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RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1358/01 3011444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281444Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5595
INFO RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
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RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0905
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RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BERLIN 001358 
 
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" 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IR AF EU XF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, CLIMATE, EU, 
MIDEAST;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear 
¶3.   (Afghanistan)   New Strategy 
¶4.   (Environment)   Climate Change 
¶5.   (EU)   Future Presidency 
¶6.   (Middle East)   Conflict Over Water Resources 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Print media and electronic media opened with reports on the 
constituent assembly of the Bundestag, the address of Bundestag 
President Lammert and on the EU's climate policy (Frankfurter 
Rundschau).  Sueddeutsche opened with a report on the election of a 
new bishop for Germany's Protestant Church.  Editorials focused on 
the opening of the Bundestag and on the formation of a coalition 
government between the SPD and the Left Party in Brandenburg. 
 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear 
 
"Iran is Playing a Poker Game in Nuclear Conflict," headlined 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (10/28) and wrote: " Iran obviously wants to 
make considerable changes to the draft, which provides for the shipment 
of fuel rods for a research reactor in Tehran if Iran delivers a great 
deal of its uranium supplies for reprocessing in countries abroad. 
 
Controversial reports of Iranian media on the likely reaction of the 
Iranian leadership are indications of internal conflict." 
Tagesspiegel (10/28) headlined: "Iran Has Objections To Nuclear 
Compromise Deal," and reported: "Iran has objections to the latest 
compromise offered in the conflict over its nuclear program.  Iran's 
state-run TV reported on Tuesday that the government in Tehran would 
not be willing to ship its entire supply of low enriched uranium for 
reprocessing abroad.  French Foreign Minister Kouchner then accused 
Tehran of pursuing delaying tactics. In Berlin, unease over the 
behavior of the Iranian leadership is also rising.  A government 
official said on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers Conference 
in Luxembourg: 'All this again looks like the well-known Iranian 
playing- for-time strategy.'  He added: We cannot be put on an infinite 
loop that does not result in any progress.'" 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (10/28) wrote that "EU foreign policy 
commissioner Solana said that there is no reason to make amendments 
to the draft treaty, because the proposal laid down in the draft "is a 
good proposal' and would not require profound changes.  In the 
meantime, Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan opened talks with the 
Iranian leadership in Tehran.  Iranian TV reported that President 
Ahmadinejad thanked his guest for his criticism of Israel and for 
his support of Iran's nuclear program....  Turkey's armed forces are 
trying to build a protective shield against Iran's Shahab long-range 
missile and want to buy an anti-missile defense system.  But Turkey is 
lulling itself into a false sense of security because the two neighbors 
have not waged war on each other for the past quarter of a century.  Bu 
in view of the shift of the strategic balance in the region, Turkey is 
not interested in the nuclear armament of Iran.  In addition to the 
nuclear program, the shipment of Iranian gas to Turkey is the second 
major issue in bilateral relations.  However, there is agreement 
between Turkey and Iran with respect to Iraq.  Both countries 
support an Iraqi central state and reject a division of the country." 
 
In an editorial, FAZ (10/28) opined under the headline: "As Always," 
that "we could have bet, after an alleged indication of concessions, 
that Iran would again create confusion and play for time....  This 
has been going on for years.  That is why western officials should not 
be surprised to find themselves again on an 'infinite loop.'  We can 
only be surprised at the resolve which the Turkish government has 
demonstrated in supporting Tehran.  The words which Iran's president 
used to praise Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan and his support of 
Iran's criticism of Israel, speak for themselves.  Yes, it is true: 
 
BERLIN 00001358  002 OF 004 
 
 
Iran has signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty - and kept its nuclear 
program secret for decades." 
 
¶3.   (Afghanistan)   New Strategy 
 
Electronic media led with the story, "Taliban storm the UN guest 
house in Kabul" (Spiegel Online), killing several people.  ARD-TV's 
Morgenmagazin (10/28) noted: "Bad news from Afghanistan...  The 
attack was clearly connected with the planned runoff elections.  A 
Taliban spokesman took responsibility for the attack and referred to 
recent threats that they will attack those who organize the runoff 
elections. And the UN is one of the important organizers of the runoff. 
Worryingly, the Taliban have followed through with many of their 
threats in the past and troubling, despite the strict security 
measures in the Afghan capital, they are in the position to hit at 
any time and at several places simultaneously." 
 
Regional daily MQrkische Oderzeitung (10/28) of Frankfurt on the 
Oder commented: "Rarely has helplessness been greater.  For weeks, 
President Obama has been postponing his decision on the future 
policy in Afghanistan.  The generals want to drastically increase the 
number of troops, but Obama tends to favor targeted hits against the 
Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Both options are doomed to fail 
because they are far from reality.  The NATO-led ISAF mission has 
already lost the battle over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. 
 
¶4.   (Environment)   Climate Change 
 
Under the headline "Obama's climate protection initiatives are 
insufficient," Berliner Zeitung (10/28) editorializes: "Barack Obama 
has announced a green revolution to the American people and he is 
working on it step by step.  He has made a green expert his energy 
secretary, not an oil baron, and he has launched a heavy investment 
program for green technologies at the height of an economic crisis. 
Yesterday, he announced plans to build smart grids and to promote 
regenerative energies.  These are giant steps, environmentally 
speaking, for a developing country of America.  This would not have 
been possible under Obama's predecessor.  However, concerning his 
most important environmental project, the climate protection bill, he i 
stuck in a deadlock.  The whole world is waiting for this bill... 
Only if a bill is agreed upon, will the world climate summit in 
Copenhagen in December be a success.  Otherwise, none of the other 
countries will take measures to continue to reduce carbon emissions. 
However, Obama's climate bill has been stuck in the Senate for months 
and the President is already considering not traveling to Copenhagen. 
 If it comes to that, Obama will lose his image as a green 
revolutionary. This must not happen.  Obama must now take the lead." 
 
Sddeutsche (10/28) headlined on its front page "UN head expects 
failure of world climate summit," and opined: "Hardly anybody would 
currently claim that the preparatory talks for the Copenhagen summit 
are going well.  Particularly the U.S. policy is disappointing. 
Environmentalists had hoped that Barack Obama would be the new 
model. 
In addition, the decisions made in October have remained especially 
vague: no agreement has been developed on financial aid for 
developing countries to adjust to climate change or on the reduction 
goals for carbon dioxide emissions.  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon 
reduced the pressure by saying that there would probably not be an 
agreement... One might call Ban Ki-moon a realist, but the man who used 
to see climate change as one of his top priorities must play a differen 
role - one of a moral authority who integrates people and sets deadline 
for saving the world.  Someone who says that Copenhagen must not 
fail. Ban will not be responsible for the agreements failure, but 
neither was he helpful." 
 
Under the headline "Modest Beginning," Handelsblatt (10/28) 
highlighted in an editorial: "Barack Obama decrees an electric 
 
BERLIN 00001358  003 OF 004 
 
 
change in the U.S., so he does not come to Copenhagen with empty hands. 
The paper wrote: "President Obama would have liked to travel to 
Copenhagen with a climate bill.  However, stuck in the debate over the 
heath care reform, Congress will not deal with it this year.  So that 
Obama does not arrive empty-handed, the White House has started a green 
initiative.  One of the measures is to modernize power supply 
networks, as announced yesterday.  This is not only intended to 
create jobs, but also to raise America's ailing energy supply system to 
international standards.  Ecologically, the switch to smart grids 
could be a big step forward....  Indeed, the U.S. approach to energy 
consumption is currently careless....  Modernizing this sector is 
therefore overdue - also because the U.S. will use more energy in 
the future....  However, much time will be needed before Americans are 
convinced that solar facilities on the roof and mini-power plants in 
the cellar are the solution." 
 
¶5.   (EU)   Future Presidency 
 
Under the headline; "Fog on the Continent," Sueddeutsche Zeitung 
(10/28) judged: "The British have hopes of securing a top position 
in the EU even though they do not understand Europe.  Britain's 
electoral law is brutal and unfair but it leads to clear majorities. 
 But what is considered a domestic advantage is turning out to be a 
great deficiency - especially in Europe because the European Union is a 
complicated give and take construction made up of mutual favors. 
Those who do not know the rules will always come off worst, such as 
the British, whose political class does not understand the art of 
compromise to the same degree as its European partners.  The 
consequences of this can now be observed with respect to British 
efforts to make ex-PM Tony Blair the next Europe president or to 
prevent his candidacy with tooth and nail.  These efforts will have 
no impact on his real chances of winning, because the European 
Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council agreed 
long ago that a social democrat will not get the job.  Personal 
experience and capabilities will not play any role, but solely the 
candidate's original political leaning.  Because a left-winger will 
take the job of European foreign minister, a conservative politician 
must become European president. It is as simple as that." 
 
In his weekly column in Die Welt (10/28), Lord Weidenfeld argued: 
"If Blair succeeded in getting the post in Brussels, he would cultivate 
and strengthen transatlantic relations like no one else.  Another 
advantage is the fact that he, as a moderate social democrat, would 
be able to produce the wanted balance between two conservative 
heavyweights in Europe: Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy. 
The list of Blair's counter candidates is short and unconvincing.  One 
thing is certain: Tony Blair, with his many facets, cannot be easily 
ignored." 
 
¶6.   (Middle East)   Conflict Over Water Resources 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (10/28) editorialized: "The most recent 
confrontation between Israel and Amnesty International again 
attracts attention to the scarce commodity of water in the Middle East. 
 But the problem goes beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and 
affects the entire region, since the Middle East has always been an 
extremely arid region.  Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, let alone other desert 
states, have known this tense situation for a long time.  The conflict 
over water has an even greater explosive potential than oil.  Only 
together will these countries be able to explore new water resources an 
distribute the existing ones fairly.  But this would require peace 
that does not exist." 
 
die tageszeitung (10/28) judged in an editorial: "In its latest 
report on the unfair distribution of water, Amnesty International (AI) 
is creating the impression that the settlers have the solution to the 
drought in their hands.  This is not only wrong but also totally 
superfluous as they have already been criticized in view of 
 
BERLIN 00001358  004 OF 004 
 
 
infringements on their Palestinian neighbors.  This unfair water 
distribution affects less the settlers than the Israeli government 
and the Palestinian Autonomous Authority.  The distribution of water 
must be settled in a peace agreement.  Until then, the occupying force 
is responsible for the people in the occupied territories.  In the case 
of the Gaza Strip, neighboring Egypt should also take on some 
responsibility.  At the moment, however, Israel is not doing justice 
to its task and the AI report should be reason for Prime Minister 
Netanyahu to change this.  We must also praise AI because it is 
directing its appeal not only to Israel but also to the Palestinian 
Authority; and there is no doubt that it is also responsible for the 
misery of Palestinians." 
 
 MURPHY