VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVI #0714/01 0801527
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211527Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6690
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS VIENNA 000714 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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: KPAO AU OPRC
 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: March 21, 2007 
 
Government Debates Climate Strategy 
 
¶1. The SPOe-OeVP coalition will make an effort to settle its ongoing 
dispute regarding implementation of Kyoto goals at today's Council 
of Ministers. There has been disagreement on a number of aspects of 
Austria's planned new climate strategy, including on the SPOe's 
proposals of holding a climate summit and of appointing a "climate 
envoy" - both moves the OeVP has rejected. 
Like the majority of Austrian media, centrist daily Die Presse 
reports on the continuing quarrel in the collation government over 
Austria's climate strategy. The daily quotes Chancellor Alfred 
Gusenbauer (SPOe) as attacking Environment Minister Josef Proell 
(OeVP), calling his climate and environmental policy a "complete 
failure." Gusenbauer insists on appointment of a climate envoy and 
the holding of a climate summit. Proell, in turn, has dismissed 
these demands, saying he might "go to the climate summit if I have 
the time." The minister has instead invited the provinces to talks 
on climate strategy, says the Presse. Austrian media agree that this 
is just one of many issues causing the "harsh words" between the 
coalition parties. 
 
 
Plassnik Invites Abu Amr to Austria 
 
¶2. Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik has invited Abu Amr, the newly 
appointed Palestinian Foreign Minister, to visit Austria. Plassnik 
said the swearing in of a Palestinian unity government on Saturday, 
made up of members of the militant group Hamas and moderates from 
the Fatah movement, was an opportunity to normalize the 
Palestinians' relations with the international community. The 
Hamas-run government has been boycotted because of its refusal to 
recognize Israel or renounce violence. 
All major Austrian media report that Foreign Minister Ursula 
Plassnik has invited Abu Amr, the newly appointed Palestinian 
foreign minister, to visit Austria. The EU and the US have meanwhile 
said the new Palestinian government will not be offered quick 
recognition, but will be judged on its actions, semi-official daily 
Wiener Zeitung writes. Centrist daily Die Presse summarizes the 
Austrian media's assessment of Plassnik's move, headlining "Vienna 
breaks the blockade against the Palestinians."  The daily adds that 
Israel has expressed its "disappointment" over the meeting, which it 
considers as undermining the conditions to be met by the 
Palestinians brought forward by the Mideast Quartet. And 
mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich quotes Israel's Ambassador to 
Austria Dan Ashbel as saying he is "sad" about Plassnik's move, 
which is "not helpful for the peace process." 
Thus, foreign affairs editor for mass-circulation provincial daily 
Kleine Zeitung Ernst Heinrich comments:  "People in Jerusalem will 
be anything but pleased that Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula 
Plassnik was so quick in taking the initiative and inviting her 
Palestinian colleague Siad Abu Amr to Austria. However, the Austrian 
Foreign Minister has done the right thing. Especially now, that 
there is finally a Palestinian government after all the unrest, 
which was reminiscent of a civil war, and the months of quarrelling, 
it would be wrong not to seek dialogue with the new government out 
of spite. To continue to boycott further the Palestinian government 
of national unity would mean to further strengthen their radical 
forces. Ursula Plassnik shows good sense in doing just the 
opposite." 
Raymond Johansen, the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, was the 
first senior European official to hold talks with Palestinian Prime 
Minister Ismail Haniya. Norway, which is not part of the European 
Union, immediately recognized the unity government, and said it was 
lifting an economic and political boycott. After the meeting 
Johansen said he hoped that all European countries, and even other 
countries, will support the unity government. France has also 
invited the new Palestinian Foreign Minister to pay a visit and 
Britain is signaling some flexibility. 
The US says it will stay in touch with moderate Palestinians, the 
Wiener Zeitung adds. According to ORF radio's early morning news 
Morgenjournal, however, the United States is said to have made its 
first unofficial contact with the new Palestinian unity government 
already. The Palestinian Finance Minister, Salam Fayed, a political 
independent, said he met US Consul General Jacob Walles in the West 
Bank. The meeting ends a year-long diplomatic boycott, after the 
militant group Hamas took over the Palestinian government. 
 
 
Nussbaumer Could Still Be Alive 
 
¶3. There are indications that Bert Nussbaumer, the Austrian abducted 
in Iraq last year, could still be alive. A list has been found with 
the names of persons abducted in Iraq, which includes Nussbaumer. In 
addition, negotiators in Kuwait and Iraq have contacted the 
suspected hostage takers via intermediaries in order to push for the 
Austrian's release. And, in a letter, President Heinz Fischer 
recently asked his Iraqi counterpart for support in the matter, 
according to mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich. 
 
 
Russia Increases Pressure on Tehran 
 
¶4. Sourcing the New York Times, Austrian media report that Russia 
has increased pressure on Iran to stop uranium enrichment activities 
with a warning that Moscow will withhold nuclear fuel for Iran's 
nuclear power plant at Bushehr.  With the UN Security Council 
expected to vote within a week on sanctions against Tehran for its 
refusal to suspend uranium enrichment. Russia's tougher stance on 
the issue could make passing the planned UNSC sanctions against Iran 
a lot easier, Austrian commentators believe. 
On ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal, commentator Elisa 
Vass analyzes the situation: "Up to now, Russia had been a moderate 
voice in the international concert, urging a milder approach towards 
its ally Iran. Now, however, Moscow's patience with Tehran appears 
to have worn out. According to Western diplomats, Russia has already 
recalled the majority of its experts, who assisted Iran in the 
construction of its nuclear facility at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf. 
In addition, Russia also seems to be delaying delivery of urgently 
needed nuclear fuel, without which the Bushehr reactor cannot be 
brought online. US media say Moscow has tied the fuel's delivery to 
Iran's coming around in the nuclear dispute. The UN Security 
Council, after all, has repeatedly and so far unsuccessfully 
demanded Iran suspend its uranium enrichment program. Russia, 
however, is denying it has issued such an ultimatum - there is no 
connection with the nuclear dispute, Moscow insists, claiming the 
dispute over Bushehr is a financial issue only. A Russian nuclear 
corporation is accusing Iran of not having paid the agreed 
25-million-dollar rates since January, which is why it is 
threatening to suspend construction of the Bushehr plant. Iran, in 
turn, is denying it has fallen behind in its payments, and claims 
Russia had given in to US pressure in the nuclear dispute. In any 
case, the Russian-Iranian discord could make passing the upcoming UN 
Security Council resolution much easier, which will likely result in 
tightened international sanctions against Iran." 
 
 
Iran Said to Have Trained Insurgents in Iraq 
 
¶5. An Iranian dissident has accused the regime in Tehran of 
condoning the training of Iraqi insurgents in secret training camps. 
Iran's elite units, the Revolutionary Guards, have allegedly been 
operating these camps with the government's endorsement for several 
months, Alireza Jafarzadeh said on Tuesday. Jafarzadeh had first 
caused a stir five years ago, when he brought important details 
about the Iranian nuclear program to the public's attention, says 
independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten. 
 
 
Iraqi Government Should Talk To Insurgents 
 
¶6. The Vice-President of Iraq, Tarek Al-Hashemi, has suggested talks 
with insurgents in an attempt to bring peace to Iraq. Hashemi ruled 
out talks only with al Qaeda members. He stressed that many 
insurgents could become part of the political process. 
ORF radio quotes Iraq's Vice-President Tarek Al-Hashemi on stressing 
in connection with his proposal to hold talks with Iraqi insurgents 
that they are "just part of the Iraqi community. We believe that all 
Iraqis, whether they are participating in the political process, or 
(are) outside the political process, principally agree that there is 
no way (forward) for Iraqis but democracy and (a) political 
process." 
Meanwhile, independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten 
analyzes the situation in Iraq, where -- the daily says -- "violence 
continues to reign." One of the main problems, the Salzburger 
Nachrichten suggests, is that the people in Iraq have not yet come 
to terms psychologically with the end of Saddam Hussein's despotic 
regime, although the former dictator and three of his top aides have 
been executed in the meantime. 
McCaw