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TAGS: OPRC KPAO AU
 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: May 18, 2007 
 
OeVP Attacks Darabos 
 
¶1. The People's Party's defense and military spokesperson Walter 
Murauer has accused Social Democratic Defense Minister Norbert 
Darabos of "working against the military."  In his efforts to cancel 
the Eurofighter deal, the Minister has "neglected his 
responsibilities," and is "only working towards maneuvering 
Austria's armed forces into a situation with potentially disastrous 
results," Murauer complained. Darabos' "lack of activity" even 
threatens the army's effectiveness in disaster relief missions, said 
Murauer. 
Like several Austrian media, mass-circulation tabloid Kronen Zeitung 
reported on the People's Party's recent attacks against Defense 
Minister Norbert Darabos from the SPOe. The Social Democrats have 
meanwhile dismissed OeVP military spokesperson Walter Murauer's 
criticism of the Defense Minister, with SPOe military spokesperson 
Anton Gaal countering that Darabos has "taken on a difficult legacy 
from the OeVP defense ministers, who left behind such a huge mess." 
On top of that, "Darabos is being criticized for his efforts to 
realize a reduction of Eurofighter costs," when it "would be the in 
the taxpayers' interest for the OeVP to contribute to a more 
inexpensive solution for Austria's airspace surveillance," Gaal 
complained. 
 
 
Will the Coalition Hold? 
 
¶2. An Austrian tabloid speculates that the SPOe-SPOe government 
could crash and the People's Party might already be making plans for 
early elections. At a "clandestine OeVP meeting," the OeVP 
leadership is allegedly drawing up scenarios for a vote in fall. 
Mass-circulation tabloid Oesterrreich suggests that since late 
April, the OeVP's election strategists and party leadership have 
been discussing plans for potential early elections. The daily 
believes that the coalition government's days are numbered, should 
the SPOe succeed in canceling the Eurofighter deal this summer. That 
is why Conservatives' strategists have begun starting up the 
campaign engine in secret: They want to be prepared to a potentially 
sudden and quick campaign and elections in fall, according to 
Oesterreich.  Recetn survey's suggests that the OeVP, with 37 
percent of voters' support, is currently about three percentage 
points ahead of the Social Democrats. 
 
 
More Deals with Iran? 
 
¶3. A leading Austrian daily suggested that Austrian energy provider 
OMV may be planning additional business deals with Iran, aside from 
the company's controversial planned investment in Iranian natural 
gas. 
The OMV's controversial investment in Iranian gas is likely not the 
only business deal the Austrian energy provider is planning to set 
up with Tehran. Semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung suggests that in 
February the OMV acquired the auction papers for 17 additional 
energy blocks in Iran. It is not clear at this point whether OMV 
will chose to bid for all of these potential deals, the Wiener 
Zeitung continued and listed companies including Shell, Total, 
Repsol and Gaz de France as the Austrian corporation's competitors. 
The daily also quotes the Austrian Trade Representative in Tehran, 
who explained that "all European energy companies are represented in 
Iran." They are interested in the same gas field as a number of US 
firms, only that the Americans are based in Qatar, on the other side 
of the Gulf, he added. 
 
 
Wolfowitz Steps Down 
 
¶4. Paul Wolfowitz is to resign as President of the World Bank 
following a bitter promotion row involving his girlfriend. After 
lengthy talks with the bank's board, Wolfowitz agreed to leave the 
organization on June 30. He had faced widespread calls for his 
resignation after being accused of a conflict of interest over a pay 
rise given to ex-bank employee Shaha Riza. Wolfowitz joined the 
World Bank in 2005. 
On ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal, Washington 
correspondent Joerg Winter commented: "In the end, Paul Wolfowitz 
could only fight for his honor: He said he would only step down if 
the World Bank's board of directors admitted to a shared guilt in 
the affair, and he succeeded in getting his wish. Not only 
Wolfowitz, but a whole group of individuals had made mistakes, the 
board's official statement says. The Europeans in particular had 
been pushing for the World Bank President's resignation; and 
Wolfowitz' supporters are already talking of a hostile campaign. 
Before he joined the World Bank, Wolfowitz was the US' Deputy 
Secretary of Defense, and thus one of the architects of America's 
 
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controversial Iraq war. He is being punished for that now, his 
supporters say. Wolfowitz' resignation is a defeat for US President 
George Bush, who repeatedly and publicly expressed his support for 
the beleaguered World Bank boss. In the end, he had to give in to 
the Europeans' pressure." 
 
 
Tensions Overshadow EU-Russia Summit 
 
¶5. Russian President Vladimir Putin and EU leaders are meeting for a 
summit in southern Russia amid growing tension. Disputes have arisen 
over the status of Kosovo, energy supplies, trade, and ties between 
Russia and Estonia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country 
is currently holding the EU's rotating presidency, will lead the EU 
team at the summit, which will be held in the city of Samara. All 
Austrian media point to the tensions between the two sides, and 
suggest it is unlikely that the summit will yield any concrete 
results. 
Liberal daily Der Standard's comment that the EU-Russia summit 
currently underway in Samara is a "summit without expectations" is 
an assessment shared by all Austrian media. It is a good sign the 
meeting is taking place at all, the daily quotes a Russian 
newspaper. A lot of major obstacles, including US plans for a 
missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, or the disagreement over 
Kosovo's future status, have made any positive outcome unlikely. 
Independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten meanwhile 
suggested that whatever the result of the Samara summit, Russian 
President Vladimir Putin can be sure of applause at home for his 
arbitrary course. 
 
 
Sarkozy to Present Cabinet 
 
¶6. French President Nicolas Sarkozy will unveil his government later 
today, after naming Frangois Fillon Prime Minister yesterday. 
Sarkozy is expected to reduce the number of ministers to 15, with 
around half of the posts given to women. Emphasizing his political 
openness, the new French President has also nominated Socialist 
Bernard Kouchner, an eminent figure of the left and co-founder of 
Doctors Without Borders, for the post of Foreign Minister. 
In an interview with mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich Austrian 
political analyst Fritz Plasser suggested that for the 
Conservatives, "France will likely become Europe's number one 
address and Sarkozy their flag-bearer." As a "role model for the 
Conservatives," the new French president "links conservative 
programs with a knack for cultivating his image." Sarkozy "combines 
conservative ideas and concepts, such as a neo-liberal economic 
policy, with nationalist and populist elements. This mix could serve 
as an example for others." 
McCaw