AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: May 27, 2008

UNCLAS VIENNA 000721 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: May 27, 2008 LOW PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR STRIKE-BOUND DOCTORS ¶1. According to a new opinion poll, there is little public support for the strike Austrian doctors have threatened to hold in June. Three quarters of Austrians believe a doctors' strike is not justified, and most say they believe the doctors' real concern in the matter is their own financial position and not public health. Austrians also appear to condone government plans to introduce regulations under which doctors would prescribe medications and chemists would provide the cheapest variety. All Austrian media continue to report on the ongoing quarrel between the Austrian government and medical doctors over how to reform the healthcare system. While the expert review of Austrian government draft legislation on health reform is to be completed today, the doctors, who strongly oppose the reform, are holding an emergency meeting in the evening to discuss protest measures, including a strike planned for June 16, according to ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal. Likewise, mass-circulation tabloid Kronen Zeitung says "negotiations at all levels are in full swing in order to prevent the planned strike, which would hurt the patients more" than the lawmakers. A number of compromise solutions have been proposed regarding the most controversial aspects of the draft reform. Meanwhile, an opinion survey shows that the vast majority of people in Austria has no sympathy with the doctors' position, and sees their protest as driven by concern about their own financial position rather than the quality of health services. The reform is meant to cut health care costs and includes regulations requiring doctors to prescribe a medication and chemists to provide the cheapest variant. DAVID F. GIRARD-DICARLO TO BE NOMINATED AS NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRIA ¶2. Austrian Press Agency APA published a PAS-generated press release on Friday stating that President George W. Bush announced on May 22, 2008 his intention to nominate David F. Girard-diCarlo, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria. After confirmation by the US Senate, he would succeed Ambassador Susan R. McCaw, who left her post in November 2007. Austrian Press Agency APA published a PAS-generated press release on Friday, reporting on US President George W. Bush announcement on May 22, 2008, of his intention to nominate David F. Girard-diCarlo, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria. After confirmation by the U.S. Senate, he would succeed Ambassador Susan R. McCaw, who left her post in November 2007. APA includes a short biography of Mr. Girard-diCarlo, pointing out that he currently serves as Chairman of Blank Rome, LLP. Prior to this, he served as a Managing Partner at Blank Rome, LLP. Earlier in his career, Mr. Girard-diCarlo served as a board chairman and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Girard-diCarlo received his bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's University and his JD from Villanova University, APA concludes. Sourcing the APA press release, eleven Austrian daily newspapers reported on the nomination of Mr. Girard-diCarlo, including centrist daily Die Presse, liberal daily Der Standard, mass-circulation dailies Kurier and Kleine Zeitung, and Austrian ORF TV. MASSIVE VOTER TURNOUT IN THIS YEAR'S US ELECTION ¶3. A regional Austrian daily published an interview on Friday with US Embassy Vienna's Economic and Political Counselor Dean Yap, who explained the "highly decentralized" US election system and explained why Americans are eager to vote this year. The unprecedented and unique situation this year of either a woman or an African American as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate "will inspire many people to vote," Yap suggested. Regional Austrian daily Tiroler Tageszeitung published an interview on Friday with the US Embassy Vienna's Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs Dean Yap on the US election system. One of the differences between voting systems in European and the US is the "highly decentralized American system, with votes being primarily organized at the district level." Also, "there is no central voting commission. And the United States' enormous diversity creates considerable problems for the candidates campaigning in elections. They need to launch different types of campaigns in the various regions of the US." Another significant aspect of the US voting system is that it is "geared towards protecting the minority rights of the smaller states," similar to the EU Parliament, "where smaller member states are over-represented for the same reason." The November presidential election in the United States has generated massive interest, both in the United States and internationally. In the US, "voter turnout in the Democratic primaries was extremely high. Given that, the Republicans will undertake tremendous efforts in order to mobilize their voters. I believe that the circumstances indicate more people will go to the polls this year than normally," Counselor Yap said. The tremendous interest in this year's vote also has to do with the fact that "it is an open vote, as President Bush is not up for re-election. That is why both Americans and Europeans are curious to learn which course the US will take." IRAN WITHHOLDING NUCLEAR DETAILS, IAEA SAYS ¶4. The International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA says it believes Iran is still withholding information on its nuclear ambitions. In a report to the United Nations Security Council, the IAEA underscores Iran must provide more information to convince the international community that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and not part of a secret nuclear arms project. Austrian ORF radio in its early morning news Morgenjournal reports that the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA has challenged Iran on an information deficit regarding Tehran's nuclear ambitions. In a report to the UN Security Council, the IAEA is urging Iran to provide more information to prove its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and not part of an atomic weapons project. Iran, however, has dismissed Western intelligence suggesting it has covertly studied how to design atomic bombs as "baseless, forged or irrelevant," and argues the IAEA report shows its program is entirely peaceful. Liberal daily Der Standard quotes IAEA director General Mohamed ElBaradei as criticizing Tehran for refusing to give up its nuclear program. He expects Iran to provide "substantial clarification" regarding the potential military use of its atomic program, ElBaradei says. The daily adds that US Ambassador to UNVIE Gregory Schulte also criticized Iran for extending its uranium enrichment instead of answering the IAEA's questions on its program. "Iran continues to block the IAEA's efforts at investigating some issues of concern," Schulte stressed, and added that the IAEA's report shows in detail how much explaining Iran still has to do and how little Tehran has followed up on that." Meanwhile, in related news, mass-circulation daily Kurier headlines "Larijani is back on the political stage." The former Iranian top nuclear negotiator will return to politics as the country's parliamentary president - a "position that provides the incumbent with good chances with regard to the presidency," according to the daily. EU RUSSIA TALKS TO GO AHEAD ¶5. EU foreign ministers have finally approved a negotiating mandate for talks on a new partnership agreement with Russia, after talks had been stalled for 18 months by objections from formerly communist members of the EU. EU Foreign Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said a pact meant to cover political and economic ties including energy and trade should "finally provide some legally binding commitments." Talks are to be launched at an EU-Russia summit in Siberia in June. Kilner