AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: February 12, 2007

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SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: February 12, 2007

Coalition Conflicts


1. Controversies and conflicts have been dominating the climate in
the SPOe/OeVP coalition since it took office a month ago. Any major
issue seems to have the potential so split the coalition partners:
privatization, elderly care, pension reform or environmental issues.
The SPOe suspects the OeVP is pursuing a medium-term exit strategy
and is contemplating a coalition with the FPOe and the BZOe,
high-ranking SPOe spokesman Josef Kalina suggests in an interview
with mass circulation daily "Kurier." OeVP Secretary General Hannes
Missethon denies this, saying that "instabilities within the SPOe
leads to this unrest."

Eurofighter Committee Resumes Investigation


2. The Eurofighter committee resumes its work and will interrogate
on Monday and Tuesday all the prominent members of the government in
2002, when the Eurofighter decision was made. Among them are former
Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel and his Vice Chancellor Susanne
Riess-Passer from the FPOe, as well as former Minister of Defense
Herbert Scheibner (formerly FPOe, now BZOe) and former FPOe
floorleader and now BZOe boss Peter Westenthaler. The interrogation
will focus on the rationale behind the decision in favor of the
Eurofighter - why the former Minister of Defense preferred a
different plane, the Gripen, but got the Eurofighter instead - and
the exploration of possible contacts between the former members of
the government with the Eurofigher producer EADS.

Gusenbauer Criticizes EU


3. The complaint filed by the EU Commission against Austrian quotas
for medical students from the EU and especially from Germany, where
access to medical studies is restricted, has prompted criticism from
Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, who pointed out that Austria
and Germany had already come to a bilateral agreement. The EU is too
eager to interfere into issues that are none of its business,
criticized Gusenbauer and added that this was a main reason for
growing EU skepticism.


Plassnik Says Rice To Visit


4. Austrian Minister for European and International Affairs Ursula
Plassnik gave an interview to centrist daily "Die Presse," in which
she announced her plans for an international Middle East women's
conference in which US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will
participate as well.
A concrete date for the Middle East women's conference has not yet
been set, but it is planned to take place in Vienna this year.
Plassnik said that she already had confirmations from the US
Secretary of State and Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and

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that she was in contact with many women in the Arab world. Women are
important when it comes to creating peace, the Austrian Minister for
European and International Affairs pointed out - they hold society
together and are particularly affected by wars and postwar
reconstruction. "Therefore, they should also be sitting at the
negotiation table," Plassnik said. That would also apply to current
negotiations over Kosovo. With regard to these negotiations,
Plassnik indicated a readiness to forge a compromise with Serbia and
mentioned that Mladic's extradition might no longer be a
precondition for Serbia's negotiations with the EU. With regard to
the Iran conflict, the Minister referred to the clear line the
international community was pursuing. Iran would be well-advised to
take up the offer made to it in Vienna in 2006. However, Washington
also should consider engaging in dialogue with the Iranians,
recommended Plassnik. On the issue of US-Iran disagreement, she
recommended integrating Iran into multinational forums for the
discussion of regional security problems. With regard to the
Declaration of Mecca and prospects for peace in the Middle East,
Plassnik favors a policy of "positive dynamism": The new
Palestinian agreement should be evaluated in an open-minded manner,
but without the EU going overboard and financing a war among
Palestinians or hostile actions against Israel.


Frosty Winds From Moscow


5. At the 43rd Security Conference in Munich, Russia's President
Vladimir Putin gave a controversial speech reminiscent of pre-1989
days, saying the so-called monopolar world order encouraged an arms
race and had nothing to do with democracy, was morally and ethically
wrong and did not reflect economic reality. He particularly rejected
erection of a missile defense system in Poland and the deployment of
NATO "advance troops" in Bulgaria and Romania. All this was forcing
Russia to step up its armament program, Putin said. His speech was
sharply criticized by many Western participants, including Senator
John McCain.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called Putin's speech
"not helpful" and is "disappointed," quotes independent daily "Der
Standard." New Pentagon boss Robert Gates is convinced that "one
Cold War was quite enough." At the Munich conference, among the
issues discussed were Afghanistan., where the Taliban are once again
on the rise; Darfur - an issue higher on the American agenda than on
the European one; China's engagement in Africa, which the paper
calls "a greed-driven quest for resources"; and climate change,
which was on the agenda of the conference for the first time this
year.

Iran Warns Against US "Adventures"


6. In an interview with mass circulation daily "Kurier," Iran's
chief negotiator Ali Larijani called on the US not to "engage in
adventures on our doorstep." The problems between the US and Iran
could be settled quietly, Larijani emphasized and pointed out that
Iran's nuclear activities were all conducted under the supervision
of the IAEA. The possibility of a military attack by US he rated
low, adding that "Iran was preparing itself for various scenarios"
and that an Iranian reaction to a possible US attack would be "very
painful."
Asked by "Kurier" to comment on the IAEA decision to freeze almost
half of the Iranian nuclear programs for the technical support of
Iran, Larijani pointed out that the decision was based not on the
conditions outlined by the IAEA, but on pressure from the UN
Security Council. This way of dealing ultimately discredited the
international organizations, Larijani said, adding that Iran was
among the few who signed the Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (NPT). On
sanctions, Larijani affirmed that, painful as they were, his country
was prepared to handle them. Iran had managed to survive sanctions
before, and still develop modern technologies. Further, Larijani
dismissed the US anti-terror strategy, asking rhetorically whether
"the terror attacks have been diminished as a consequence [of that
strategy] or have they increased?" Finally, he referred to Iran's
good relations with European countries, where there exist good
economic connections which the US will not be able to undermine
through pressure. "In the final analysis, every country looks after
its own interests," concludes Larijani.

Obama's Bid for the White House


7. Major Austrian print media analyze the chances of Democratic
Presidential contender Barack Obama to become America's first
African-American President in 2008. The assessment ranges from
skeptical (centrist dialy "Die Presse") to positive.
Washington correspondent for "Die Presse" Norbert Rief believes the
dream of an African-American President in the White House will
remain a dream - at least for 2008. The fact that he is black will
not help Obama, for even in the "politically over-correct" US, skin
color still plays a role - black candidates generally do better in
the polls due to the fact that people are afraid of appearing
racist, than they do in the actual elections, Rief points out. He
also refers to Obama's lack of political experience - so far, he has
only served 2 years in the Senate. The decisive question will be
whether the Democrats consider Obama a candidate people will vote
for. Rief believes American voters will not vote much differently in
2008 than in the polarized atmosphere three years ago. Any Democrat
will have to convince Republican voters with his values. Obama is in
favor of controlling weapons, and he is pro-abortion. For many
Americans these are the only issues that count.
Thomas Spang of "Salzburger Nachrichten" points to Obama's
magnetism, his ability to capture and hold a large audience. Thanks
to this enthusiasm, which Obama is able to inspire in his followers,
his team wants to turn into a movement from below that will carry
the "exceptional politician" right to the top. The daily rates high
Obama's chances of becoming the first African-American President of
the US, while at the same time cautioning against too much optimism.
With every percentage point in the polls, pressure on Obama will
grow.
McCaw