VZCZCXRO0222
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1599/01 3521136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181136Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6087
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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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0562
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1080
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2585
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1607
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0770
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 05 BERLIN 001599 
 
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 KGHG IR PK RS NATO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ENVIRONMENT, IRAN, PAKISTAN, U.S.-RUSSIA, 
NATO-RUSSIA;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Environment)   COP 15 
¶3.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Protests 
¶4.   (Pakistan)   Court Ruling on President's Amnesty 
¶5.   (U.S.-Russia)   START Talks 
¶6.   (NATO-Russia)   Rasmussen in Moscow 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Story Summary 
 
Print and electronic media opened with reports on the decisive talks 
 
of the Copenhagen climate summit.  Editorials focused on the same 
issue and on the ruling of the European Human Rights Court on 
preventive detention in Germany. 
 
¶2.   (Environment)   COP 15 
 
Die Welt (12/18) noted in a front-page editorial: "Was Copenhagen 
the 
last chance for the world?  Given the fact that the climate 
conference 
in Copenhagen will come to an end without a visible result, the 
apocalypse is written on the wall.  And America will be once again 
blamed for the end of the world.  Barack Obama, who many Europeans 
believed to be able to walk on water, already faced doubts over his 
 
policy on Afghanistan.  Obama will be blamed in particular because 
he 
was unable to resolve the fundamental conflict between rich and 
poor, 
between established industrialized nations and emerging superpowers. 
 
Even those who do not believe in the authority of politicians to 
prohibit global warming note that Americans have some catching-up to 
 
do....  The thermal insulation of American homes must be improved, 
cars 
must consume less gasoline and industrial plants must become more 
energy efficient....  For Obama, who came into office with a serious 
 
ecological program, jobs and health care reform have a priority.  He 
 
would be badly advised to anticipate the Congress' decision-making 
or 
to disempower legislators by emergency acts.  Europeans should stop 
to 
act as schoolmasters.   Under Jimmy Carter, Americans invented 
photovoltaic and wind turbines.  Germans and Japanese are now 
earning 
money with it - as businessmen, not as environmental angels. 
Pragmatists achieve more than ideologists.  Let's be optimistic. 
Copenhagen may have been the last chance for the world.  However, 
the 
next conference and the next chance will come." 
 
Deutschlandfunk radio (12/18) noted: "Clinton did what Merkel did 
not 
do.  The U.S. Secretary stole the show from Merkel.  The U.S. wants 
to 
participate in the 100 billion dollar package for the poorest 
countries in the world.  The U.S. offer is a new impetus for the 
deadlocked negotiations...  Is success therefore still possible in 
Copenhagen? ... Yes, because all pieces are on the table... And only 
the 
political will must be bundled up.  This will be Merkel's moment. 
She 
knows the subject better than any of her colleagues, can play the 
 
BERLIN 00001599  002 OF 005 
 
 
political poker game and enjoys a great reputation....  Merkel must 
use 
this historic moment and put the pieces of the puzzle together with 
 
Obama and Hu Jintao." 
 
Sddeutsche (12/18) editorialized: "The double game the Chinese are 
 
playing is threatening the success of the global climate summit in 
Copenhagen.  In international bodies like the G20 the Chinese insist 
 
on making decisions on an eye level with industrial countries.  This 
 
is legitimate as it represents one eighth of the global economic 
power.  Every eighth dollar that is spent for consumption in the 
world 
goes to China.  Due to this huge economic program, China's economy 
is 
growing so much that it keeps the decline of the western industry in 
 
balance.  China also has the greatest foreign currency reserves 
worldwide.  However, in international climate protection, the 
Chinese 
like to sit in the second row.  Meanwhile, there is no other country 
 
that emits as much damaging greenhouse gases into the air like the 
People's Republic of China.  But the government in Beijing is 
persistently rejecting binding regulations to reduce emissions.  The 
 
argument that China is a developing country is particularly 
annoying.... 
Concerning climate protection, the Chinese vigorously reject the 
power 
they demand in other decision-making processes.  They change their 
status as they like....  If China allows the negotiations in 
Copenhagen 
to fail, it will bring its economic position into discredit." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (12/18) editorialized: "The goal of limiting 
 
the increase of temperature to two degrees Celsius and to 
drastically 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions is threatened to disappear behind 
angry controversy.  This has to do with interests and not so much 
the 
problem of the unprofessional leadership of the negotiations....  A 
 
failure of the global climate protection agreement will not be the 
end 
of international climate policy or the end of the planet.  However, 
 
the attempt to resolve a problem internationally would have failed. 
 
The advocates of national interests and climate extremists who 
warned 
against an apocalypse must then be blamed, not just the Danish host. 
 
Hopefully, reason and a sense of responsibility will prevail in 
Copenhagen after all." 
 
ARD-TV's late-night newscast Tagesthemen (12/17) opined: "The 
premonition of a failure hurts...  Due to the many figures mentioned 
in 
the debate, we easily forget that this is not just about melting 
glaciers, but the future stability of the world. 
 
Norddeutscher Rundfunk radio (12/17) remarked: "This climate summit 
is 
 
BERLIN 00001599  003 OF 005 
 
 
a huge mess. Everybody is talking at once....  Our ecological angel 
 
Merkel does not deserve any sympathy because - surprise, surprise - 
 
she is not a climate chancellor.  Forget about her wearing red 
anoraks 
in front of glaciers to win the hearts of voters.  It is shameful 
that 
she puts German interests over climate protection." 
 
¶3.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Protests 
 
The events in Iran do not play a great role in today's press.  Only 
 
two papers carry factual news reports on the protests in Iran and on 
 
the country's nuclear program.  In a report under the headline: 
"Iran 
Testing Obama's Patience," die tageszeitung (12/18) wrote: "The new 
 
test of a medium-range missile in Iran has escalated the controversy 
 
over Iran's nuclear program.  The United States but also a few EU 
states are accusing Iran of having intensified the distrust towards 
 
Iran's nuclear program with the missile test.  According to the 
United 
States, the missile test raises new questions about the peaceful 
intentions of Tehran and the nature of its nuclear program.  While 
the 
West is preparing tough sanctions on Iran, Tehran does not seem to 
have made up its mind on an official position.  The rivalries and 
controversies within the state leadership have made the Islamic 
Republic incapable of accepting a clear position." 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (12/18) dealt with the opposition movement in 
Iran and reported under the headline: "Fight for the Dead 
Revolutionary Leader" and said: "Tensions between the Iranian regime 
 
and the opposition are heading for a new culmination.  Following the 
 
official joint prayer at Tehran's university, a large-scale rally is 
 
to take place later in which all supporters of revolutionary leader 
 
Ayatollah Khomeini are supposed to demonstrate their loyalty to the 
 
founder of the state. The reason for the rally was the burning of an 
 
effigy of Khomeini which was shown on TV.  But if supporters and 
opponents of Khomeini are demonstrating at the same time, the 
slightest reason would be enough to provoke a new eruption of 
violence.  In addition, the popular passion plays during the 
Muharrem 
month offer opponents of the regime numerous opportunities to 
protest 
the regime and to make their voices heard.  The concern about the 
political and social stability of the country is rising on all 
sides...." 
 
¶4.   (Pakistan)   Court Ruling on President's Amnesty 
 
The papers did not have any commentary on the events in Pakistan but 
 
several newspapers carried reports on the suspension of the amnesty 
 
law.  Sueddeutsche (12/18) headlined: "Pakistan's President Loses 
Protection," and reported that President Zardari "is now coming 
 
BERLIN 00001599  004 OF 005 
 
 
under 
increasing pressure at home, following the Supreme Court's decision, 
 
die tageszeitung (12/18) reported under the headline: "Pressure on 
Pakistan's President Zardari is Mounting."  The daily wrote: 
"Pakistan's most important opposition party has called upon 
President 
Zardari to step down after the country's Supreme Court declared an 
amnesty law null and void which protected Zardari, the defense and 
interior ministers, as well as 8,000 other people.  Zardari, who 
faced 
several trails before the adoption of the amnesty law, could now 
face 
trials again.  And then his election could be held to be 
unconstitutional.  Since Zardari has taken office, Pakistan has 
descended even more into a state of terror.  Zardari is also 
increasingly unpopular because he is considered too yielding towards 
 
the United States.  Pakistan's media have overwhelmingly welcomed 
the 
annulment of the amnesty law." 
 
"Pakistan's Highest Court Annulled Amnesty Law," headlined 
Tagesspiegel (12/18), and wrote: "In a historic move, Pakistan's 
Supreme Court reversed an amnesty for politicians and declared it 
'unconstitutional.'  Thus far, the amnesty protected America's ally 
 
Zardari from an aggressive opposition, which called for Zardari's 
resignation immediately after the pronouncement of the verdict. 
Pakistan's newspapers commented positively on the verdict, saying it 
 
was a victory of justice.  The daily The News, which is critical of 
 
the government, even headlined: 'Zardari: An Accused President.'  It 
 
is true that Zardari as state leader enjoys immunity, but his power 
 
apparatus is tottering and the legitimacy of his presidency is now 
being questioned.  After a lengthy period of political calm, 
Pakistan 
is again faced with months of tension.' 
 
¶5.   (U.S.-Russia)   START Talks 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (12/18) headlined; "Priority for START," and 
 
wrote: "America and Russia are preparing for the overdue 
continuation 
of nuclear disarmament negotiations by limiting their strategic 
weapons to between 1,500 and 1,650 warheads.  The basic principles 
for 
a new treaty are laid down anyway since the understanding between 
President Obama and Russian President Medvedev last year.  Without a 
 
substantial agreement, both powers would have an unlimited time to 
compose their strategic forces and arm them at their own discretion. 
 
But this is not the declared intention and is not in the long-term 
economic interests of both governments, which want to find savings 
while maintaining operational large-scale conventional forces." 
 
In an editorial, Sueddeutsche Zeitung (12/18) opined: "For months, 
the 
United States and Russia have been negotiating under strict secrecy 
a 
new nuclear disarmament agreement.  If Russia's Foreign Minister 
Lavrov is now publicly complaining about the U.S. conduct of 
negotiations, saying that the treaty cannot be signed this year, 
 
BERLIN 00001599  005 OF 005 
 
 
then 
this is clearly the attempt to exert pressure on the Americans to 
make 
a few more concessions, because President Obama would lose face if 
he 
were unable to push through one of his main projects of his first 
year 
in office in the time frame he set for achieving this goal.  The 
controversy focuses on apparently second-rate details...but because 
of 
Lavrov's move, these details are turning into politically basic 
questions.  This is all the more true because Obama must get this 
treaty through Congress." 
 
¶6.   (NATO-Russia)   Rasmussen in Moscow 
 
Several papers carried reports on NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen's 
 
trip to Moscow.  Sueddeutsche Zeitung (12/18) headlined: "Negative 
Reply to Moscow - NATO Head Rasmussen Rejects new Security Pact." 
Die 
Welt (12/18) headlined: "Russia Should Help NATO in Afghanistan - 
Moscow is Making a Fuss," while Tagesspiegel (12/18) reported under 
 
the headline: "NATO Wants Moscow's Assistance in Kabul." 
 
According to an editorial in Die Welt (12/18), "The logic is clear. 
 
NATO is fighting a source of terrorism by attacking the Taliban in 
Afghanistan.  They are threatening the West and the East, especially 
 
neighboring countries, including Russia.  That is why it would, and 
 
many Russian experts see it that way, be in Moscow's own interest to 
 
grant the western alliance any kind of support.  But Russia is 
hesitating, and NATO Secretary General Rasmussen had to leave Moscow 
 
without any concrete promises for support.  There is a method behind 
 
Moscow's hesitance.  First, there is the painful experience with the 
 
military defeat in Afghanistan ten years ago.  And the ones who are 
 
asking for support today were also the sharpest critics of Moscow at 
 
that time.  But Russian politicians have an even more ardent 
aversion 
against a more intense engagement in Afghanistan because it is a 
NATO 
action.  Russia feels encircled by the Alliance.  In this situation, 
 
cooperation is becoming more difficult even though it would be 
reasonable in Russia's interest.  But when NATO is involved, 
Russia's 
politicians are standing in their own way." 
 
MURPHY