MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, EU, ECONOMIC,

UNCLAS BERLIN 001251 STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/CE, INR/EUC, INR/P, SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/DSAA, DIA FOR DC-4A VIENNA FOR CSBM, CSCE, PAA "PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" SIPDIS E.0. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IR PK AF EU US SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, EU, ECONOMIC, U.S., OBAMA-DALAILAMA;BERLIN ¶1. Lead Stories Summary ¶2. (Iran) Nuclear Conflict ¶3. (Pakistan) Islamabad Bomb Attack ¶4. (Afghanistan) Future Strategy ¶5. (EU) Future of Lisbon Treaty ¶6. (Economic) IMF/World Bank Meeting ¶7. (U.S.) Economic Policy ¶8. (U.S.) No Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting ¶1. Lead Stories Summary Primetime newscasts and most newspapers opened with stories on the beginning of the coalition talks. Tagesspiegel and Berliner Zeitung led with President KQhler's speech to mark the 60th anniversary of the Federal Trade Union DGB. Editorials focused on the coalition talks and the 60th anniversary of the DGB. ¶2. (Iran) Nuclear Conflict Only two papers (10/06) dealt with the nuclear conflict with Iran. In a report under the headline "Double Success," Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote: "The visit of IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei and the nuclear talks in Geneva with the UN Security Council members plus Germany are considered a double success in Tehran. The Iranians feel confirmed in their negotiating position through both contacts. At a joint news conference with the head of the Iranian nuclear energy commission, Ali Akbar Salehi, ElBaradei said in Tehran: 'We are now changing gear from confrontation to cooperation.' ElBaradei called reports on an internal paper of the IAEA according to which Tehran would be able to build the bomb 'totally unfounded.' [By allowing IAEA inspections at the new plant near Ghom] Tehran is accepting an important step of international nuclear cooperation. It can remain symbolic or turn into a model for the settlement of the conflict. With this gesture of conciliation, the Iranians want to make it easier for Russia and China in the UN Security Council to avert further sanctions." Tagesspiegel (10/06) carried an editorial saying: "For western diplomacy, it was a good week. A new movement has taken place in the nuclear conflict with Iran...and it almost seems to have been forgotten that Iran only recently gave up its largest nuclear feint and reported the second enrichment plant to the IAEA in Vienna. The demonstrative missile tests only happened a week ago, while the oppression of the opposition, the show trials, and torture of political prisoners in Iranian prisons continue unabated. For the first time, Iran's President Ahmadinejad has signaled his willingness for compromise - perhaps only in general terms or perhaps only for a certain period of time.... If we believe in the statements of the always careful IAEA, Tehran now has the technical knowledge to build a primitive bomb with enriched uranium. At this point, President Ahmadinejad is presenting himself as that strongest advocate of Iranian nuclear rights and as the only effective supplier of political concessions. The message is as follows: Those who want Iran to make concessions must recognize him. For the international community a new dilemma must be added to an old one: when it begins talks with Ahmadinejad, it declares him the winner in the inner-Iranian power struggle at the same time." ¶3. (Pakistan) Islamabad Bomb Attack Several papers (10/06) carried reports on the attack on the UN World Food Program in Islamabad. "Several People Killed in Attack On UN Helpers in Islamabad," headlined Sueddeutsche Zeitung and wrote that "the UN's World Food Program supplies food to ten million people in Pakistan. Die Welt headlined: "Five People Killed in Suicide Attack On UN Office in Pakistan," while Tagesspiegel spoke of an "Attack on the UN in Pakistan," and reported that "the authors of the attack are likely to be Taliban or al-Qaida fighters who have committed such attacks on international institutions again and again." The headline in Handelsblatt is: "Pakistan Fears New Wave of Attacks," and added: "The most bloody suicide attack since April in Islamabad is rekindling fears of a new wave of Islamic attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban announced that they would take revenge for the killing of their leader Baitullah Mehsud who was killed in an attack of a remotely controlled missile in August." In an editorial, Sueddeutsche Zeitung (10/06) judged: "After the bomb attack on the offices of the UN Food Program in Islamabad, the UN has announced the closure of its offices. No one can blame the UN for this, for every employer is first of all thinking of the security of its own people. At the same time, the decision is a disaster for the population, and the attackers have thus achieved what they always wanted. The UN has always been the engine behind the assistance for the people in the Swat Valley. In addition, it is a disaster that the Taliban fighting the United States in Pakistan are now punishing the United Nations, as if it were to blame for the situation, too. The offices of foreigners in Islamabad are secured like bulwarks and those who kill them gain a propaganda victory. While the Pakistani government can register a few successes in the fight against the extremists, they are concentrating their attacks on the soft parts of the opponents: not the military but their helpers. This is effective but hurts even more." ¶4. (Afghanistan) Future Strategy Under the headline "Nothing fits together," Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: "Afghanistan is a priority of President Obama's foreign policy. It is therefore all the more remarkable that nothing fits together in the U.S. policy on Afghanistan. As soon as commander McChrystal sounds the alarm bell and calls for more soldiers, VP Biden spreads to the public the idea of withdrawing soldiers and intensifying drone attacks on al Qaida pockets in Pakistan. The deputy head of the UN mission, an American, has a dispute with his boss over the irregularities during the elections. Security Advisor Jones, an Afghanistan expert, now opposes McChrystal's view, noting that everything is less dramatic. Nothing much has happened in Washington apart from redefining the connected trouble spots of Afghanistan and Pakistan into Af/Pak. Of course, there is the envoy for Af/Pak, Richard Holbrooke. What is he actually doing?" ¶5. (EU) Future of Lisbon Treaty Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: "Polish President Kaczynski will take his time to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. After that, the Prague Castle will be the last pocket of resistance, where Czech President Klaus is refusing to sign the reform treaty. One against a few millions-that is to his liking. But will he like the results of his resistance?" Sddeutsche saw the EU "In the dungeons of the Prague Castle" as "President Klaus causes serious damage to the Czech Republic with his blockade of the EU." The paper speculated that "Klaus might indeed hope for the British conservatives to bring down the treaty in a referendum in 2010. A bold plan that will not work because, after the clear vote of the Irish, Klaus is isolated. The pressure is growing in Europe and particularly in Czech politics. It is inconceivable that Klaus can continue his delaying tactics for more than half a year.... It would be more important to send a warning to the potential future British Prime Minister Cameron. His immoral offer of scrapping the treaty if Klaus only holds out has discredited the British and shows his loss of reality." While Berliner Zeitung headlined a report that the "dispute over a EU referendum divides the Tories," Handelsblatt opined that "the European integration faces increasing trouble from LONDON in the future," adding: "The Tories have never agreed more on their euro-skepticism. They are supported by the people and even pro-Europeans like Kenneth Clarke understand that there is no way around this strategy. As anachronistic as it might seem from the Continental point of view, the EU will soon have to consider how much it appreciates a constructive role of the British. Even a British referendum on leaving the EU is no longer crazy idea." ¶6. (Economic) IMF/World Bank Meeting Deutschlandfunk (10/05) commented: "It is true that the G-7 does not want to dissolve itself, but in the future it will not dance prominently on the international political global stage. That is what the G-7 finance ministers and central bank chiefs announced at their meeting in Istanbul. This decision is overdue following the global financial crisis. The G-7 can no longer resolve the problems and challenges of the global economic crisis on its own. New strong actors such as China, Brazil, and India have appeared on the international stage...and the G-20 has turned into the gravitation center of international politics. The awful question is: What will come after the crisis? Will the G-20 then be willing and able to make decisions? Doubts or at least skepticism is still appropriate. There is a reason why the G-7 has not yet been fully be written off. Those who think that international politics would become easier in the future are wrong." ¶7. (U.S.) Economic Policy According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, "Despite all the fuss about the setback for [Chicago's] application, there was even worse news for President Obama on Friday. When he tried in vain to convince the IOC of the qualities of his home town Chicago, the statistical experts reported of a record unemployment. Despite the economic stimulus program amounting to 800 billion dollars the labor market continues to drop. And here Obama's real domestic problems begin. The opposition will consider rising unemployment to be evidence that his economic policy has no effect ...even though the opposite is right. This economic stimulus program has prevented the worst. But the prevention of a depression cannot be sold as a political success, as long as the voters are suffering from the worst recession in two generations. Obama must now concentrate again on his role. With his short trip to Europe he should not create the impression that the upswing is safeguarded. The great recession is by no means over. It requires the president's full concentration, and probably even a second economic stimulus package." ¶8. (U.S.) No Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting Under the headline: "Obama Avoids Meeting with Dalai Lama," Handelsblatt (10/06) reported that "the U.S. President does not want to meet the Dalai Lama." The paper refers to a report in the Washington Post according to the U.S. President decided not to meet the Dalai Lama before his visit to China in mid-November in order to avoid burdening relations with China." die tageszeitung (10/06) carried a report under the headline: "Obama's Policy Towards Tibet: Pussyfooting with Beijing," and wrote: "The Dalai Lama must let Hu Jintao go first.... Political analysts assume that this move hides the fear within the U.S. government that such a meeting could jeopardize the rapprochement towards China. China not only owns the greatest share of U.S. bonds...but for the United States, Beijing is also an important partner in the nuclear conflict with Iran and North Korea. It is the first time since 1991, that the Dalai Lama has been refused entry to the White House." MURPHY