Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BERLIN665
2009-06-04 13:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: POTUS VISITS, CAIRO SPEECH, GITMO,

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO GM SA EG XF US CH XG UK 
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R 041319Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4262
INFO WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHINGTON DC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
FRG COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
USMISSION USNATO 
USMISSION USOSCE 
HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
UNCLAS BERLIN 000665 


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"

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO GM SA EG XF US CH XG UK
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: POTUS VISITS, CAIRO SPEECH, GITMO,
TIANANMEN, EURO ELECTIONS, UK GOV CRISIS

UNCLAS BERLIN 000665


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"

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO GM SA EG XF US CH XG UK
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: POTUS VISITS, CAIRO SPEECH, GITMO,
TIANANMEN, EURO ELECTIONS, UK GOV CRISIS


1. Lead Stories Summary

2. POTUS in Riyadh

3. Presidential Speech in Cairo

4. POTUS Visit to Germany

5. Guantnamo Prisoners

6. Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre

7. European Parliament Elections

8. UK Government Crisis



1. Lead Stories Summary

Editorials focused on the future of the Arcandor department store
chain, the Tiananmen Square massacre 20 years ago, and a new health
label for food. ZDF-TV's early evening newscast Heute opened with a
report on the search for debris of Air France Flight 447, while
ARD-TV's early evening newscast Tagesschau opened with a story on
the memorial service for the victims of AF 447.


2. POTUS in Riyadh

Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: "The fact that the American
President visits Saudi Arabia and Egypt makes clear that he is
serious about his policy of reaching out to the Muslim world. Under
his predecessor, Washington's reputation in the region was damaged
seriously. Obama's meeting with Saudi King Abdullah, whose country
is currently the lead nation of the Sunni Muslims, was important.
However, a great deal more is expected in Arabia and elsewhere from
his speech in Cairo. Obama has already struck a more conciliatory
tone towards the Muslim world, although he himself lowered
expectations. The conflicts in the region, which require U.S.
engagement to be resolved, are so complex that quick solutions
cannot be expected despite an improved sentiment. Obama will not
change the minds of fanatics, such as Bin Laden."

Primetime ARD-TV's Tagesschau reported on the President's visit to
Riyadh that "the Saudis are afraid of a stronger neighbor in Iran
and that it might soon possess nuclear weapons. Barack Obama wants
to exploit the position of the Saudis to stop the flow of financial
assistance to extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. King Abdullah
wants to revive a promising 2002 peace plan. On the margins of the
talks, which were primarily of private nature, the American

President emphasized the good strategic relations to Saudi Arabia."


3. Presidential Speech in Cairo

ZDF-TV's Heute-Journal reported on the President's upcoming speech
in Cairo that "its main goal is to overcome the mistrust that has
been built up between the Muslim world and the West for so many
years. President Obama wants to open a door with his speech and
offer a partnership. He will emphasize that the West is not at war
with Islam." The report added that, although "one speech doesn't
make a summer," there are "opportunities for improvements in the
medium-term because many people in the region want this."

Under the headline "Obama is reaching out," mass tabloid Bild
editorialized: "It is supposed to be an historic speech, an act of
reconciliation. Obama will speak to the Muslim world in Cairo, to
1.2 billion Muslims.... America has never fought a war against
Islam. Whenever Muslims suffered in recent decades, America came to
help. Thousands of Americans have died for the freedom of Muslims.
The Muslim world should actually reach out to America to express
gratitude - not the other way around."

ZDF-TV's Washington correspondent Matthias Fornoff noted that he
finds it "interesting" that "the speech will be immediately
translated in 13 languages and be watchable over YouTube and
Facebook in order to directly reach out to young Muslims in the
world."

Tagesspiegel judged under the headline "He has no
Time,":"expectations are running high. Many people in the Muslim
world are expecting concrete statements in Cairo today. Obama will
certainly use his personal biography and his charisma to emphasize
the planned partnership with the Islamic and Arab world is credible.
He will succeed. Fewer and fewer people in the Arab world listen
to Osama bin Laden. Nevertheless, Obama could also disappoint if he
does not present concrete proposals to resolve the Middle East
conflict, and if he does not call for political liberalization in
Egypt. Obama wants to win the hearts of the people, win support of
the Arab regimes and form sound alliances with a view to the Middle
East and Iran. This will be a difficult dichotomy and needs time.
But Obama does not have this time. Without any visible initiatives,
the next outbreak of violence is pre-programmed."

According to Handelsblatt, "we cannot take it amiss that Barack
Obama thinks he knows how to cut the Gordian knot in the Middle
East. He is new in his job and little experienced in foreign
policy. That it why he has the right to pin his hopes on things
common sense has demanded for a long time in this lasting conflict
between Israel and the Palestinians: honesty. With sincerity,
honesty and without any tricks, all sides involved should try to
disentangle the conflict. But the Middle East would not have been
this smoldering fire if things were really that simple. For the
first time on his trip, he will get a small insight on what a
long-cultivated distrust has done to the people in the region,
because there is no trust between Jerusalem, Damascus, Cairo and
Riyadh."

Regional daily Flensburger Tageblatt had this to say: "When
President Obama delivers his address in Cairo today, he will be
walking a tightrope act. The feat for him must be to extend his
hand to the 1.5 billion Muslims without slapping the Israeli ally in
the face. Obama will concentrate on the necessary precondition for
the success of any new initiative which aims at finding an
accommodation between Israelis and Palestinians. The U.S. president
will try to restore his country's position as an 'honest broker.'"

Regional daily Der Neue Tag of Weiden opined: "The omens are good,
expectations high: Obama's father was a Muslim, he himself lived as
a boy in Indonesia, the most populous Islamic country in the world.
Despite all anti-American resentment in Asia, the U.S. president is
considered extraordinarily popular. He could now strategically take
advantage of this reputation in order to gain greater influence on
the peace process in the Middle East. Today, the Arab world will
listen closely whether and to what extent he will disassociate
himself from the Israeli settlement policy."

Sueddeutsche's front-page report is headlined:"Obama Seeking
Reconciliation with Muslims," and reported that "the highlight of
his trip to the Middle East will be a speech in Cairo with which he
wants to renew America's relationship with the Muslim world.
However, the President will not visit Israel." The paper added
that, "following the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush and the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, anti-Americanism and radical Islam are
stronger than ever in the Arab and Islamic world. With a one-hour
speech at Cairo University, Obama now wants to initiate change and
seek reconciliation with the region."

Handelsblatt reported under the headline: "Dual Tightrope Act on the
Nile," that "As a matter of fact, President Obama will break the
political legacy of his predecessor George W. Bush in the Middle
East. For instance, he avoided any contacts with Islamists who
planned to implement a state based on Islamic principles. But the
U.S. Embassy in Cairo has now sent out invitations to politicians
who have close links to Egypt's largest opposition movement, the
Muslim Brotherhood. That is why Obama's address is also a challenge
for Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, who considers the Muslim
Brotherhood his most dangerous opponents and is using violence
against them." The paper cited the spokesman for the Muslim

Brotherhood, Essam Erian, as having said that "the Islamists do not
want to hear only nice words from Obama but also want to see deeds,
because the trip would otherwise be useless... The United States
must completely withdraw from Iraq, stop the bombing in Afghanistan
and Pakistan, help the Palestinians get their rights, and give up
their support for the dictatorship of the Egyptian president."


4. POTUS Visit to Germany

Weekly Die Zeit argued in an editorial: "Barack Obama represents the
new, the future: he incorporates the dream of shedding old skins,
the dream of enlightenment and modern times. But this politician of
today and tomorrow has now imposed on himself a crash course in
history during his visit to Europe on Friday and on Saturday.
Nationalism and communism, tyranny and liberation, war and victory
and peace and all this in two days--is that not a bit too much?
Seen from a global policy point of view, Europe is for Obama only a
'side theater." His most important item on the agenda during his
trip is his speech in Cairo. It is almost unavoidable that Obama's
policy of detente will create concerns and distrust in Israel. The
visit to the memorial site in Buchenwald, may demonstrate that the
Untied States and its new president have not forgotten the Nazi
crimes, and that they are aware of the history of the Holocaust and
the precarious existence of the Israeli state. Barack Obama does
everything to disarm the conflicts of the present, and this is the
important thing about his presidency: the return to reason and
normalcy."

ZDF-TV's Heute-Journal showed German Government Spokesman Wilhelm
saying that "the visit shows the interest in our country and the
interest in close exchanges about important international topics."
He added that Chancellor Merkel's relations with Obama are "good"
and "cordial." A think tank commentator noted that the focus of
Obama's visits is on the Muslim world and that "Washington is aware
of the fact that Germany will not be able to make major
contributions prior to the upcoming national elections." American
Academy Director Gary Smith added that Obama wants to avoid the
notion that he is interfering in the upcoming German elections.

Berliner Zeitung editorialized: "German foreign policy is suffering
from the election campaigns between Chancellor Merkel and Foreign
Minister Steinmeier. U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Saxony
and Thuringia is also an election campaign appointment for top
German politicians. The Chancellor will get the images at the side
of Obama. Her challenger prefers not to participate in the talks
because he wants to avoid photos that show him, according to the
rules of the protocol, as part of Merkel's entourage, not as an
independent candidate for the highest German office."

Frankfurter Allgemeine highlighted that "Obama's second visit to
Germany as American President will again not take him to Berlin....
Some people believe this is a hidden political message by
Washington."

Berliner Zeitung carried a page on President Obama's visit to
Germany under the headline "Obama meets Merkel and annoys
Steinmeier," noting that Steinmeier decided not to go to Dresden
because he would have seen Obama only with a group of people. The
U.S. delegation had rejected the idea of a one-to-one conversation
due to the rules of protocol.


5. Guantnamo Prisoners

Sueddeutsche Zeitung stated in an editorial: "The latest
improvement of conditions at the prison does not change the
fundamental dilemma that prevails between barbed wire and the watch
towers: for more than seven years, the majority of prisoners have
been behind bars without any prospect for a prosecutor who will
finally put them on trial and charge them with concrete crimes. And
there has been no hope for a judge who will acquit or sentence them.
Prisoner number 78 was unable to tolerate this any longer and
committed suicide. Many men in Camp Delta have been waiting for a
long time for their release, because their home regimes are
suspected of torture and neither the U.S, nor its hypocritical
allies in the far away Europe want to give them a chance for a new
life. But without a way out, even more prisoners will choose this
way out."


6. Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre

L|becker Nachrichten concluded: "On the anniversary of the student
protests, there is no glimmer of hope. The events are a taboo.
China's youth does not know anything about Tiananmen. A new revolt
cannot be expected. It has turned out to be a great illusion that
intensified trade with Beijing would initiate political change.
Capitalist production and consumer fetishism primarily in the big
cities were unable to shake the communist rule. Even the Olympic
Games last year, which western sports functionaries praised in an
irresponsible way as a turn towards liberalization, did not move
anything."

In an editorial regional daily Rhein-Zeitung of Koblenz declared:
"It is one of the most important questions in global history whether
such a tough market economy that causes so many social distortions
like the one in China can survive in the long run without democracy.
The soul of a westerner would say 'no,' while the bitter experience
of the Chinese says 'yes.' But if 1989 teaches us one thing, then
it is that sometimes history takes a surprising course. We should
do everything possible that China witnesses such a change as it
happened in the GDR in 1989."

Regional daily Die Tagespost of W|rzburg noted: "Support for the
oppressed church in China continues to be necessary. But it should
also be in the interest of the international community of nations to
urge the Chinese government to reassess the protest movements of
1989, release the student leaders who are still in prison and to
call the responsible people for the massacre to account."


7. European Parliament Elections

Weekly Die Zeit said in a front-page editorial: "Never before has
another order created so much wealth and freedom for 500 million
people, no other union of states has had such a great attractiveness
that other countries at any cost want to join it. But China and
Russia put efficiency above democracy and have become important
global players and compete with the EU because they are able to act
faster and more recklessly. A high voter turnout would give Europe
the right thing at the right moment that others do not have:
legitimacy."

Regional Nordbayerischer Kurier of Bayreuth argued: "Hardly anyone
knows the top candidates of the big parties. Why is the political
Europe so far away? We do not want Brussels to tell us what we have
to do, and, in this respect, the EU frequently lacks the necessary
sensitivity. Only a few people have any idea of how the complex
structure of the EU with the Council of Europe, the European
Commission and the European Parliament works. On Sunday, when we go
to the polls, we will find ballots with many strange names. But
Europe, the unknown country, needs well-known faces. Then the
people would turn to it."

Tabloid Express of Cologne observed: "An opinion poll revealed that
only a few Germans know the German candidates who will run in
elections on Sunday. Is this a boring election? Unfortunately, the
interest in the elections seems to be minor. Almost 500 million
people live in the euro zone, a vast union with a great
attractiveness and by far more than a simple economic area. The
European Union stands for democracy and freedom. Politicians, who
laud Europe but continue to stick to national mindsets, are not the
only ones who must be blamed for the fact that it has so little
influence as a union of nations. We, too, are called upon [to
change this]. A high voter turnout would strengthen Europe more
than all the nice soapbox speeches."

Schwdbische Zeitung of Leutkirch pointed out: "It is up to the
people to choose those who represent them [in the European
parliament, EP]. And the higher the voter turnout, the greater will
be the moral weight of the European Parliament. If the Lisbon
Treaty finally came into force, the EP would make a big step forward
with respect to its influence. That is why every citizen, who does
not go to the polls forfeits a chance to decide about his personal
circumstances surrounding his or her life."


8. UK Government Crisis

Frankfurter Allgemeine commented: "The opposition in the Lower House
of Parliament is smelling blood and is calling for new elections.
This is only logical given the Brown government's loss of authority
and involvement of leading Labor politicians in the expense scandal.
Brown's resistance to call new elections is also logical because he
and Labor are with their backs to the wall. However, if the
European and local elections turn out as the predictions say, if
they are a disaster, then a reshuffle of the cabinet will not
suffice to rescue Brown. The days of the Prime Minister, who is
turning ever more into a tragic figure of British politics, might
indeed be numbered... In the current crisis, Britain needs a
government that can lead and does not languish."

Die Welt noted that "Gordon Brown is experiences a serious crisis"
and "Britain is seeing one of the most precarious phases in its
history." The editorial added: "The island is suffering from the
weakest governments in a long time, and it will be taught a proper
lesson in today's European and local elections.... Early elections
might be the only way out [of the crisis.] Soon, the Prime Minister
will not be able to avoid them."

A Frankfurter Rundschau editorial headlined "Facing the Collapse"
remarked: "These are dramatic days in London. The government of
the Labor Prime Minister is beginning to collapse. Two top
ministers have resigned within two days.... The embarrassing
reports on self-enrichment of British parliamentarians have caused a
giant quake that made the foundation of the government unstable."


Regional daily Braunschweiger Zeitung noted: "Members of all parties
in the House of Commons have enriched themselves at the expense of
the taxpayer. But now the time has come to settle political
accounts. And the worst thing for Prime Minister Gordon Brown is
that the British are called upon this Wednesday to vote for their
representatives for the European Parliament. This could become a
black day for Labor. It seems that the banking crisis and the
shameless behavior of some managers have a political parallel in
England. It does not matter that the sums involved are very small.
The moral depravity and the brazen unscrupulousness are the things
that are so disgusting."


KOENIG