VZCZCXRO8254
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #0048/01 0141716
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141716Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6268
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 1922
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0642
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1161
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2664
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1683
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0846
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 000048 
 
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 HA KWWW TK US IR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HAITI, CHINA-GOOGLE, TURKEY-ISRAEL, U.S., 
IRAN;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Haiti)   Earthquake 
¶3.   (China-Google)   Dispute 
¶4.   (Turkey-Israel)   Strained Relations 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Bankers in The Hot Seat 
¶6.   (Iran)   Aftermath of Assassination of Scientist 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts and many newspapers led 
with 
stories on the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  Die Welt and 
Handelsblatt led with Chancellor Merkel's commitment to cut taxes in 
 
¶2011.  FT Deutschland headlined "U.S. and China in online war," 
highlighting that Google is considering pulling out of China after 
Chinese hackers attacked the company.   Editorials focused on 
Google's 
situation in China and last year's recession. 
 
¶2.   (Haiti)   Earthquake 
 
Front-page headlines: "Horrific Earthquake in Haiti" (mass-tabloid 
Bild), "Earthquake devastates Haiti-tens of thousands killed" 
(Frankfurter Allgemeine), "Haiti lies in ruins" (Tageszeitung), 
"Catastrophe hits Haiti" Frankfurter Rundschau, "Three million 
people 
need quick emergency assistance" (Die Welt), "Haiti's government 
fears 
tens of thousands dead" (Berliner Zeitung). 
 
All media (1/14) carried lengthy reports on the devastating 
earthquake 
in Haiti, highlighting the extent of the natural disaster and the 
prominent role the U.S. is playing in efforts to help the country. 
 
ZDF-TV's Heute (1/13) newscast reported that the U.S. sent aircraft 
 
carrier USS Carl Vinson to Haiti, which is "particularly needed" 
because "it has helicopters that can be used for emergency flights. 
 
Planes can also land on the aircraft carrier, which is particularly 
 
important because the tower of the airport in Port-au-Prince has 
been 
damaged by the earthquake, reducing the number of aid flights that 
can 
come in."   The newscast also noted that "Secretary Clinton compared 
 
the catastrophe with the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia." 
Frankfurter 
Allgemeine mentioned in its front-page report that "American 
President 
Obama promised Haiti quick assistance.  The U.S. navy will send its 
 
hospital ship USS Comfort to Port-au-Prince." 
 
In a front-page editorial, Die Welt (1/14) remarked: "Barack Obama 
spoke of a heartbreaking tragedy and promised quick, coordinated and 
 
determined aid efforts.  During his inauguration, the first 
African- 
American at the White House expressed sympathy for the world's 
oldest 
independent black republic founded 206 years ago.  Demands from 
Haitians to grant fellow citizens who work illegally in the country 
a 
 
BERLIN 00000048  002 OF 006 
 
 
more secure status were not met...  In economically difficult times, 
 
American society is not ready for these things.  Whether the Haitian 
 
tragedy might change this attitude remains questionable. It is 
obvious 
that more generous immigration, financial payments and hosts of UN 
aid 
workers cannot resolve the fundamental problems of the country. 
Comprehensive humanitarian assistance is now urgently necessary. 
Not 
just the U.S. is morally obliged to help, but the whole American 
continent and the international community.  However, one day in the 
 
future, Haitians themselves must bear responsibility, and not just 
call for it." 
 
Under the headline "Collapse of a failed state," Handelsblatt (1/14) 
 
editorialized:  "The earthquake in Haiti brought the forgotten 
country 
back onto the political agenda.  The international community slowly 
 
sneaked out of the crisis country.  The problems appeared to be to 
complicated and intertwined.  Development workers in Haiti have been 
 
warning for years that only massive assistance and international 
presence could rescue the country from collapsing." 
 
Regional Badische Zeitung (1/14) opined: "Crime rates and corruption 
 
are enormous.  It is country of mismanagement and human rights 
violations, of political instability and environmental destruction. 
 
In addition, natural catastrophes occur particularly often in the 
Caribbean.  It is a classic vicious circle.  For all these reasons, 
 
the international community must help Haiti." 
 
Regional Sdkurier (1/14) remarked: "Haiti is short of everything: 
food, medicine, machines, and doctors.  It is important that the 
international community does not debate responsibilities but takes 
action.  Every day, every hour can decide about life and death for 
the 
people who still lie under the rubble.  In the long run, it will 
take 
more than this emergency aid to get the country out of its misery. 
 
The hopes of the first presidential elections twenty years ago were 
 
dashed long ago.  Old clans and favoritism are ruling Haiti again 
today.  Those who want to help the people must not accept this." 
 
¶3.   (China-Google)   Dispute 
 
All papers (1/14) carried reports and editorials on the dispute 
between Google and China.  Sddeutsche headlined: "Google 
Challenging 
China," and reported: "The company protests against hacker attack on 
 
human rights activists and threatens to switch off search engine. 
Following a series of spy attacks, the U.S. technology company 
Google 
is now seeking a confrontation with China.  The company's management 
 
reported on Tuesday evening that it no longer wants to accept the 
censorship of the Internet that the rulers in Beijing imposed on it. 
 
 
BERLIN 00000048  003 OF 006 
 
 
With this move, Google is risking being thrown out of China.  The 
hacker attacks could develop into another burden on the already 
tense 
relations between the U.S. and China."  Frankfurter Allgemeine 
headlined: "Google Defies China's Censorship," while Tagesspiegel 
reported under the headline: "Announced Withdrawal," that Google no 
 
longer wants to give into censorship in China and is threatening to 
 
withdraw from the fastest growing online market in the world."  Die 
 
Welt headlined: "China Is displacing Google," and wrote that "search 
 
engine company Google has threatened to withdraw from China.  The 
company is thus reacting to ongoing hacker attacks on its computers. 
 
Google now wants to enter into talks with Chinese authorities and 
prompt it to give up censorship but observers consider the chances 
to 
succeed to be small." 
 
Under the headline: "Google's Foreign Policy," Sueddeutsche Zeitung 
 
(1/14) judged: "the U.S. government is actively supporting Google in 
 
the confrontation with China.  But what will be the future course of 
 
the political power of the company?  Will Google turn into an 
indicator of freedom and prosperity such as Coca Cola and 
McDonald's? 
Or will it turn into a sinister global player such as the United 
Fruit 
Company, for which the CIA launched coups in Central American 
states?" 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (1/14) had this to say: "Now it is necessary 
to 
remain consistent.  The U.S. government called for a clear statement 
 
from China.  This can, if it ever comes, be categorized under the 
headline 'China is acting like a prima donna.'  However, the answer 
to 
the question of how Google implements its announcement will be 
really 
exciting.  Will Google really withstand the demands for censorship 
from Chinese authorities?  Or did it only use the attacks to improve 
 
its battered image in the world in a publicly effective way?  Even 
if 
Google implements everything it said, a negative result could be 
possible for the company.  The Internet community could learn from 
China how life without Google functions." 
 
According to Handelsblatt (1/14), "There is primarily one reason 
behind Google's threat to leave China:  As a collector and storer of 
 
partly highly sensitive data, Google cannot afford to be spied on by 
a 
country which wants to influence the next generation of Internet 
standards.  Beijing follows a strategy which is to prove that an 
authoritarian regime can survive despite the Internet.  But the 
Chinese lack the expertise. That is why China is trying to get 
access 
to the source code.  At second glance, Google's move is not as 
courageous as it seems.  With a share of 30 percent in the market 
for 
search engines and a minute share of income for advertisements in 
China, the company does not take an economic risk by withdrawing 
 
BERLIN 00000048  004 OF 006 
 
 
from 
the country.  But it sends a spectacular signal." 
 
Regional daily Stuttgarter Zeitung (1/14) argued that "if the 
Californian company has made its step out of commercial acumen, it 
would be desirable to find a few imitators.  Google's withdrawal 
from 
China will not change the censorship methods in the country.  Google 
 
does not need China, but China does not need Google either." 
 
Regional daily Leipziger Volkszeitung (1/14) editorialized: "This 
case 
comes at the right time for Google.  By threatening to end the 
self- 
censorship, Google can present itself as a martyr of freedom of 
opinion.  This clever marketing strategy, according to the motto: 
'the 
powerful is supporting the weak,' is succeeding because Google was 
internationally showered with praise on Wednesday.  But as a matter 
of 
fact, Google is more interested in the struggle against its own bad 
 
image than in the fight against censorship." 
 
Neue Frankfurter Presse (1/14) wonders "what is really behind the 
demand of the U.S. company?  Demands to put it into the same 
category 
as the Chinese search engine Baidu?  The Chinese search engine - 
which 
is the number one on the Chinese market - blithely lists links to 
copyright protected music, videos or pirate software.  Google has 
banned this. As long as Baidu is so strong, Google's business model 
 
will not work." 
 
¶4.   (Turkey-Israel)   Strained Relations 
 
Berliner Zeitung (1/14) headlined: "Israel Apologizes to Turkish 
Ambassador," while Frankfurter Allgemeine (1/14) reported under the 
 
headline: "Ajalon Apologizes for Affront," and wrote that "a 
relaxation has occurred in the diplomatic controversy between Turkey 
 
and Israel.  In an interview with a Turkish TV station, Ankara's 
ambassador to Israel said Wednesday night that Israel's Deputy 
Foreign 
Minister Danny Ajalon had apologized to him and asked him to convey 
 
his apology also 'to the Turkish people.'  The ambassador added that 
 
he would not return to Turkey...." 
 
Under the headline: "Turkey sets Ultimatum to Israel," Die Welt 
(1/14) 
reported that "the government in Ankara is threatening to break off 
 
diplomatic relations.  With its ultimatum to Israel, Turkey has 
escalated the conflict between the two countries. However, it 
remained 
unclear whether the break of diplomatic relations was only a threat 
or 
whether the Turkish ambassador should only return home for a brief 
period of time.   This conflict has been going on for a year and it 
 
was Erdogan who provoked it during a discussion at the Economic 
Forum 
in Davos.  Before that Israel was considered a 'strategic partner.' 
 
BERLIN 00000048  005 OF 006 
 
 
 
Many people are wondering why the government in Ankara made such a 
radical turnabout in relations with Israel.  And in the meantime it 
 
seems to be clear that the real reason is based on strategic and 
foreign policy reasons.  In view of declining chances to be accepted 
 
in the EU, Turkey is now trying to become the leader of the Muslim 
world. Among the new allies are Iran, Syria, and Sudan...and Ankara 
is 
also sympathizing with Hamas.  But in order to cultivate such new 
friendships, Ankara must be unyielding towards Israel." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (1/14) carried an editorial under the 
headline: 
'Deteriorated." and wrote: "Israel should have known it: the Turks 
are 
a proud people.  Diplomatic carelessness towards the Turkish 
ambassador, which overall rather looked like deliberate disrespect, 
 
has escalated into a state affair.  Ankara is not satisfied with the 
 
apology of Israel's deputy foreign minister. In return, Israel feels 
 
slandered by a Turkish TV series.  This clash is further evidence of 
a 
constant deterioration of relations since the Gaza War.  The Gaza 
War 
has had a diplomatically devastating effect because Turkey and 
Israel 
enjoyed close relations for a long time before." 
 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Bankers in The Hot Seat 
 
A few papers dealt with the hearing of the CEOs of the biggest U.S. 
 
banks.  Frankfurter Allgemeine (1/14) carried a factual news report 
 
under the headline: "In America, the Reprocessing of the Financial 
Crisis is Beginning." 
 
Handelsblatt (1/14) carried a report under the headline: U.S. 
Bankers 
Admit Mistakes," and reported that "the CEOs of the largest U.S. 
banks 
show understanding [of the criticism of the banks' activities].  The 
 
financial crisis has been going on for two years but its 
reprocessing 
has only just begun.  The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC) 
 
invited the CEOs of the biggest U.S. banks to a hearing on 
Wednesday. 
The FCIC wants to bring to the fore the reasons for the financial 
crisis.  But the bankers acted in an aggressive and self assured way 
 
when the discussion focused on bonus payments...but they also 
admitted 
mistakes and agreed that a reform of the financial system would be 
important.  But Lord Bankfein emphasized that the [government] 
should 
not go too far....  The hearing comes at a bad time for the 
government 
because the Banking Committee of the Senate is talking behind closed 
 
doors about details of the financial reforms.  Political analyst 
Joseph Engelhard of the Capital Alpha investment company said that 
the 
 
BERLIN 00000048  006 OF 006 
 
 
Obama government and a few senators are concerned that 'new insights 
 
could result in a public outcry which could impede possible 
compromises on Capitol Hill.'" 
 
Financial Times Deutschland (1/14) reported under the headline: 
"Co- 
Prosecutor in a Cross-Examination," and subtitled: "During the 
public 
hearing of the CEOs of the largest U.S. banks on the reasons for the 
 
financial crisis, there has been a surprising agreement - that the 
ones who must be blamed for the crisis, have not been invited."  The 
 
daily wrote: "The fact that AIG's business partners were reimbursed 
 
for the debts of the insurance company at the expense of the 
taxpayer 
has angered the United States for months.  But the Treasury 
Department 
and the Federal Reserve constantly say that they had not been able 
to 
implement a different solution.  But Treasury Secretary Geithner and 
 
Fed Chief Bernanke should be heard on this matter, but they are not 
in 
the room and the same is true for the ex-heads of AIG, Lehman Bros., 
 
Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae    At a certain moment, 
this 
also struck FCIC member Hennessy:  'Why are only those people here 
who 
survived everything?' Hennessy was economic advisor for George W. 
Bush.  And he is not here either." 
¶6.   (Iran)   Aftermath of Assassination of Scientist 
 
In the view of Sddeutsche Zeitung (1/14), "conspiracy theorists are 
 
having their great moment right now.  This attack on an Iranian 
scientist allows them to blame Americans, Israelis, the militant 
part 
of the Iranian opposition, or even the mullah regime for the attack. 
 
For the time being, it will remain a mystery who detonated the bike 
 
bomb in Tehran.   The only thing that exists is clues and 
interests...and even the peaceful opposition is not beyond doubt. 
It 
can blame the hated regime for the murder without having evidence of 
 
it.  This attack shows how difficult it is to look through the 
muddled 
conflict of interests in Iran.  Outsiders, be it western 
governments, 
intelligence services, the media, and experts involuntarily proved 
with their contradictory assessment of the nuclear program and 
domestic developments that they can only put together small parts of 
 
the current Iranian puzzle.  Because so many interests are involved, 
 
we cannot expect reasonable or understandable behavior.  This means 
 
that the development is threatening to get out of control.  The 
killing of the Tehran professor is a sign of this." 
 
MURPHY