R 241235Z JUN 08
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UNCLAS BERLIN 000829 
 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/AGS, 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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: MIDEAST, IRAN, NUCLEAR WEAPONS, ZIMBABWE, 
OIL, US-GERMANY, FRANCE 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   Palestinian Conference in Berlin 
¶3.   EU Sanctions against Iran 
¶4.   U.S. Nuclear Weapons 
¶5.   Zimbabwe 
¶6.   Oil Price 
¶7.   Berlin Airlift Anniversary 
¶8.   French President Sarkozy in Israel 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute and ARD-TV's early evening 
newscast Tagesschau opened with stories on calls by the German 
opposition for the withdrawal of U.S. nuclear weapons from Germany. 
Newspapers led with stories on inflation and the failure by the 
national and regional governments to agree on how to deal with 
budget deficits.  Editorials focused on diverse topics. 
 
¶2.   Palestinian Conference in Berlin 
 
Several regional papers carry editorials on the meeting.  Wetzlarer 
Neue Zeitung comments:  "The West must have a great interest in a 
stable West Bank.  The better people are off and the more secure 
they are, the smaller is the risk that they will join the radical 
Islamists and run into the arms of Iran....  If court and police 
structures are successfully set up in the West Bank, an essential 
basis for a two-state solution is set and long-term peace in the 
permanent crisis region of the Middle East is more likely."  Der 
Neue Tag opines: "Establishing police and justice in the West Bank 
is a measure that can help the Palestinians to build a state.  But 
this is not enough to create confidence among the people.  Setting 
up democratic control, transparency and the rule of law would be 
more important." 
 
¶3.   EU Sanctions against Iran 
 
Handelsblatt comments: "Mankind is supposed to be able to learn and 
make civilian progress.  Those who watch the naive approach to 
politically-motivated sanctions that aim at the financial sector 
might have their doubts.....  The best example for the political 
ineffectiveness of sanctions is the U.S. blockade of Cuba.  Even 
after decades it has not removed the Castro regime....  New 
sanctions against Iran will also not have any effects.  Concerning 
trade partners, the country has enough alternatives in Asia.   The 
most annoying thing about sanctions is that in some cases they 
produce a monster that tougher sanctions are then supposed to tame." 
 Frankfurter Allgemeine remarks: "Recent sanctions left their mark 
on Iran, but they did not lead to a change of mind.  It is likely 
that this will not be different now.  If we want to continue on this 
path, sanctions must become much tougher."  Die Welt states: "No 
talks with mullahs ever led to the desired results." 
 
¶4.   U.S. Nuclear Weapons 
 
FT Deutschland comments: "If you are not popular among the German 
electorate, these words might work magic: nuclear weapons base, 
American, lack of security, demand withdrawal....  If you take a 
closer look at the outrage most parties now express it is rather 
embarrassing for those who said it because this is about a useless 
leftover from the Cold War that German politicians have not cared 
about for years.  And it is about a lack of security Germans are 
responsible for.  To turn this into a debate over German peace 
policy and nuclear deterrence is absurd.....  It would be reasonable 
for the Germans and Americans dispose of the useless bombs.  This 
would increase the security of the country."  Tagesspiegel assumes: 
"One result of climate change is that the political silly season is 
starting earlier every year.  There cannot be a different 
explanation for why the opposition, the SPD and the regional 
government in Mainz is united in its calls for the United States to 
withdraw its remaining nuclear weapons from Germany....  If nuclear 
weapons indeed fail U.S. security requirements, then this must be 
changed.  But U.S. nuclear bombs are certainly more secure in 
Germany than post-Soviet bombs in the mafia-plagued parts of 
Siberia." 
 
¶5.   Zimbabwe 
 
Under the headline "The Nightmare Goes On," Frankfurter Allgemeine 
comments: "With the announcement not to participate in the runoff 
election against Mugabe, the Zimbabwean opposition leader Tsvangirai 
has not served his country well....  An election fraud would have 
made it easier for the neighboring states to isolate Mugabe."  FT 
Deutschland headlines:  "It's The Neighbors Turn," and adds: 
"Negotiations will be necessary to reach a peaceful deal between the 
opposition and Mugabe's gangs.  However, Mugabe's time is up.  It 
would be a historical move if the neighbors announced this." 
 
 
¶6.   Oil Price 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine comments: "The oil price is going wild.  The 
conference in Jeddah did not relax the situation.  Producers did not 
make commitments to produce more, also because only Saudi Arabia has 
more capacities....  Both sides are helpless and blame each 
other....  The common ground found in Jeddah was that the markets 
are not transparent enough and there is a lack of reliable data. 
Nobody really knows how much is being produced and how great the 
demand is."  Tagesspiegel remarks in a front-page editorial: "Oil 
will dry up one day.  Nobody knows when, but probably quicker than 
previously assumed.  That is one reason why this fuel of our 
industrialized and motorized civilization has become so expensive. 
Finally! Energy has been too cheap for too long.  Given the 
consequences of the consumption of energy, energy was dirt cheap." 
 
¶7.   Berlin Airlift Anniversary 
 
Handelsblatt comments on its front-page:  "The image of the good 
American friend is being invoked again in these years, unfortunately 
only in retrospect.  We are nostalgically commemorating that 60 
years ago Candy Bomber planes flew over Tempelhof.  With the 
airlift, the U.S. thwarted Stalin's malicious plan to seize the free 
part of Berlin from the West.  [Former President] George Bush 
senior's upcoming visit to Berlin for the opening of the U.S. 
Embassy at the Brandenburg Gate is also dedicated to a good phase of 
U.S.-German relations.  The father of today's president 
energetically engaged in favor of German reunification after the 
fall of the wall in 1989 against the initial resistance of many 
European leaders.  This confidence in Germany has earned him the 
kind of acknowledgement and friendship his son can only dream 
of.....  The transatlantic view must focus in the future on those 
powers that are staking out their claims without regard to old 
powers in Europe and their relationship with America.  Especially 
concerning energy policy, we currently watch helplessly as Russia 
and Arab oil countries begin to play off industrial countries 
against China and India....  It will be difficult to do something 
against the dictatorships' race for vital resources." 
 
¶8.   French President Sarkozy in Israel 
 
S|ddeutsche comments: "All Sarkozy does at the moment is to prepare 
for his Mediterranean conference.  If the planned union is to be 
more than a paper tiger, this will not be possible without Israel, 
according to the President.  But this is precisely the reason why 
several Arab countries will not attend the opening on July 13." 
 
 
TIMKEN