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