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TAGS: OPRC KPAO AU
 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: September 19, 2007 
 
 
Call for Tolerance 
 
¶1. At a meeting in Vienna Tuesday in the wake of recent tensions 
over the arrest of several suspected Islamist militants in Vienna 
and Canada last week, Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer (SPOe) 
and religious leaders emphasized the significance of mutual 
tolerance and respect, and urged a peaceful coexistence of followers 
of all creeds. In view of the recent heated debate over the role of 
Islam in Austria, Gusenbauer, who hosted the meeting, called for 
mutual respect and a critical dialogue of the issue. The "roots of 
hatred and intolerance are to be found in the misinterpretation of 
the various faiths, and in social causes, which prevent integration 
and a peaceful coexistence," the Chancellor said. 
Reporting on a meeting in Vienna yesterday between Austrian 
Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer (SPOe) and religious leaders, liberal 
daily Der Standard quotes Gusenbauer as warning that he would "adopt 
a tough stance against all those who want to sow the seed of 
violence." The daily writes that the Chancellor saw the meeting as 
an opportunity to "do some straight talking" on the issue, stressing 
the dialogue of religious representatives was a "manifestation of 
the fact that it is the state's responsibility to protect the 
freedom of religion." 
Meanwhile, centrist daily Die Presse publishes an interview with 
Austrian President Heinz Fischer, which has caused quite a stir. 
Fischer told the daily: "I am committed to human rights and the 
principles of humanism. I respect the Christian roots of European 
society and I believe that a society, which adheres [to these 
principles], is superior to others." Liberal daily Der Standard 
points out that with his comments, President Fischer had "irritated" 
some of the religious leaders participating in the meeting with 
Chancellor Gusenbauer. Anas Shakfeh, the President of Austria's 
Muslim Community, however, suggests Fischer may have been misquoted: 
"Such a statement is entirely alien to his nature and beliefs," 
Shakfeh told the Standard. Centrist daily Die Presse also quotes the 
President as saying: "I do not want to see other religions as the 
enemy. The use of violence, the breaking of laws, intolerance: These 
are our opponents, but not a certain creed of religion." 
 
 
Bawag: Hundstorfer Incriminates Verzetnitsch 
 
¶2. Testifying as a witness in the bank Bawag trial Tuesday, Austrian 
Unions Association (OeGB) President Rudolf Hundstorfer massively 
incriminated his predecessor Fritz Verzetnitsch. "I am one hundred 
percent convinced that Verzetnisch greatly overstepped his 
competence" in connection with the scandal surrounding the formerly 
union-owned bank, Hundstorfer told presiding judge Claudia 
Bandion-Ortner. The OeGB boss argued that Verzetnisch did not have 
the authority to provide Bawag guarantees without an agreement from 
the OeGB federal board. 
Like all Austrian media reporting on recent developments in the bank 
Bawag trial, mass-circulation daily Kurier notes that Austrian 
Unions Association OeGB President Rudolf Hundstorfer has accused his 
predecessor Fritz Verzetnisch of misuse of authority, pointing out 
that Verzetnitsch had high-handedly and arbitrarily used the OeGB's 
strike funds as a guarantee for bank Bawag's losses. Likewise, 
mass-circulation tabloid Oesterreich describes the recent 
developments as a "showdown between the OeGB bosses," and says that 
with Hundstorfer having incriminated Verzetnitsch, the latter will 
be under massive pressure "to come out with the whole truth." 
 
 
Plassnik Calls on US to Lead on Nuclear Test Bans 
 
¶3. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik addressed a conference 
Tuesday on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT. She said the 
treaty's effectiveness depended on it being ratified by the United 
States. "We would like to see the US take a leading role within the 
CTBT process", she said. The United States did not attend the 
conference which ended late Tuesday. 
Reporting on a conference Tuesday on the Comprehensive Test Ban 
Treaty CTBT, where Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik urged 
the United States to assume a "leading role" in the matter, 
semi-official daily Wiener Zeitung writes that the US, which did not 
attend the conference, opposes some of the verification procedures 
called for in the treaty, specifically a provision which allows CTBT 
inspections, if a signatory state is thought to have covertly 
carried out a nuclear test. Plassnik also implicitly criticized the 
Bush White House, the daily continues, and quotes: "Unilateralism 
has proven to be a dead-end street. The sooner we make that clear to 
our international partners, the better." Democratic Senators and 
presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both 
called for ratifying the CTBT. The treaty was concluded in 1996 and 
has been ratified by 140 nations, but needs to be ratified by ten 
more countries before it can go into effect. These include China, 
India, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States, all of 
which are in possession or are thought to be seeking nuclear arms. 
The CTBT bans nations which ratify it from testing and exporting 
nuclear weapons. 
 
 
Dispute over Iran's Nuclear Program 
 
¶4. An Austrian economics daily says that "fronts are hardening" in 
the crisis over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, as United States is 
increasing pressure on companies doing business or intending to do 
business with Iran. US President George Bush's stance on the issue 
has already paid off:  Exports to Iran have caved in, the daily 
says. 
In view of growing pressure on Iran, leading Austrian economics 
daily Wirtschaftsblatt reports on what it describes as the "big 
jitter over the last Iran deals." Austrian exports to Iran have 
declined dramatically in 2007, and the Gulf state - once Austria's 
leading trading partner in the region - has fallen behind the United 
Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia where business deals are concerned. 
The daily also says that the Bush administration has stepped up 
pressure on Austrian companies not to do business with Iran, 
although officially, notions of US intervention to that effect have 
been dismissed as incorrect. A US government representative, 
however, told the Wirtschaftsblatt that "we are stressing to 
Austrian businesses that it is particularly important to 'know your 
customer.' The Iranian regime is looking to use non-sanctioned firms 
and financial entities to assist with its proliferation program." 
With regard to Austrian energy provider OMV's planned deal with 
Tehran, the US diplomat emphasizes that "now is not the time for 
'business as usual' with this regime." 
 
 
Rice En Route to Jerusalem 
 
¶5. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to Jerusalem 
in another attempt to restart the stalled Middle East peace process. 
A leading Austrian daily suggest that the Secretary of State wants 
to "set the course with Israelis and Palestinians for how to 
proceed" with the peace process. 
Liberal daily Der Standard writes about "Rice's advertising campaign 
tour" for the Middle East conference. "For lack of a better idea," 
Jerusalem correspondent Ben Segenreich suggests, US President Bush 
announced in July a Mideast conference would be taking place in fall 
- and now fall is almost upon us, Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice is "faced with the difficult task of making sure there will be 
a conference with at least a minimum result in the first place." 
Still, Rice's earlier trips to the region this year "have led to 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud 
Olmert obediently talking to each other again," the correspondent 
says. 
 
 
 
 
 
US: Negotiated Settlement Possible With Iran 
 
¶6. US President George W. Bush has confirmed his intention to settle 
the dispute over Iran's nuclear program through negotiations. 
Speaking in Washington yesterday, White House spokesperson Dana 
Perino emphasized the administration is "convinced there is a 
diplomatic solution." The United States is continuing to cooperate 
closely with France and the entire EU to get Iran to change its 
course in the matter, she added. 
President Bush's emphasis on a diplomatic solution with Tehran in 
the dispute over the country's nuclear ambitions came after French 
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner recently warned that if push came 
to shove, there might even be "war" with Iran. Mass-circulation 
tabloid Kronen Zeitung reports that in response to Kouchner's 
statement, Iran has "issued a clear warning against an attack, 
announcing that it had 600 of its Shahab 3 missiles pointed at 
targets in Israel. Liberal daily Der Standard meanwhile writes about 
European reactions to the French Foreign Minister's comments, and 
says that "Berlin does not want a war with Iran." There is 
"skepticism among the British government" as well, with the Foreign 
Office seeing a military strike against Iran as the "worst case 
scenario." In a commentary, the daily also suggests that France's 
"waffling about war" is recognized for what it is in Tehran: With an 
eye on opinion pollsters and popularity ratings, French President 
Nicolas Sarkozy is "making sure to come up with a new policy sound 
bite for the media on a daily basis. Sarkozy's Iranian colleague is 
fully aware of that. There's no need to take PR statements 
seriously, Ahmadinejad said, pointing out that the 'actual position' 
were quite different." 
 
 
Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates 
 
¶7. US interest rates have been cut for the first time in four years, 
reduced by half a percentage point from 5.25% to 4.75%. Although an 
expected move, the extent of the cut was unforeseen and shot shares 
to four year highs. The Federal Reserve had been expected to cut 
rates by 0.25 points to prevent a housing market downturn and the 
credit crunch from denting the economy.  Meanwhile, stock markets in 
Asia and the United States have rallied in response to the 
bigger-than-expected cut in key interest rates, says ORF radio early 
morning news Morgenjournal. 
McCaw