VZCZCXRO5804
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1487/01 3271207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231207Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5865
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
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1758
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0475
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0994
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2501
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1517
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0687
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 06 BERLIN 001487 
 
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 US AF US KGHG EU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, U.S., AFGHANISTAN, U.S.-CHINA, 
CLIMATE, 
EU;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Maneuvers 
¶3.   (U.S.)   Healthcare Reform 
¶4.   (Afghanistan)   U.S. Arming Local Militias 
¶5.   (U.S.-China)   Relations 
¶6.   (Climate)   Copenhagen Conference 
¶7.   (EU)   Future Leadership 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Print media had a variety of lead stories ranging from the intention 
 
of the European Parliament to block the nomination of the designated 
 
EU "foreign minister," Catherine Ashton (Sueddeutsche), to an 
address 
by Chancellor Merkel in which she advocated an increase in child 
allowances (FAZ), to the effects the increase of the VAT would have 
 
for hotels (Die Welt).  Editorials focused on the debate over 
subsidies for Opel and the new leadership of the SPD in Baden- 
Wrttemberg.  ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute and ARD-TV's 
early 
evening newscast Tagesschau opened with a story on a deal between 
Deutsche Bahn and Qatar to build a railroad network in Qatar worth 
17 
billion euros. 
 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Maneuvers 
 
Sddeutsche (11/21) headlined: "Iran faces new 
sanctions-international 
community disappointed over Tehran's attitude" and added: "The 
chances 
of success for President Obama's rapprochement policy are waning." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine headlined "Iran given time until December" 
and 
highlighted: "The P5 and Germany want to come to a final conclusion 
in 
December whether Iran is prepared to start serious negotiations over 
 
its nuclear program." 
 
Several Saturday papers reported on IAEA chief Baradei's visit to 
Berlin, noting that he called on the Iranian leadership to engage 
more 
creatively in international diplomacy and understand that they have 
 
for the first time the commitment of an American President to start 
 
comprehensive negotiations on the basis of mutual respect and 
without 
any preconditions.  "The outgoing IAEA chief said in Berlin on 
Friday 
that he does not believe that Iran has already given a definite 
response," Frankfurter Allgemeine reported. 
 
Under the headline "Farewell to Ahmadinejad," Sddeutsche (11/21) 
editorialized: "Ahmadinejad does not benefit from the helplessness 
of 
the opposition.  He has huge problems in parliament because 
conservative opponents are demanding an investigation over billions 
 
that have disappeared from his budget.  The powerful Majlis chairman 
 
Ali Larijani is serious about it as salaries are not always paid and 
 
BERLIN 00001487  002 OF 006 
 
 
 
the prices and discontent are on the rise.  The worst result of the 
 
elimination of the opposition is the divide of the society. 
Everybody 
who can intellectually and economically afford it is turning away 
from 
the regime.  Fantasies over toppling the regime are spreading in 
Tehran's taxis-that's something nobody would have said months ago. 
 
The people say that this cannot go on.  However, it goes on." 
 
Several papers (11/23) report today on Iran's military maneuvers. 
Die 
Welt headlined: "Iran is preparing for its defense - Tehran begins a 
 
major maneuver to protect its nuclear sites - a warning to Israel" 
and 
added in its introduction: "With a military maneuver, the Iranian 
revolutionary guards demonstratively warn Israel against an 
airstrike 
against the Islamic Republic's nuclear plants."  FT Deutschland 
headlined: "Iran is preparing its defense against military strikes - 
 
IAEA head hopes for a compromise in the nuclear dispute." 
 
¶3.   (U.S.)   Healthcare Reform 
 
Many papers (11/23) report that healthcare reform has gotten past a 
 
major obstacle in the U.S.  Financial Times Deutschland 
sub-headlined; 
"Victory on Waystation for Obama - 'Super Majority' of 60 votes 
Allows 
Debate - But Approval not Guaranteed" and wrote: "The path to a 
final 
bill is still far away and is to last to the next year." 
Frankfurter 
Allgemeine headlined: "Senate Allows Debate over Healthcare Draft," 
 
and reported: "The vote is considered the first test vote for a 
future 
implementation of the reform  In a statement that was released by 
the 
White House, President Obama expressed his gratitude that the 
Senate, 
at the beginning of the debate decided to allow the debate. 
Majority 
leader Reid said that he hoped that a vote on the bill in the Senate 
 
could take place before Christmas."  Sueddeutsche Zeitung said under 
 
the headline: "Stage Victory for Obama" that "President Obama's most 
 
ambitious plan has taken another hurdle.  The White House welcomed 
the 
vote as a 'historic vote.'"  The headline in Die Welt is: "Obama's 
Healthcare Reform Takes First Hurdle in the Senate," and wrote: "The 
 
U.S. Senate decided with a vote of 60 to 39 to put the healthcare 
reform bill on the agenda for a formal debate.  At the same time, a 
 
second poll revealed that the approval for President Obama's policy 
 
has dropped below the 50 percent level.  Obviously the reason is the 
 
ongoing and bitter debate in Congress about healthcare reform and 
 
BERLIN 00001487  003 OF 006 
 
 
the 
economic situation." 
 
In an editorial, Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/23) a noted: "If 
President 
Obama, in the first ten months in office, had cursed the 
expectations 
he raised during his election campaign, then he has not learned his 
 
lessons.  Routinely, the White House again described as 'historic,' 
 
what is no more than a tiny step on the path to healthcare reform. 
 
The Senate is now only willing to deliberate the bill.  You can look 
 
at it at from whatever angle you like: there will certainly be tough 
 
discussions over Obama's reform plan before the President can really 
 
enter the history books with a historic reform." 
 
Under the headline: "Better Insight," Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/23) 
editorialized:  "In the end, the survival instinct of the Democrats 
 
won.  The Republicans are opposed to anything that the president 
wants...and this strategy is bearing fruit.  The Americans are 
getting 
the feeling that the President and his Democrats, whom they elected 
to 
give the country a new direction, are unable to move anything.  That 
 
is why it is so important that the Democrats are pushing healthcare 
 
reform.  If not, they cannot present anything in the Congressional 
elections next year....  But if, in the end, the reform will be 
watered 
down to such an extent that not too much will be left of this 
epoch- 
making plan, then they would not only have done a great disservice 
to 
their party and their president but also to their country." 
 
In a front-page editorial headlined: "Bad Times for Great 
Victories," 
Financial Times Deutschland (11/23) opined: "Of course, it is a 
success for Barack Obama that, following the House of 
Representatives, 
the Senate is now also willing to discuss his healthcare reform 
bill...but the question is how high the price will be that the 
President 
has to pay.  It is primarily his Democratic camp that Barack Obama 
must convince of the benefits of the reform.  He still has the 
majority in both houses of Congress, but the next elections will 
take 
place in 2010.  Obama is in a dilemma.  If he makes too many 
concessions to conservative senators he will come under pressure 
from 
left-wing Democrats, and if he remains tough, he will risk a failure 
 
of the entire reform." 
 
¶4.   (Afghanistan)   U.S. Arming Local Militias 
 
There are only two reports in this morning's press that the U.S. 
plans 
to support locals to fight against the Taliban.  Sueddeutsche 
Zeitung 
 
BERLIN 00001487  004 OF 006 
 
 
(11/23) reported under the headline: "More Afghan Soldiers" that 
"the 
Afghan government plans to extend the country's police and militia 
force and wants to double its current size.  By doing so, 
Afghanistan 
will meet U.S. and NATO requirements that greater responsibility be 
 
handed to the Afghan security forces.  In the fight against the 
radical-Islamic Taliban, the governments in Washington and Kabul 
want 
to intensify cooperation with tribal militia groups.  The New York 
Times reported on Sunday that in parts of Afghanistan both parties 
have already begun to support such militia groups.  According to the 
 
Times, the U.S. military in Afghanistan wants to support primarily 
existing tribal militia groups of help set up new groups in the 
trouble provinces in the South and East of the country. Afghan and 
U.S. officials had expressed their hope that with such an approach, 
 
thousands of armed people could be brought together to defend their 
 
villages against the Taliban." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/23) wrote: "In the fight against the 
Taliban, U.S. armed forces obviously are supporting local forces 
more 
openly and more resolutely than in the past.  U.S. media reported 
this 
over the weekend, referring to high-ranking U.S. officers in 
Afghanistan.  By paying local militia forces, they want to help them 
 
defend themselves and their villages against the still hatred 
Taliban 
in their strongholds in the South and the East of the country. 
Afghan 
and U.S. government officials expressed their hope that the anti- 
Taliban militia forces could help bridge the gap until sufficient 
Afghan security forces are equipped and trained to create security 
in 
the country." 
 
In an editorial, Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/23) argued: "For how 
long 
does President Obama plan to put off a decision on what is to be 
achieved in Afghanistan and how many soldiers are necessary to 
achieve 
these goals?  And the question is whether the President can remove 
the 
doubts and questions that are now characterizing the public debate 
over the issue with a courageous decision.  The fact that the 
Americans are now recalling the belligerent tribal culture in 
Afghanistan and plan to recruit local militia groups for 
'self-defense 
purposes' against the Taliban may be obvious at first sight.  But 
this 
approach harbors risks.  In 2001, when the Taliban were ousted, the 
 
Americans already pinned their hopes on local war lords.  That is 
another reason why Osama bin Laden was able to escape." 
 
¶5.   (U.S.-China)   Relations 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/22) editorialized on its front-page: "The 
 
U.S. has never before been so dependent on China, as China holds a 
large portion of loans to the American government.  Economically, 
both 
 
BERLIN 00001487  005 OF 006 
 
 
countries are closely linked.  Particularly after the economic 
crisis, 
China with its robust growth is America's and the world's hope.  The 
 
obviously proud Chinese government knows how much the American 
superpower relies on it and did not think it was necessary to make 
any 
commitments during Obama's recent four-day visit.  There were no 
promises to increase the value of the Chinese currency or other 
political pledges.  Beijing still does not want to agree to 
sanctions 
on Iran.  On North Korea, China officially sticks to the six-party 
talks and North Korea's denuclearization, but simultaneously keeps 
the 
ailing country alive with economic assistance and trade.  Concerning 
 
climate policy, there were general promises to cooperate in the 
future, but hardly anything specific.  Obama looked lonely at the 
end 
of his visit to the Great Wall....  Beijing reacts with mistrust to 
 
America's offer to resolve the problems of the 21st century 
together, 
and some strategists even reject this offer.  It remains unclear how 
 
China sees its role as a Pacific power.   Beijing is also speaking 
of 
multilateralism, but not a multilateralism defined by America." 
 
 
¶6.   (Climate)   Copenhagen Conference 
 
Under the headline: "65 State Leaders To Attend Climate Summit," 
Financial Times Deutschland (11/23) reported: "State and government 
 
leaders from 65 nations have promised to attend the final stage of 
the 
Copenhagen climate summit in December.  Among them are Chancellor 
Merkel, French President Sarkozy, Britain's PM Gordon Brown, and 
Brazil's President Lula da Silva.  It is still open whether 
President 
Obama will also come to Copenhagen.  With these high level promises 
to 
attend, the chances for a political agreement on climate protection 
 
are rising.  The participation of these state leaders on December 17 
 
and 18 shows that they consider a breakthrough to be possible.  They 
 
would not travel to Copenhagen for a failure.  According to 
Chancellor 
Merkel, an agreement in Copenhagen is to lead to the formulation of 
an 
international agreement.  She is striving for a signing in the first 
 
half of 2010, with her as the host, for the next large-scale climate 
 
meeting is scheduled to take place in Bonn in June." 
 
Regional daily DarmstQdter Echo (11/21) judged: "During the 
financial 
and economic crisis, the international community demonstrated that 
it 
is able to act quickly and resolutely.  But in the climate crisis it 
 
has not yet given evidence of this resolve, even though the 
consequences of global warming are much more serious for mankind in 
 
BERLIN 00001487  006 OF 006 
 
 
 
the long run than the most recent collapse of the global economy." 
 
¶7.   (EU)   Future Leadership 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/21) opined: "Catherine Ashton's nomination 
is 
even more worrying than van Rompuy's.  To give this post, which also 
 
includes the establishment of a European foreign service, to someone 
 
who has no idea of foreign or security policy, let alone experience 
in 
the difficult arena of diplomacy, edges on the deliberate impediment 
 
of European foreign policy.  Apart from the fact that it is a little 
 
embarrassing that Ashton owes her job to her gender, the EU state 
leaders made clear with this election what they really want: someone 
 
who will not meddle in their national go-it-alones around the 
world." 
 
Tagesspiegel am Sonntag (11/22) observed under the headline: 
"Skeptical about Turkey" that "outside of Belgium people do not know 
 
much of Hermann van Rompuy.  Among the things people know about him 
 
outside the EU is that he is a faithful Catholic and at the same 
time, 
doubts Turkey's chances to accede to the EU.  The concern of Turkish 
 
politicians that Turkey's acceptance could now become impossible is 
 
not unfounded because the Belgian will now strengthen the camp of 
Turkey skeptics Sarkozy and Merkel.  But we need not overestimate 
his 
power either.  If the majority of EU states want Turkey's accession, 
 
then van Rompuy would be unable to prevent it." 
 
MURPHY