MEDIA REACTION: COP15, German Strategy on Afghanistan,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 001559 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 KGHG IR AF GM US TU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: COP15, German Strategy on Afghanistan, Iranian Protests, US-Turkish Relations;BERLIN ¶1. Lead Stories Summary ¶2. Climate Change Conference ¶3. Afghanistan ¶4. Iranian Protests ¶5. U.S.-Turkish Relations ¶1. Lead Stories ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts opened with stories on the beginning of the Copenhagen climate summit. Most newspapers led with stories on the German governmentQs plan to compensate the victims of the September 4 airstrikes. Frankfurter Allgemeine led with the headline: QClashes in Tehran again,Q and a few papers led with the probe of the LBBW bank. Editorials focused on the compensation of Afghan victims. ¶2. Climate Change Conference EPA decision on carbon dioxide Spiegel Online led with the headline QObama has a free hand in climate protection,Q highlighting in its introduction: QIt is a positive signal in the fight against global warming: at the beginning of the Copenhagen UN summit, the U.S. environmental agency declared greenhouse gases as dangerous. With that, President Obama can push through climate protection measures against the opposition of the Congress.Q ARD-TVQs Tagesschau newscast noted this morning: QIt is clear that with this decision President Obama is coming to Copenhagen in a stronger position. ARD-TVQs Tagesthemen late-night newscast remarked: QWe must now stop carelessly destroying our planet as if we had another one at our disposal. We must give way to reason in Copenhagen. Otherwise it will wind up in history books as the summit of shame if the world continues to be so unfocused, government representatives only make half-hearted decisions to restrict global warming, economic interests outweigh environmental protection, and cynical lobbyists water down what scientists demand We in the rich countries know for sure that we cannot go on like this if we want to leave a world to our children they can live in.... There is no alternative to a drastic reduction of carbon dioxide. This is a conviction Washington now also believes in: after the EPA decision, Obama will not come to Copenhagen with empty hands. The U.S. President could now commit the U.S. to binding climate goals without the approval of the Congress and create a Marshall Plan for our earth. This is maybe the best news of the day. Handelsblatt editorialized: QThe U.S. is becoming greener, but the Congress does not realize it. Companies are preparing themselves for the new guidelines on climate policy With a new initiative, California wants to increase the pressure on politicians because, also under President Obama, the mills in the Congress grind slowly. Poor vs. rich countries Norddeutscher Rundfunk radio opined: QAt the end, the greatest rift will not be between the U.S., China and the Europeans, but between the poor and the rich. The developing countries want money to deal better with the consequences of climate changeQand they want prosperity and health through clean technologies. They have made clear in previous conferences that if they do not get what they want, then they would not commit themselves to any agreement. They are very bitter. It could be that those who suffer most from climate change will be the ones who block the international fight against it. Sueddeutsche Zeitung editorialized: QThe global climate change BERLIN 00001559 002 OF 003 deteriorates the fight over water and pastures and becomes dangerous in areas where there is a shortage of resources Any additional degree will intensify the struggle for recourses on the African continent and will stir up new wars. A bold move in Copenhagen would therefore also be a true peace agreement. Deutschlandfunk radio commented: QIndustrial countries should know why it is necessary to increase their cooperation with the countries in the south. The prospect of palm trees along the river Rhine might be attractive. However, nobody should believe that Germany would be untouched when millions of Bangladeshis must flee because their country is basically drowning The term climate justice would mean that every person in the world is granted the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Negotiators are not there yet. A farewell to the fossil age is overdue. LetQs see Copenhagen as a chance for a structural change that makes sense. Pershing Profile Frankfurter Allgemeine profiled U.S. chief negotiator Jonathan Pershing, noting that he has been involved in climate protection for decades. The paper said he started his career as a geophysicist looking for oil deposits in Alaska, and surmised that that experience motivated him to engage on climate change Qwhile retaining an ability to avoid the widespread anti-business sentiment within the movement.Q It noted PershingQs academic career and his role on environmental policy in the Clinton administration as the assistant deputy negotiator for the Kyoto agreement and reported further on PershingQs duty as head of the energy and environment division at the International Energy Agency. Noting the retrenchment of environmental issues to Qthink tanks on the east and west coasts,Q FAZ commented favorably that Pershing remained engaged by serving as an advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger during negotiations on the Inter-American emissions trading program, and finally worked to develop of the emissions trading platform at the Chicago Climate Exchange. QThe late compliance of the American President, who will now attend the final stage of the negotiations in Copenhagen, may also have been due to PershingQs influence,Q the paper noted. ¶3. Afghanistan Apart from Handelsblatt, German editorials and reports on Afghanistan almost exclusively focused on the German governmentQs plans to compensate the victims of the September 4 airstrikes. Handelsblatt editorialized: QHow often do we have to reinvent the world? This is the question that comes up when you track the German policy on Afghanistan. All experts have been agreeing for months on the necessary international action to be taken in Afghanistan: more support in developing the infrastructure as well as training the Afghan police and military forces, in addition to a stronger military security to push through the power of the Afghan government across the country against the Taliban, who are becoming stronger. It is therefore all the more remarkable that the German government is now going its own way. While most NATO partners have quickly defined their own additional contribution, the German government acts as if it must think about a completely new situation. Only at the end of January will Berlin make a decision about any additional assistance. Frankfurter Allgemeine commented: QIt is good that Germany will offer the victims of the combat mission compensation payments. This was done so in the past, and Americans and the British do this as well. By making compensation payments, the German government does not make any statement about the legitimacy of military actions, but it makes clear that it is in the country and fights there for the sake of the people. BERLIN 00001559 003 OF 003 A front-page editorial in Die Welt noted: QThe relatives of the civilian causalities of the airstrike near Kunduz will get money. Berlin is taking up the practice of the U.S. of setting a signal of good will in cases of collateral damage, as far as this is possible. The German government, however, did not only regret the civilian victims but also redefined the strikes of six weeks ago as militarily inappropriate and unjustified. This new assessment remains mysterious. ¶4. Iranian Protests Many German media reported on the new clashes in Iran. Die Welt carried a large front-page photo of protesters with green masks under the headline QThe brave of Tehran,Q noting that Qthe opposition in Iran has the courage again to protest against the regime.Q An editorial in Die Welt noted: QThe regime in Tehran that is seeking to become a regional power in the Middle East by its nuclear armament is fighting a war at home against its young people. Apart from the plain power, the regime has nothing to lose. Under the headline QDauntless,Q Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: QThe severe riots last June when thousands of Iranians protested against the questionable re-election of President Ahmadinejad did not frighten off the opposition It is increasingly clear that the gradual degeneration of the Islamic Republic into a military dictatorship cannot prevent the supporters of the opposition from expressing their dissatisfaction on the streets. Due to the ban of journalists it is difficult to get an idea of how powerful the resistance is. However, what news that does get out of the country confirms the conviction that Iran is facing difficult times next year. Attempts to heal the Qpolitical stubbornness will not succeed. On June 12, Iran became a different country. ¶5. U.S.-Turkish Relations Under the headline QU.S.-Turkish Dissonances,Q Berliner Zeitung analyzed: QUnlike during the times of the Cold War, Ankara and Washington are no longer in the same boat. On the contrary, in the region, both powers continuously get in each others' way The worst case is that of Iran. The U.S. wants to isolate the rebellious regime and prepare for a tougher UN embargo. But Erdogan does not really want to talk about it. However, even if Turkey is stubborn in the case of Iran and relatively steadfast in refusing to send more troops to Afghanistan, it remains an indispensible partner for the Americans. MURPHY