VZCZCXRO1353
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1566/01 3431144
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091144Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6025
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 1812
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0532
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1050
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2555
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1575
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0740
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 03 BERLIN 001566 
 
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 AF IR KN KGHG IZ XF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, IRAQ, CLIMATE, MIDEAST, 
NORTH KOREA;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   Climate Change: EPA on CO2 
¶3.   Terror Attacks in Iraq 
¶4.   Bosworth in North Korea 
¶5.   Afghanistan: Gates Visit 
¶6.   Mideast: EU Ministerial on Jerusalem 
¶7.   Iranian Clashes 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories 
 
ZDF-TVQs primetime newscast Heute opened with a story on the EPAQs 
decision to declare greenhouse gases as a dangerous pollutant that 
it now has authority to regulate.  ARD-TVQs primetime newscast 
Tagesschau opened with the fine the FDP has to pay for taking 
illegal donations.  Several newspapers led with stories on the EPA 
decision.  Headlines included: QMore latitude for Obama in the 
dispute over emission limitsQ (Frankfurter Allgemeine), QU.S. 
President allowed to limit emissions independentlyQ (Die Welt), and 
QObama leads the way,Q (Tageszeitung).  Other papers led with 
stories on the Federal Audit OfficeQs criticism of the German 
governmentQs spending policy, and the fine the FPD has to pay.  Many 
media carried prominent reports of the terror attacks in Baghdad 
that killed more than 100 people.  Editorials focused on climate 
policy and the fine for the FDP. 
 
¶2.   Climate Change: EPA on CO2 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: QPresident Obama had a 
brilliant idea: he told his Environmental Protection Agency to 
declare carbon dioxide as poisonous pollutant.   He can now go down 
an administrative path to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, for which 
the Senate has refused to approve legislation thus far.  All of 
Copenhagen is now jubilant about this coup.  The reaction in the 
U.S. will be the opposite.  If Obama cannot persuade his people that 
they are digging their own graves with the wasteful approach to 
fossil energy resources, no tricks will help. 
 
Under the headline QNews of symbolic value,Q Sueddeutsche Zeitung 
remarked in an editorial: QAmerica has implemented on an 
administrative level what is common knowledge in the rest of the 
world: carbon dioxide is a climate killer.  As a result, the Obama 
administration could pass regulation to reduce carbon dioxide 
emissions in the United States.  It is, of course, not a coincidence 
that the EPA decision, which was in the pipeline for half a year, 
was announced during the opening of the climate protection 
conference in Copenhagen.  This is supposed to signal to the world 
that the new U.S. government does not just talk but wants to take 
action and makes concrete moves on climate protection.  The message 
was understood: environmental groups enthusiastically welcomed the 
news from Washington.  However, it is just of symbolic value at the 
moment.  The limits must still be determined, and this can take 
time. 
 
Under the headline QRay of hope,Q regional Nordwest Zeitung opined: 
QThe danger that the huge conference will end with an agreement that 
represents the least common denominator is big--because national 
egotisms can block the path for international actions.  However, 
this time around, there is a ray of hope.  All expectations are now 
focused on the new U.S. President.  The rest of the world is 
expecting him to announce concrete measures on how the largest 
environmental polluter might quickly and effectively reduce carbon 
dioxide.  Barack Obama will attend the final discussions to 
Copenhagen.  This might seem to be a confidence-building measure, 
but Obama will be measured by the things he says, promises and 
implements. 
 
Die Welt expressed more skepticism about the current climate change 
debate, noting in an editorial: QWithout carbon dioxide in the air, 
 
BERLIN 00001566  002 OF 003 
 
 
there would be no plants, human being or animals.  We might have 
increased its level in the air too much, but our health could deal 
with 30 times of that increase.  LetQs not forget, breath by breath, 
we breathe out carbon dioxide. LetQs be calm and simply hold our 
breath, particularly when we are told that everything is getting 
worseQbefore the gents and ladies of the EPA get the idea that they 
can also regulate our emissions. 
 
¶3.    Terror attacks in Iraq 
 
Under the headline QBloody Tuesday,Q Frankfurter Allgemeine 
editorialized: QWe can only speculate about the masterminds of the 
recent bloody terror attacks in Bagdad.  Whoever carried them out is 
pursuing two goals: the attacks are supposed to demonstrate that the 
Iraqi security forces are not capable of protecting their own 
people--not even the members of the government in their 
residences--since the American troops have withdrawn to their bases 
outside of cities.  In addition, the terrorists want to scare the 
hell out of Iraqis to prevent the election campaign on March 6  We 
can expect an increase in the number of attacks the closer we move 
to the election date.  It is also a huge problem that there are 
several people within the security forces who make it easy for the 
terrorists.  And also the inefficiency is adding fuel. 
 
¶4.    Bosworth in North Korea 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine commented:  "American special envoy Bosworth, 
who is talking to the North Korean leadership, cannot be envied. 
What is he supposed to talk about?  According to Bosworth, he does 
not bring along any additional incentives for Pyongyang.  It was 
recently said that only the fact of his visit would be an incentive 
big enough for North Korea to resume the six-party talks on its 
nuclear program.  If Bosworth wants to achieve this, he must promise 
something else.  This is the way North Korea has always achieved 
something.  However, even if only the economic desperation of the 
regime in Pyongyang is big enough to achieve an almost unconditional 
return to the six party talks, nothing would be gained.  Officially, 
the goal is a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.  Given that North Korea 
will not renounce its only means to exert pressure, the failure of 
Bosworth and the six-party talks is inevitable. 
 
¶5.    Afghanistan: Gates Visit 
 
Many media noted that Secretary Gates QunexpectedlyQ visited 
Afghanistan, where he emphasized the international communityQs 
determination to help the Afghan people.  ZDF-TVQs late-night 
newscasts Heute-Journal The newscast added:  QAnd if this was not 
surprising enough, he also says something that has not been said 
before: QWe are in this thing to win.Q  So far, the U.S. government 
has only spoken of success. 
 
¶6.    Mideast: EU Ministerial on Jerusalem 
 
Sueddeutsche headlined QEuropeans take the edge off a Mideast 
declaration,Q and noted: QThe EU has rejected the attempt by Swedish 
Foreign Minister Bildt to define now the exact borders of the 
territory of a future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its 
capital.Q  Under the headline QJerusalem belongs not to one side 
only,Q Frankfurter Rundschau editorialized: QA peace solution that 
excludes Jerusalem will not be worth the name.  Therefore it is good 
that the EU foreign minister reminds everybody that Jerusalem does 
not belong to one side only.  If a peaceful future is supposed to 
have a chance, Israel and a future Palestine would have to share 
Jerusalem as a capital. 
 
¶7.    Iranian Clashes 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized: QNothing makes them silent. 
 
BERLIN 00001566  003 OF 003 
 
 
Thousands of Iranians took to the streets on Monday calling Qdeath 
to the dictator,Q despite all the threats, intimidations, and 
massive repression  However, is the Iranian society, the most 
modern in the broader Middle East, really ready for a secular and 
democratic political system?  Or do we with our Western view on the 
small urban elite ignore that fact that the rural people are 
backward-minded, religious and conservative?  All velvet revolutions 
from Leipzig to Tbilisi were made in cities.  In Iran, more than two 
thirds of the people live in cities, which is more than in Japan, 
Egypt and Afghanistan...  Greater Tehran alone counts more than 12 
million inhabitants.  The young urban people are protesting on the 
streets--the largest group in Iranian society. 
 
MURPHY