MEDIA REACTION: Somalia, Georgia, Economic, Obama

UNCLAS BERLIN 001562 STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/AGS, INR/EUC, INR/P, SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/DSAA, DIA FOR DC-4A VIENNA FOR CSBM, CSCE, PAA "PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" E.0. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO GM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Somalia, Georgia, Economic, Obama ¶1. Lead Stories Summary ¶2. (Somalia) Hijacked Supertanker ¶3. (Georgia) Geneva Talks ¶4. (Economic) Finance Crisis ¶5. (U.S.) Obama Administration ¶1. Lead Stories Summary Editorials focused on the outcome of the PISA study on students' performance and on the hijacked oil tanker. Papers this morning primarily dealt with the PISA study and subsidies for Germany's car industry. ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute and ARD-TV's early evening newscast Tagesschau opened with reports on student performance in the various Ldnder. ¶2. (Somalia) Hijacked Supertanker Sueddeutsche Zeitung opines: "Even though the pirates are hijacking vessels almost on a daily basis, hardly anyone talks about the unrest in Somalia itself, about its clans, and the millions of expelled people. Instead the world is hoping for a simple solution that avoids the African mainland: The UN Security Council approved the hunt for pirates in Somali waters, and the West is celebrating the fact that NATO and the EU are sending a few ships to the Somali coast. But the piracy off the Somali coast is more than the activities of a few criminal sailors. The criminals can do whatever they want because Somali has been a failed state for more than 20 years. But failed states never keep their chaos to themselves. In the case of Afghanistan, the world learned this only on 9/11. These attacks will ebb only when Somalia is again a state that deserves its name." Frankfurter Allgemeine noted: "We should not expect too much from patrols with warships as the EU is now planning, as long as a failed states offers pirates and their booty a safe haven." Regional daily Ostsee-Zeitung of Rostock opined: "The EU considers it self-evident that export champion Germany should take part in the mission [off Somalia's coast]. But no way! The Germans are still rummaging through their code of law, for the German navy is banned from arresting gangsters. It is up to the federal police to do this, but the police do not want to leave Germany But even if they do go, the warships are not equipped with prosecutors, defense attorneys and interpreters - all of which are necessary since German law is valid on German ships. Poor Germany!" In the opinion of Die Welt, "the powerful U.S. Navy idly watched how the 'Sirius Star,' a supertanker with crude oil worth 100 million dollar aboard, was taken hostage. The Europeans have thus far ignored this danger with respect to investment, training, and technology. But for the Americans, more is at stake than cargo rates and cruises. At issue is the freedom of the seas. For this goal, the United States, the superpower on the seven seas, has done battle with enemies much more powerful than this handful of scoundrels. [What we have seen thus far is not enough]. We expect more." die tageszeitung judged: "If European and U.S. naval forces want to escort merchant ships to their destination, the question will quickly come up who is being protected. Many ships between the continents are on their way under flags of convenience. Their labor conditions undermine every social standard. Never before has the connection between military policy and globalization been so clear as today in the debate over Somalia's pirates. It should be taken into consideration. " Allgemeine Zeitung of Mainz judged: "The current policy of de-escalation will in, the long run, result in the fact that the pirates, encouraged by their success, fully control ship traffic and impose a tariff on it. This would then affect the entire oil exports from Saudi Arabia and Iran to Europe and the United States. And if these pirates then allied with terrorists, an economic disaster would turn into a political disaster. Those who do not want to accept such a development will have to massively use force, not only on the sea but also on land, i.e. in Somalia itself." ¶3. (Georgia) Geneva Talks According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, "the Geneva talks will enter their second round today, but no one is paying attention. This is no wonder because the chances are almost zero that something will quickly move in the talks about the impact of the Georgian war. All indications are that the government in Tbilisi was the one that first used artillery and rockets to destroy parts of Tskhinvali. But President Saakashvili and his government are in a bad situation for other reasons. The chances for an early accession to NATO are dwindling. The United States is likely to reduce its massive support for the Caucasian Republic. But all this does not change the fact that a number of problems must still be resolved. Russia should not be relieved of responsibility for the consequences of the war." ¶4. (Economic) Finance Crisis According to Handelsblatt: "the car industry resembles a sand box these days. It is always others who are to blame. German carmaker Opel is pointing its finger at its parent company General Motors, the CEOs from Detroit feel unfairly treated and refer in an outraged way to the global financial crisis, the mother of all crises. And if the financial crisis had a chance to complain, it would make the bad banks responsible for its miserable situation. But it is high time to get rid of the numerous myths about the car industry. Many arguments that have been spread by company CEOs and repeated in political talks shows are simply wrong. If the U.S. government is willing to pay subsidies to the U.S. car industry, then it should at least put the chronic destroyer of capital under tight oversight as it did with the airline industry a few years ago. Otherwise, society must continue to listen to the fairy tale from Detroit that the latest market downturn is responsible for the car industry's misery." According to Financial Times Deutschland, "the financial and economic crisis first challenged political dogmas in the United States, which were considered unshakable in the past, and now these principle as also being questioned in Europe. Many things that were unthinkable in the past are not only being considered now but are actually being put forward suddenly as proposals. For instance, the idea of issuing a euro bond to finance a European economic stimulus program. It would be most effective if it were coordinated on the European level. This crisis has eaten so deep into the intertwined European economy that no individual member state is able to resolve it. It is worthwhile thinking about financing such a project with a euro bond, even if this requires an amendment to European treaties." ¶5. (U.S.) Obama Administration Under the headline: "Delicate Deals," Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that "there is no doubt that Hillary Clinton is Barack Obama's first choice for the job as secretary of state. By appointing his former rival, he would demonstrate self-confidence and could document the final reconciliation with the Democratic Party. But it is Obama's precondition that Bill Clinton reduces his activities as professional speaker and political advisor across the globe and reveal the money sources of his charitable trust abroad." In the view of Die Welt, "the conflict of interests between global traveler Bill Clinton and secretary of state Hillary Clinton would be obvious. The Republicans in the Senate will take advantage of it with great relish once they talk about her appointment." Berliner Zeitung wrote: "Hillary Clinton's husband is the weak point of her candidacy for the job of secretary of state." The headline in Tagesspiegel is: "Obama Wants Leading Role in Climate Policy" and wrote: "President-elect Barack Obama wants to make the United States a top country in the fight against the looming climate disaster. In a video message to the conference of governors in Los Angeles, Obama promised a "vigorous' U.S. engagement in future talks on climate protection." Handelsblatt noted: "Barack Obama was a senator for only four years, but even though it was a short term, he realized one thing: In order to really move something, one needs close allies in congress. The first personnel decision since his election two weeks ago is reflecting this experience." TIMKEN