's Jewish Documentation Center. The project, first announced in 2006 and backed by Vienna's Jewish Community, the Documentation Center of Austria's Resistance and other groups, has run into difficulties over money, which could result in documents having to be sent to research centers in other countries. Organizers estimate setting up the Wiesenthal Institute will cost 10 million Euros and running it about 2.5 million Euros annually, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung reports. "There Are Many Issues We Need to Work On, Too" ¶3. ... outgoing US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw told a leading Austrian daily in an interview. Ambassador McCaw, who will be departing her post for personal reasons and returning to the United States and her career as an investment banker in late November, emphasized she does "not regret" her time and experiences in the world of politics. Being the US Ambassador to Austria has "not been a mission impossible," she said. In the 2008 US presidential elections she is going to support the Republican candidate again. She added that personally, she would welcome a female US president, but expressed her doubts that it would necessarily have to be Hillary Clinton. The Democrats, Ambassador McCaw suggested, would have made the same decisions as the Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks; in a matter as complex and difficult as the fight against terrorism, mistakes could hardly have been avoided, she stressed. In an interview with liberal daily Der Standard online, US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw explained that she would "certainly support any Republican candidate running for office" in the 2008 US presidential elections. The Republican Party is "open for a whole range of differing views and approaches; but we share some basic values." Regarding the fight against terrorism, she said: "The world has changed since 9/11. There is no patent solution for the global threat of terrorism. I believe it will become increasingly difficult to address such a diffuse threat; and it will become increasingly difficult to win this war, because terrorism, too, is undergoing a development. I'm not saying it is impossible, but it will take time." "We are not a nation that carelessly chooses the military option," the Ambassador underscored. McCaw admits that in the past few years "mistakes have been made. But I do not believe that this has anything to do with the Bush administration. 9/11 changed the world, and it changed the way we need to pursue our policies. This would also have been true under a Democratic president. It's a learning process, and we need international assistance in order to win the 'war on terror.'" The poor US image may partly be a result of the fact that America "is a superpower, and people always tend to view those in power with a certain degree of skepticism. But I think that the US is often misunderstood. That is why it has been one of my top priorities to talk with young people in particular, and to invite them to spend some time with us (in the United States). The planned Austrian energy provider OMV's gas deal with Iran "continues to be an unresolved matter." OMV did not break any laws in concluding this deal, "but politically, the matter undermines efforts towards achieving a diplomatic solution in the nuclear dispute with Iran." Ambassador McCaw underscored again that the United States "definitely does not want military intervention against Iran, we want to achieve a diplomatic solution. That is why we need to rely on the global community (in this matter)." Ambassador McCaw Discusses US Foreign Policy ¶4. In an interview with a prominent regional daily, US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw looks back on her experiences in Austria, and explains key US foreign policy aspects. Asked about critical issues, including the Iraqi prison at Abu Ghraib or the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, she said that "the negative incidents (there) are truly regrettable, but the persons responsible for events at Abu Ghraib have been punished and held accountable. We did not wish for the terrorist attacks of September 11 to happen, but we needed to respond to them." Regarding the inmates at Guantanamo Bay, the Ambassador suggested that "you cannot simply release these people." President Bush "has said repeatedly that he wants to close Guantanamo," McCaw underscored, adding that "we would welcome more support from other countries in this matter." The Ambassador also emphasized how much she enjoyed her time in Austria, saying that she is leaving her post early for personal reasons. In an interview with Austria's second largest daily Kleine Zeitung, outgoing US Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw emphasized that she has "enjoyed Austria very much - the people, skiing, the music! My children are crazy about Kaiserschmarrn and Wiener Schnitzel, (...) and I will definitely remain a regular guest in Austria." Discussing options for the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Ambassador pointed out that US President Bush would prefer closing the prison, but that would require some of the inmates being relocated elsewhere: "We have discussed the potential admission of prisoners with many countries including Austria, but have not received a definite answer." On anti-Americanism: "There is a certain underlying rejection (of the US) among the public, but I've never experienced it as directed against me as a person. The United States is the last remaining superpower, and that is regarded with mixed feelings. I have always sought dialogue. We are infallible, our democracy is not perfect either, but it is certainly worthwhile to work on it." McCaw emphasized that she experienced Austria as a very dynamic country - in every respect. Particularly in Eastern Europe and on the Balkans Austrians have a lot of experience and have achieved much. In my opinion, they could act with a lot more self-confidence at the international level." Benazir Bhutto Released ¶5. In Pakistan, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been released from house arrest, although it has been reported there are still dozens of police outside her house in Lahore. She was put under detention on Tuesday, ahead of a planned protest march. US State Department spokesperson Sean McCormick described Bhutto's release as a first positive step." He stressed, however, that other measures, primarily the lifting of emergency rule, also need to be undertaken. Yesterday, Bhutto ruled out any cooperation with President Pervez Musharraf. Meanwhile, Mohammedmian Soomro has been sworn in as caretaker Prime Minister ahead of elections next year, which President Musharraf says will mark a transition to democracy, says ORF online news. Mixed Report on Iran's Nuclear Activities ¶6. The International Atomic Energy Agency has given Iran a mixed report on cooperation regarding the country's nuclear program. The IAEA says Iran has disclosed more details of past nuclear activities, but continues to enrich uranium in violation of the UN Security Council resolution. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei has warned that the Agency's knowledge of Iran's current nuclear activities is diminishing at the same time that Iran has 3,000 centrifuges enriching uranium. Iran's nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili meanwhile claims that the IAEA report gave his country a "clean bill of health." The United States has responded by calling for new sanctions against Iran according to a report by ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal. McCaw