R 171227Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4370
INFO WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHINGTON DC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
FRG COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
USMISSION USNATO 
USMISSION USOSCE 
HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS BERLIN 000725 
 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/CE, 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 US CU MD SO IT RS UP GG KG
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Iran U.S.-Iran Iran-Internet 
U.S.-Guantnamo Georgia Economic-BRIC 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Iran)   Aftermath of Presidential Elections 
¶3.   (U.S.-Iran)   Obama Reaction 
¶4.   (Iran)   Effect of the Internet 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Guantnamo Prisoners 
¶6.   (Georgia)   Unomig Mission 
¶7.   (Economic)   BRIC Countries Meeting 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Editorials focused on the events in Iran, the planned strike of up 
to 200,000 students to protest the educational situation at 
Germany's university, and the publication of the German recipients 
of EU agricultural subsidies.  The headlines in the press are 
dominated by the most recent developments in Iran.  ZDF-TV's early 
evening newscast Heute and ARD-TV's early evening newscast 
Tagesschau opened with reports on the protests in Iran. 
 
¶2.   (Iran)   Aftermath of Presidential Elections 
 
ARD-TV's Tagesthemen commented: "The West criticized Ahmadinejad and 
thus also encouraged the Iranians to express their criticism.  Now 
Iran's citizens want to get rid of Ahmadinejad.  But at the same 
time, one cannot remain silent when human rights are disrespected 
[in Iran].  In this situation it is not enough that the Foreign 
Ministry summons the Iranian ambassador to Germany and raises a few 
critical questions.  How many Iranians must die on the streets 
before Angela Merkel talks turkey with Iran?" 
 
According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, "new violence is likely.  The 
Islamic Republic of Iran is a twitter between a theocratic 
dictatorship and a democracy, a state in which personal freedom has 
been massively restricted for decades.  Soon, the issue will no 
longer be the outcome of the elections but the issue will be 
freedom.  Like in all authoritarian systems, the leadership is 
afraid that any sign of weakness will result in more demands.  In 
addition, Ahmadinejad has expanded the revolutionary guards...and 
President Khamenei knows this.  He is the most powerful man in the 
state.  Now he is damned to find a balance between the extremes.  He 
is a conservative, an Islamist down to the bone - and in case of 
doubt he could decide against the opposition." 
 
Under the headline: "Wise Opposition," Tagesspiegel argued: "Hussein 
Mousavi is now demonstrating iron nerves: the first Monday protest 
rally is over and there is still al long way to go until the 
manipulated elections will be annulled.  The hardliners certainly 
have learned their lesson.  On Tuesday, they sent their hardliners 
to the place where Mousavi supporters wanted to hold their second 
large-scale meeting.  We do not need too much vision to imagine what 
would happen if the two camps confronted each other.  Mousavi no 
longer has a headquarters or his own newspaper.  But thanks to the 
Internet, he can communicate from his apartment with millions of his 
supporters.  And the most recent one was: Do not risk your lives, 
stay at home and do not fall in the trap of organized street 
battles.  Many of his supporters took part in a rally anyway - and 
moved to a different part of the city." 
 
Stuttgarter Zeitung noted: "The digital world has developed an 
unexpected dynamics in the reformist camp that offers the hardliners 
arguments for radical counter measures.  In their eyes the issue is 
the legacy of Iranian founding father Ayatollah Khomeini.  The wind 
of change caused by the Internet could now force the power centers 
in Iran to move closer together.  And these centers play the main 
role.  The armed forces, the intelligence services, police, and 
cells from the internal Iranian leadership must join the protesters 
- such as in 1979 when the Shah was ousted.  The reform camp will 
fail if it fights on its own." 
 
Regional daily Rhein-Neckar Zeitung of Heidelberg opined: "They beat 
demonstrators to death, they switch off cellular phone networks, 
they block the Internet, but, nevertheless, protests in Iran are 
taking their course against 'dictator' Ahmadinejad, against an 
obvious electoral fraud.  But what is the goal?  At first sight, the 
repetition of the elections, but they are also fighting for alleged 
election winner Mousavi.  Hundreds of thousands are risking a lot 
for this.  This courage could be enough to topple the illegitimate 
Ahmadinejad government.  But will it be enough to oust the religious 
caste?  And is this the goal of the demonstrators?  The answer to 
both is 'no.'." 
 
¶3.   (U.S.-Iran)   Obama Reaction 
 
Deutschlandfunk aired the following commentary: "What has he done 
wrong now?  President Obama had hardly expressed his views, when 
critics all came out, arguing that the events in Iran are evidence 
of the young president's naive diplomatic approach.  At the 
beginning [of the crisis], Obama took on a wait-and-see attitude 
before he expressed his views.  They were as usual, carefully 
selected and nevertheless, clear.  This is good--stay the course! 
Over the past few years, we have had an abundance of zealots. 
President Obama has never made an offer for talks dependent on the 
outcome of the elections.  Why should he?  The development in Iran 
is in a state of flux and it could be totally wrong to influence 
developments in Iran from the outside.  It could poison a planned 
dialogue.  The substance of Obama's Iran policy will not be decided 
now after the elections, but at the earliest at the end of the year, 
a deadline which the President set himself." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine argued: "Following President Medvedev's 
friendly reception of President Ahmadinejad, it is increasingly 
difficult to hope that Moscow will seriously help to prevent Iran 
from developing military nuclear capacities.  The people surrounding 
opposition candidate Mousavi and the democratic forces could, 
therefore, not expect someone to talk turkey to Ahmadinejad in 
Yekaterinburg.  But thus far, the American president has remarkably 
held back.  He expressed his concern about the violence against 
demonstrators, called for the respect for the freedom of association 
but avoided the term electoral fraud and confirmed instead the 
'respect of Iran's sovereignty.'  On the other hand, the attitude of 
the regime in Tehran does not give any reason that it would accept 
Obama's extended hand.  On the contrary, Obama made advances to the 
Iranian leadership several times.  .  Over the past few days, the 
regime gave a sobering answer.  It is to be hoped that this will not 
be the only Iranian answer." 
 
¶4.   (Iran)   Effect of the Internet 
 
In the view of Die Welt, "it is evidence of the misery of the 
powers-that-be that the Guardian Council has now ordered a partial 
recount and that international media are no longer allowed to report 
on the continuous protests.  What was possible during the Olympic 
Games in China is for the Mullahs impossible to achieve.  In China, 
the regime switched of the Internet, but this is no longer possible 
in Iran.  It is the Twitter users who the censorship is unable to 
stop. When the Internet came up, people welcomed it as the end of 
dictatorship and as the final blow against dictators.  The cheers at 
that time came too early, but now it might happen any minute.  We 
have a new media that possibly initiates the end of a formerly 
established regime.  One thing is certain now: the Mullahs will have 
great difficulty ignoring the 'no' of the people to Islamic 
religious rule." 
 
Regional daily Abendzeitung of Munich observed: "No, the Internet is 
not new, but the role it can play in such turmoil as in Iran is 
revolutionary.  The weak have a powerful new weapon.  They sit at 
their desks at home and read what Iranian students are writing while 
they sit locked up in their dormitory and shots are heard from the 
outside.  And the world joins them, answers their news reports and 
helps.  Censorship cannot take place with Twitter.  Now it is for 
many Iranians the last remaining possibility to organize their 
protest and to win the world for their cause.  The word has always 
been a strong weapon, and now it has found a new path." 
 
Regional daily Klnische Rundschau of Cologne observed: "One thing 
is clear:  Mir Hussein Mousavi, who is fighting for his election 
victory, is everything else but a democrat in the western sense, 
since the Mullahs would otherwise not have allowed him to run in the 
elections.  But he is a carrier of hope compared with provocateur 
Ahmadinejad.  But these enormous protests will change a lot.  Many 
demonstrators are good at using the Internet and the new 
communication technology.  That's the way it is in a globalized 
world.  Everything is public.  This is an enormous encouragement for 
all oppressed everywhere in the world.  In the long run, 
dictatorships have no longer any means against these freedom-loving 
people.  In Iran, the separation between religion and politics is on 
the agenda.  A well-informed Islam that is able to conduct a 
dialogue - this is the real dream." 
 
Copyright: Berliner Zeitung/Berndt A. Skott 
 
 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Guantnamo Prisoners 
 
Under the headline: "Bella Italia instead of Guantnamo," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported: "Italy is obviously willing to accept 
three prisoners from the Guantnamo prison camp.  Following a 
meeting with Prime Minister Berlusconi, President Obama explicitly 
thanked Berlusconi for his 'support of our policy to close 
Guantnamo,' and added that he appreciated Rome's gesture.  Obama 
said on Tuesday evening: 'This is not mere rhetoric.'  Since Italy 
will now accept three prisoners, Washington still has to decide 
about what to do with exactly 226 prisoners.  According to the 
Justice Department, 'clearly more than 50' prisoners could be 
released immediately.  Since numerous detainees come from China or 
Arab countries, which are accused of violating human rights and 
exercising torture, a deportation to their home countries is not 
possible." 
 
In an editorial, Sueddeutsche opined: "The [European] criticism of 
the Guantnamo prison camp was cheap because the Republican 
president never seriously thought about closing the camp.  But now 
that President Obama is keeping his promise to close it and wants to 
find a home for the 226 prisoners, many Europeans are only 
whispering.  Only two leaders, normally ostracized as chronic 
bigmouths in the EU, are supporting the President: Nicolas Sarkozy 
and Silvio Berlusconi.  And what about Berlin?  Angela Merkel does 
not consider it necessary to interfere.  But she should do so.  Next 
week, she will visit the White House - and at the latest then she 
must say what is the value of her (and the Germans') friendship with 
the United States." 
 
¶6.   (Georgia)   Unomig Mission 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine penned the following editorial: "After 16 
years, a UN mission in Georgia abruptly ended overnight.  Russia did 
not want to support a draft resolution on an extension of the 
military mission of the 150 military observers and police officers, 
and exercised its right to veto.  But it was right to insist on the 
vote, thus forcing Moscow to use its veto.  Now it is at least clear 
that the Kremlin is uncompromising when it comes to the recognition 
of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia, thus not giving a damn about 
international commitments." 
 
¶7.   (Economic)   BRIC Countries Meeting 
 
Handelsblatt pointed out: "They lost the first round in the showdown 
with the established industrialized nations.  Advances supported by 
Russia and China to question the dollar as key currency did not 
succeed.  Even the BRIC states cannot do without the greenback.  An 
alternative to the dollar is nowhere in sight even in times when the 
United States is in serious economic trouble.  Nevertheless, the 
BRIC states should not be underestimated.  They are the shooting 
stars of the global economy.  Even in the greatest economic crisis 
in decades, they enjoy a greater confidence among investors than the 
EU and the U.S.  This first summit of BRIC states in Yekaterinburg 
is not likely to be the last, since they consider themselves the 
secret challenger of the G-8.  But despite their potential, they are 
not likely to break the G-8's power, because the four emerging 
states all depend on the economic development in the traditional 
industrialized nations.  But the economic crisis has strengthened 
the voice of BRIC states.  Without them, the G-8 will no longer be 
able to pursue a political strategy." 
 
According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, "the Russians want it, the 
Chinese want it, and the Arab countries want it in any case, but in 
the West hardly anyone listens.  At issue is a new global monetary 
system, one that is more independent from the dollar, which is 
losing prestige the longer the economic crisis lasts.  In the 
meantime, the dollar is considered an unreliable weakling.  With 
every billion that the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve spend 
in Washington, the tone of the dollar critics is getting louder. 
And if the flow of money from Moscow and Beijing dries up, the 
Americans will be unable to pay for their economic stimulus 
programs.  The West still has it in its hands to shape the new 
global financial order.  If the West continues to ignore the 
proposals of the new economic powers, it is risking an uncontrolled 
change to a new key currency.  A sudden flight from the dollar would 
lead to further distortions.  Serious monetary turbulence would be 
the consequence with the corresponding implications for the global 
economy.  It would be better to introduce a broadly based basked 
currency that is based on natural resources and precious metals. In 
the past, there were many wars about gold.  This alone should be 
warning enough and an impetus to pursue a policy that would 
eventually replace the dollar [as key currency]."