AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: March 26, 2008

UNCLAS VIENNA 000424 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: March 26, 2008 Chancellor Gets Party Approval on Compromise ¶1. Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer of the Social Democrats has received general approval from the SPOe party executive of his compromise position on tax reform at a special meeting on Tuesday. Gusenbauer said following the meeting that although he had not succeeded in bringing forward from 2010 to 2009 his proposed sweeping tax reform in talks with the People's Party, he could live with the deal the two sides had struck. Under the compromise, people on low-incomes would no longer have to pay unemployment insurance, which, according to the Chancellor, would leave around a million people in Austria with more money. After months of disputes, Austrian media are doubtful, however, the new SPOe-OeVP "coalition peace" will last. All media report on the coalition government's agreement on a compromise package containing a range of measures to ease the effects of inflation on Austrians. The deal is widely regarded as an attempt to ensure the survival of the SPOe-OeVP government, and includes cutting unemployment insurance for workers earning less than 1,100 Euros a month and bringing forward by two months next year's pension increases. The coalition has yet to agree on a capital gains tax to help finance health funds, which is supposed to be part of the package. In the meantime, both parties have said they are optimistic the government will survive until scheduled elections in 2010. According to ORF radio's early morning news Morgenjournal, some economic experts have welcomed the moves to reduce taxes on lower incomes. Margit Schratzenstaller from the Austrian Economic Research Institute said the move was "a step in the right direction," as incomes are highly taxed in Austria. However, the expert also underscored major tax reform must be undertaken in 2010. Although semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung headlines "Coalition settles quarrel: Snap elections off the table," and independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten says the "little re-launch package has saved the coalition and the Chancellor," and mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich suggests the deal, although "no more than tax reform light," enabled the Chancellor to "get out of a tight spot," Austria media are not convinced the agreement has solved the SPOe-OeVP government's massive problems for good. "No US Ambassador" ¶2. ... headlines a mass-circulation provincial daily, reporting like several Austrian media that US businessman Charles Gargano will "not be the new US Ambassador in Vienna after all." The White House withdrew Gargano's nomination, the media say, suggesting that the Ambassador-designate's confirmation by the US Senate was "considered uncertain." Like several other Austrian media, centrist daily Die Presse writes that Austria "will have to make do without a US Ambassador for the time being. The White House recently withdrew the nomination of Charles Gargano, who was set to succeed Susan McCaw. A further nomination is not planned before the inauguration of the next US President in January 2009. 'Personal reasons' have been cited as the cause for the 73-year-old real estate entrepreneur's withdrawal, but unofficially, there have been suggestions of problems with the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, which has to confirm every Ambassadorial nomination. Democratic chairperson Joe Biden is said to have let the White House know the Committee's schedule was full and Gargano's confirmation only had low priority. The Ambassadorship in Vienna is considered a reward that generally goes to supporters of the US President," says the Presse. Mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich, mass-circulation provincial daily Kleine Zeitung, regional dailies Tiroler Tageszeitung and Neue Vorarlberger Tageszeitung also reported on the issue. Al Qaeda Group Sets "Final" Deadline For Austrian Hostages ¶3. The militant group Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb holding two Austrian hostages in Mali has said a new deadline of April 6 is final. The terrorist group holding Austrians Wolfgang Ebner and Andrea Kloiber are demanding a ransom and the release of Al Qaeda members from Tunisian and Algerian jails. The US-based Site Institute, which monitors Islamist web forums, is reporting that the al-Qaeda group has claimed the new deadline is their last ultimatum. Austrian media meanwhile suggest that since the two Austrians were not freed at the Easter weekend, "resignation is spreading among all parties concerned," with the realization that the issue will likely not be resolved quickly. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry has said it has no new information on the fate of Austrian Bert Nussbaumer, either, who was kidnapped in Iraq in 2006. Concern for Nussbaumer's safety is growing after the remains of some of his US colleagues kidnapped at the same time were recovered by the FBI. Exactly how many dead bodies were discovered is not clear. Quoting the "Washington Post" as its source, mass circulation tabloid "Vsterreich" speculates that there may be at least three more unidentified bodies. What is certain is that one of the dead bodies was identified as John Young, who was Nussbaumer's colleague at "Crescent Security" and was kidnapped together with Nussbaumer on November 16, 2006. The FBI issued a statement in which it condemns the murder of the two US citizens as a "despicable crime." It did not comment on the state of the dead bodies or the time of their death, but revealed that the location where they were found is near the place where the men were kidnapped. Independent daily "Salzburger Nachrichten" writes that US State Department officially informed the Austrian Foreign Ministry of the identification of two bodies on Monday. The Foreign Ministry immediately informed the family of Bert Nussbaumer of the new development. A spokesperson of the Ministry said it was "important to do anything that can possibly be done until there is clarity about the fate of Bert Nussbaumer," while stressing at the same time that the Ministry can only pass on such information that has been cleared. Senior editor for independent daily "Der Standard" Gudrun Harrer points out that the number of kidnappings of foreigners in Iraq was already decreasing when Nussbaumer and his colleagues were taken hostage - the worst year being 2004 with 149 kidnappings. The reason: By 2006, there were only few remaining foreigners that could move about freely in the country. Obama Has To Pass Racism Test ¶4. Austrian media continue to report extensively on the US primary elections where the atmosphere is heating up as the infighting in the Democratic camp increases. One month before the important primary in Pennsylvania, Obama and Clinton move increasingly towards a mudslinging campaign. A key question is how the most pressing social issue in the US - the race factor - will come into play, writes foreign affairs editor for independent daily "Der Standard," Christoph Prantner in reference to the current attacks on presidential hopeful Barack Obama's connection to his pastor Jeremiah Wright. Prantner sees as the underlying intention behind this campaign an attempt to paint Obama as just another one of "these black zealots" in the style of Jesse Jackson and points out that even Bill Richardson, a long-time supporter of Hillary Clinton has now turned his back on the "dirty campaigning" style of the Clintons and endorses Obama. According to Prantner's analysis, Clinton has so far not succeeded in finding a recipe for vanquishing her opponent. Her last chance now lies in presenting him to the influential superdelegates as someone who is a "Black Panther" in disguise - a candidate who is not eligible for the majority of Americans. In the meantime, other Austrian media report on Hillary Clinton's overblown account of her allegedly dangerous Bosnia trip in 1996 - mass circulation provincial daily "Kleine Zeitung" and mass circulation tabloid Vsterreich both titled that "Clinton is losing credibility" in her attempt to bolster her foreign policy record with distorted evidence. US Missile Parts Mistakenly Sent To Taiwan ¶5. The US Defense Department accidentally shipped ballistic missile components to Taiwan, the Pentagon said Tuesday. In fall 2006, four fuses for intercontinental ballistic missiles were shipped instead of the helicopter batteries that Taiwan had requested, and were kept in a warehouse there. The Taiwanese military informed the United States last week about their presence on the island, and the US has launched an investigation into the matter. The Pentagon has said it is "disturbed" by what Austrian media describe as a "deeply embarrassing mishap" for the Defense Department, according to ORF online news. Heavy Fighting In Basra ¶6. Fighting between Iraqi government troops and Shiite militias in Basra in southern Iraq has spread to other areas of the country. Some of the heaviest fighting has been around strongholds of the so-called Mahdi Army, whose leader, cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, has called on his followers to start a campaign of civil disobedience across Iraq. The crackdown in Basra is being personally led by the country's Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki, who has said it is "aimed at cleaning up criminals, outlaws and terrorists." Independent daily "Salzburger Nachrichten" gives an account of Baghdad's military mission with the goal of freeing the city of Basra of militia and criminal gangs. Basra is the most important economic center of Iraq and has become increasingly destabilized in recent weeks with three big Shiite militia and 28 smaller armed and partially criminal gangs fighting for control of the city. Violence, corruption of local officials and flourishing oil smuggling was threatening to strangle the economic lifeline of the country. Basra is the center of the Iraqi oil industry as well as a strategically important province - with its proximity to Iran and Kuwait. The Iraqi government is now trying to regain power and control in Basra. Kilner