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RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUZEADH/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BERLIN 000160 
 
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 US CH AF IR EMS HA KGHG FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-EU, U.S.-CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, 
EU-EURO, HAITI, CLIMATE, FRANCE-GERMANY;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (U.S.-EU)   Relations 
¶3.   (U.S.-China)   Impact of Arms Exports to Taiwan 
¶4.   (Afghanistan)   Holbrooke Interview 
¶5.   (Iran)   Nuclear Program 
¶6.   (EU-Euro)   Financial Woes 
¶7.   (Haiti)   Reconstruction Efforts 
¶8.   (Environment)   Climate 
¶9.   (France-Germany)   Cooperation 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Print media led again with a variety of lead stories this morning. 
While the Berlin dailies and Sueddeutsche Zeitung focused on a CD 
that contains details of investors suspected of evading taxes via 
accounts in Switzerland, Frankfurter Allgemeine carried an interview 
with CSU Secretary General Alexander Dobrindt and Die Welt the 
results of an opinion poll centering on the government's first 100 
days in office.  Editorials focused on the quarterly results of 
Deutsche Bank and on the purchase of the CD with the names of 
alleged tax evaders.  ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute opened 
with a balance sheet of the government's first 100 days in office, 
and ARD-TV's early evening newscast Tagesschau opened with a story 
on the purchase of the tax CD. 
 
¶2.   (U.S.-EU)   Relations 
 
In an editorial under the headline: "U.S. Foreign Policy Getting 
More Self-Confident Again," Die Welt (2/5) judged: "When U.S. Vice 
President Joe Biden addressed the Munich Security Conference last 
year, this was the beginning of an unprecedented foreign policy 
charm offensive.  The stars of the government with President Obama 
at the helm, Secretary Clinton, but Biden himself, too, hardly left 
any opportunity out over the past few months to initiate America's 
repentant return to multilateralism.  One year later, America has 
landed on the hard ground of realpolitik.  The fact that at today's 
security conference in Munich NSA head Jim Jones is the 
highest-ranking U.S. official should not be understood as an 
affront.  But many indications are that the time of niceties is 
over.  Impatience in Washington is clearly rising...because 
President Obama is disappointed at their lack of movement by many 
partners.  That is why the U.S. government is now moving up a gear. 
Obama's declining the invitation to the EU-U.S. summit was such a 
signal....  The Obama fans on the continent would be well advised to 
understand that this president - unlike his predecessors - has no 
sentimental links to Europe.  Those who are unable to deliver will 
now be ignored once in a while.  This is another interpretation of 
the decision not to come to Madrid....  Relations with China also 
developed worse than the Obama team had hoped for....  The team that 
started with great hopes had painful contact with reality last year. 
 But one should not underestimate the U.S. government's ability to 
learn.  As a matter of fact, we are now witnessing the next 
transformation of U.S. foreign policy, a kind of Obama 2.0.  The new 
Obama will not apologize as often as before for past U.S. mistakes 
and he will demand more from others; more assistance from the allies 
and greater concessions from rivals.  In the first year, the Obama 
team was more interested in getting applause from the stands, but 
now it wants results.  The Americans will not again create such a 
comfortable situation that existed in the first year in office." 
 
Berliner Zeitung (2/5) editorialized: "Barack Obama has better 
things to do.  The U.S. President refuses to come to Europe in May 
to participate in a boring and unproductive summit with the EU 
Commission president and other important Europeans.  He tolerated 
this event twice last year and now lost interest in it. Who could 
blame him?  However, Obama's people are still travelling.  Secretary 
Clinton was in Paris last week where she delivered a speech to the 
 
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Military Academy.  NSA Jones will come to Security Conference in 
Munich.  Several important U.S. Senators will also be there.  For 
defense experts, the Munich conference is the first highlight of the 
year.  However, boredom is also spreading there because, despite all 
the lip service of senior U.S. officials, Europe is no longer so 
important for the U.S. and its government....  President Obama 
politely asked European partners last year whether they would deploy 
more soldiers in Afghanistan...  The U.S. will increase its troops 
by 30,000, while most Europeans have difficulties to send in only a 
few hundred additional soldiers.   Neither are they contributing 
much to the civilian reconstruction; the German contribution to the 
training of police forces is disgraceful.  It is not a great 
surprise that the U.S. President has little interest in coordinating 
his strategies with the Europeans.  In addition, U.S. foreign policy 
is dominated by something else: the approach to China...  The time 
when America's foreign policy was determined by European immigrants, 
such as Henry Kissinger and Madeline Albright, is over.   A new 
generation, for whom the Second World War is ancient history, is 
ruling in Washington.  Its interest and passion is Asia; the view on 
Europe is cool and rational." 
 
Under the headline "Creeping estrangement," a front-page editorial 
in Tagesspiegel (2/5) remarked: "This would not have happened under 
George W. Bush.  If he had stayed away from an EU-U.S. summit, 
people would have shrugged their shoulders or responded with 
mockery.  It's different with Barack Obama.  He has been in office 
for a year and the novelty appeal has long gone.  However, many 
Europeans would still like to keep up the feeling of reconciliation 
after the dispute with Bush for some time.  This is true especially 
for Germany, where Obama is particularly popular.  Instead of this, 
are we seeing a withdrawal of U.S. love?  The answer is more 
ordinary: relations reach the point of business as usual.... 
Cooperation under Bush worked better than the public image 
suggested.  Under Obama, it is the other way around....  Obama lacks 
the empathy for Europe which his predecessors had.  He was born on 
Hawaii in the Pacific and knows Africa and Indonesia.  He has no 
formative experience with Europe.  For his generation, the World 
War, reconstruction aid and the Cold War, which forged Europe and 
America together, are history.  It is a business relationship, not a 
love story.  The EU is important to the U.S. to resolve problems. 
So far, it is not meeting Obama's expectations.  There have been 
enough summits in the past.  One less is not a loss." 
 
Most papers reported that the civil liberties committee of the 
European parliament voted against the transfer of data compiled by 
Swift to the United States.  Headlines include: "European 
Representatives Reject Data Transfer to the U.S." (Berliner 
Zeitung), "EU Committee blocks Data Agreement with the U.S." 
(Frankfurter Rundschau), "Majority against SWIFT Agreement" 
(Frankfurter Allgemeine). 
 
FT Deutschland (2/5) headlined that "the U.S. threatens to isolate 
the EU parliament - Bilateral Agreements Supposed to Replace SWIFT 
Treaty."  The intro read:  "In the dispute over the bank data 
exchange agreement SWIFT, the U.S. government threatens the European 
parliament with the cancellation of all negotiations." The paper 
cited a letter written by the U.S. Ambassador to the EU, William 
Kennard, to the chairpersons of all caucuses: "If the European 
Parliament throws out the agreement, I'm not sure whether Washington 
authorities would again decide to address this matter at the level 
of the EU." 
 
¶3.   (U.S.-China)   Impact of Arms Exports to Taiwan 
 
Frankfurter Rundschau (2/5) analyzes: "Hardly a day goes by without 
a clash between the U.S. and China...  The strained tone is in clear 
contrast to the hopes Washington had when Barack Obama came to 
power.  The President wooed particularly Beijing as a partner 
 
BERLIN 00000160  003 OF 005 
 
 
because hardly anything goes without China in international 
politics...  The new U.S. government clearly welcomed China's rise 
as long as it would not be at the expense of others and Beijing 
constructively bears responsibility....  The euphoria has now gone. 
Instead of the expected partnership, America's experts see an 
ambitious young bull that is attacking the leader America whenever 
it gets an opportunity in the international arena - still 
cautiously, but with the expected goal of replacing the leader of 
the herd one day...  Washington increasingly sees China as a 
rival....  The strategic goal of a constructive partnership is 
without any alternative.  However, America has changed its tone. 
The old bull is lowering its horns....  Washington is going on the 
offensive in the long currency dispute... It will not be the last 
dispute.  As long as yielding is seen as a weakness, there is no way 
to Chimerica." 
 
¶4.   (Afghanistan)   Holbrooke Interview 
 
Sddeutsche (2/5) carried a supplement in the Munich Security 
Conference with an interview with Af/Pak envoy Holbrooke.  The paper 
highlights: "The U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, 
Richard Holbrooke, warned in an interview with Sddeutsche Zeitung 
against speculating too much about talks with the Taliban, set new 
conditions for negotiations and encouraged India and Pakistan to 
improve its relations."  The paper highlighted the quote: "We cannot 
accept that the Taliban force their attitude on women again," and 
"we do everything so that India and Pakistan improve their 
relationship - but we will not be mediators." 
 
¶5.   (Iran)   Nuclear Program 
 
Sddeutsche (2/5) carried a length feature on Iran, noting: "Will 
Iran soon possess nuclear weapons?  The U.S. urge at the United 
Nations to impose new sanctions against the regime in Tehran and no 
longer rule out a military strike.  Supported by China and Russia, 
President Ahmadinejad's government claims that Iran uses the nuclear 
technology only for civilian purposes. This seems to be a lie.  IAEA 
documents suggest that Iran can threaten the world with nuclear 
missiles." 
 
¶6.   (EU-Euro)   Financial Woes 
 
The Greek financial crisis still gets wide coverage in the German 
press.  Frankfurter Allgemeine (2/5) carried a report under the 
headline: "No Assistance for Greece from Euro Zone," and wrote: 
"The European Central Bank (ECB) is quenching Greek hopes for 
assistance from the euro zone.  ECB President Trichet said the IMF 
would offer loans and Greece could ask the IMF for assistance in an 
emergency.  He added that the IMF would offer loans and control 
whether a country stuck to its savings course.  Concerning 
speculation about an escalation of the debt crisis, Trichet said the 
average budget deficit in the euro states was six percent.  Other 
monetary zones such as Japan and the United States would soon have 
deficits of deficits beyond the ten percent level.  'In this 
difficult situation, a budget deficit of six percent is acceptable,' 
he said." 
 
Tagesspiegel (2/5) headlined: "Greek Civil Servants Are Blocking EU 
Savings plans," and noted that "civil servants have occupied the 
Finance Ministry and that the trade union federation announced a 
general strike."  Financial Times Deutschland (2/5) reported under 
the headline: "Greece's Civil Servants on Strike Because Of 
Austerity Plan," and noted that "Greece must subject itself to 
strict EU budget control in the fight against its record debt. These 
measures include cuts of the salaries in the public service." 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (2/5) deals with the IMF's offer to help the EU 
cope with Greece's problems and opined: "The IMF has now offered its 
 
BERLIN 00000160  004 OF 005 
 
 
assistance, since it is the task of the IMF to help its members in 
case of an emergency.  But the head of the ECB, Jean-Claude Trichet, 
does not think much of the offer, and he is right.  The club of euro 
countries should not rely on international assistance but must help 
itself - not because of pride but because of the insight that the 
Monetary Union is a self-help group.  Greece voluntarily joined the 
Monetary Union and signed and committed itself to stick to certain 
rules.  That is why it is only logical that the European Commission 
is keeping a tighter rein on Greece now....  The Greeks who are now 
protesting the Brussels course should not moan.  They would not be 
better off if the IMF had interfered.  While the IMF always 
interfered when it was too late, the Europeans should think ahead 
and take action.  Germany did it, Ireland, too." 
 
die tageszeitung (2/5) editorialized: "When the EU moved ahead with 
its European integration policy it initiated a monetary union first 
because it was unable to agree on a political union.  What was 
foreseeable at the time is now coming to pass:  If push comes to 
shove, only domestic policy exists within the euro zone." 
 
Volksstimme of Magdeburg (2/5) had this to say: "The EU has 
prescribed the Greeks a self-healing treatment under EU control to 
help the ailing Greek budget to recover.  It is doubtful whether 
this will work.  Within a few weeks, Greece is to nurse itself back 
to health....  But the Greeks, who like to take to the streets, will 
not accept this without complaining.  [Unions] already announced 
nationwide strikes.  If they expand, they will counteract all 
efforts to make savings.  Then another bout of therapy could be 
necessary:  fresh financial injections by the European partners to 
save the euro's stability.  The Greek ailments can hardly be cured 
by patting the Greeks on the back and with vigilance alone." 
 
According to regional daily Landeszeitung of Lneburg (2/5), "Greek 
anger at the EU is probably only a weak harbinger of things to come. 
 The Spaniards and Italians are also threatened with drastic cures. 
It is true that the southern European countries have pushed the euro 
into a dramatic downward spiral but their living- beyond-their-means 
policy has revealed a fundamental flaw of the EU, which can be 
corrected.  The excessively lax acceptance criteria deluded the 
newcomers with the false hope that the Monetary Union would resolve 
their problems.  But as a matter of fact, each euroland must shape 
its social, fiscal and economic policy to such an extent that it is 
able to keep pace with the other countries.  But such a tour de 
force can no longer be achieved unilaterally. That is why Europe 
must bid farewell to the grand delusion that a monetary union could 
succeed without economic control." 
 
¶7.   (Haiti)   Reconstruction Efforts 
 
"Haiti for the Haitians," headlined Financial Times Deutschland 
(2/5), and reported: "Haiti's government has given up governing and 
left the country to the UN.  Haitians must now re-discover their 
republic.  In Port-au-Prince, government leader Bellerive and 
President Prval have given up governing the country.  A senator 
criticized the premier saying 'The government is obviously unable 
even to prove symbolically that it exists.'  It is currently not 
possible to realize how Haiti can get back to a government that 
governs the country in an orderly fashion.  But despite the chaotic 
situation, experts are warning against taking political 
responsibility away from the Haitians....  The Latin America chief 
of the international political advisory group 'Crisis Group,' Markus 
Schultze-Kraft, recommended 'that the Haitians enter into the 
political process again' and that the UN should only accompany this 
process as it did before the quake.  He added that the Haitians 
should regain confidence in the political system of their country 
and then identify with it, since, otherwise, stability would be in 
danger again....  The UN said the responsibility for the 
reconstruction of buildings but also of the political institutions 
 
BERLIN 00000160  005 OF 005 
 
 
must be shouldered by the Haitians.  But Haiti must also rely on 
international assistance.  This assistance, however, was 'very 
unreliable in the past,' the UN said." 
 
Regional daily Neue Osnabrcker Zeitung (2/5) judged: "Coordination 
is the magic word in Haiti.  Unfortunately, no one seems to know the 
formula for this.  Relief goods are reaching the country in ample 
quantities; money and donations wait to be spent.  Nevertheless, the 
aid does not reach every Haitian.  Why?  The government did not 
invest in a weak infrastructure or assert its governmental authority 
even before the earthquake.  That is why the misery multiplied after 
the disaster.  Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is now to 
coordinate all aid efforts on behalf of the UN.  This can be useful, 
but it will be decisive that donations are used more effectively and 
will not be left to an incapable government.  To waive Haiti's debt 
would be a usefl move to make it easier to reconstruct Haiti." 
 
¶8.   (Environment)   Climate 
 
Tagesspiegel (2/4) reported under the headline:  "It is Going to be 
Hot," and wrote: "The world is heading for a warming up of three to 
four degrees [Celsius] compared to the beginning of 
industrialization.  This is the result after 64 of the 192 UN member 
states' reports have reached the UN Climate Secretariat in Bonn by 
Wednesday.  During the Copenhagen summit, the United States, China, 
and a few threshold countries agreed to report their climate 
[protection] goals by January 31, 2010 to Bonn.  These 
self-formulated goals, however, were to have a 'binding character.' 
The threshold countries, however, which have thus far communicated 
their climate goals, all indicated that they were made on a 
'voluntary basis and were 'non-committal.'   Compared to the 
announcements made at the Copenhagen summit, these goals have now 
been watered down even more.  Almost all industrialized countries 
want to stick to their goals only if other countries have 
'comparable' goals....  After President Obama's Democrats lost the 
majority in the Senate in a by-election, it has now become even more 
difficult to get a climate bill through Congress which is not very 
ambitious anyway.  If the United States does not move, the threshold 
countries, with China at the helm, will continue to hide behind the 
United States.  That is why negotiations lack any kind of 
dynamism." 
 
¶9.   (France-Germany)   Cooperation 
 
Sddeutsche (2/5) commented: "The German Chancellor wants to avoid 
the impression that Berlin and Paris are excluding other countries. 
However, the fact that there is no other equal partner for Germany 
cannot be ignored.  Britain is too Euroskeptic, Russia too 
nationalistic and undemocratic, and America and China are busy with 
themselves.  France will therefore permanently remain Germany's 
partner number one.  The common agenda does not yet fully reflect 
this acknowledgement." 
 
MURPHY