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TAGS: OPRC KPAO AU
 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: June 19, 2007 
 
 
Schmied to Present Comprehensive School Model 
 
¶1. Austria's Minister for Education, Claudia Schmied from the Social 
Democrats, will unveil her plans for a comprehensive school system 
for 10- to 14-year-old students later today. During a test stage 
beginning in fall 2008, the comprehensive system will be introduced 
in five Austrian regions. However, the Austrian teachers union and 
the OeVP provincial governors have voiced their skepticism regarding 
the Minister's plan. 
In addition to launching a test of the comprehensive school system 
in up to five regions in Austria as of fall 2008, Education Minister 
Claudia Schmied also wants to abolish the rule in her proposed "new 
middle school model" that student have to repeat a year in school if 
they fail in one or more subjects, independent provincial daily 
Salzburger Nachrichten wrote. In an interview with centrist daily 
Die Presse, Schmid emphasized that "regarding the new middle school, 
the reform process is already underway, and I invite everyone to 
participate." Under the new model, students will no longer be split 
up in groups according to their performance, as is currently the 
case in some secondary schools in Austria, but will receive 
"individual support," Schmied explained, adding that she is aware 
that this is a considerable challenge to the teachers and teacher 
training as well." 
 
 
OeVP: New Policy for Immigrants 
 
¶2. The People's Party's integration spokesperson and state secretary 
for labor, Christine Marek, emphasized that migrants have rights as 
well as duties. She said security has played too large a role in the 
current debate over immigration, and called on her party to 
completely rethink its approach regarding the integration of migrant 
workers. The Social Democrats responded, saying that the idea would 
be a change of direction for the OeVP. 
Like several Austrian media, semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung 
reported on OeVP integration spokesperson Christine Marek's call on 
her party to completely rethink its approach regarding the 
integration of immigrant workers. The opposition Greens said the 
development was a good thing and Austrian relief organization 
Diakonieb also welcomed the "new tone" in the integration debate. 
Diakonie's director, Michael Chalupka, said that those who are 
legally in the country should have the right to work legally, and 
added it would be an important step in the integration process. In 
contrast, the opposition Freedom Party (FPOe) and the Alliance for 
the Future of Austria (BZOe) voiced their objections to the proposed 
change of policy. 
 
 
US Offers Condolences 
 
¶3. A leading Austrian daily briefly noted that on June 18 the United 
States sent condolences to the family of former Austrian President 
and former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, who died in Vienna 
last week. ORF radio also reports that the US Embassy in Vienna 
released a statement yesterday, "four days after Waldheim died." As 
well as offering condolences, the statement also said the United 
States "looks forward to continued close relations with Austria and 
its people." 
All major Austrian media, including semi-official daily Wiener 
Zeitung, independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten, and 
centrist daily Die Presse report on the statement issued by the US 
Embassy in Vienna yesterday, expressing its "sincere condolences to 
the family of Dr. Kurt Waldheim." Meanwhile, domestic affairs writer 
Wolfgang Sablatnig commented on what he described as a "meager 
two-liner" in mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich: "The decision to 
put President Kurt Waldheim on the watch list in 1987, thus barring 
him from immigration, the US is refusing to revoke beyond Waldheim's 
death. The US could not totally avoid giving an official commentary 
on the occasion of the former UN Secretary General and Federal 
President. In a meager release, the US Embassy announced on Monday 
that the US offers 'sincere condolences' to Kurt Waldheim's family. 
Also, 'the United States looks forward to continued close relations 
with Austria and its people.'" 
 
 
EU, US Lift Embargoes on Palestinian Government 
 
¶4. The European Union and the United States are lifting their 
embargoes on aid to the new Palestinian government. After talks in 
Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers said they would resume "normal 
relations" with the Palestinian authority immediately. Their move 
follows the appointment of a new Palestinian government without the 
militant group Hamas. In Washington, US Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice promised full assistance to the Palestinian 
authority and emergency humanitarian aid to Gaza via the United 
Nations. 
ORF radio early morning news Morgenjournal quoted US Secetary of 
State Condoleezza Rice, who said in Wasington that Hamas "has made 
its choice. It has sught to attempt to extinguish democratic debate 
with violence, and to impose its extremist agenda onthe Palestinian 
people in Gaza. Now, responsiblePalestinians are making their 
choice, and it is he duty of the international community to support 
those Palestinians who wish to build a better lifeand a future of 
peace." Meanwhile, in a phon call with US President George Bush, 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for a new effort on peace 
talks, ORF radio adds. In an report on the situation in the 
Palestinian territory, centrist daily Die Presse wrote that while 
the "US and Israel are releasing funds to Abbas," an "isolated 
'Hamastan' is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster following the 
division of the Palestinian territories" between the 
Fatah-controlled West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza. EU foreign 
policy chief Javier Solana and Foreign Relations Commissioner Benita 
Ferrero-Waldner said on Monday that the European Union has also said 
that it wants to resume direct payments to the new Palestinian 
government. The EU is thus backing the Palestinian emergency 
government of President Abbas. Ferrero-Waldner explained that the EU 
would discuss "as soon as possible" the amount of money to be 
transferred to the Palestinian government with new Prime Minister 
Salam Fayad. 
 
 
North Korea Wants to Shut Down Reactor 
 
¶5. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it will send a team 
of inspectors to North Korea next week for talks regarding the 
shutdown of its nuclear reactor. This is the first concrete step 
towards Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and follows the release of 
frozen funds last week. According to an unidentified North Korean 
official, North Korea plans to shut down the YongQn nuclear 
reactor in the second half of July. 
Independent provincial daily Salzburger Nachrichten quoted the White 
Hose as stressing North Korea's decision to allow IAEA inspectors 
back into the country was a "good step." If the nuclear reactor at 
Yongbyon is sealed and shut down as planned, Pyongyang will receive 
a first 50,000-ton shipment out of the promised one million tons of 
crude oil, the daily explained. The ultimate goal is the resumption 
of full diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea. 
Kilner