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DE RUEHRL #0178/01 0431242
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121242Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6541
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 0750
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1266
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RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1783
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0944
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUZEADH/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BERLIN 000178 
 
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 IR PTER EMS UP
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN-NUCLEAR, EU-SWIFT, EU-GREECE, 
UKRAINE;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear Program, Anniversary 
¶3.   (EU-U.S.)   SWIFT 
¶4.   (EU-Greece)   Special Summit Meeting 
¶5.   (Ukraine)   Aftermath of Elections 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
The main story this morning in the print media is the EU summit in 
Brussels and the EU's reaction to the Greek financial crisis. 
Sueddeutsche, however, headlined: "EU Refuses To Transfer Banking 
Data to the U.S."  Editorials focused on the special EU summit in 
Greece on the European Parliament's refusal to adopt the SWIFT 
agreement, and on the controversy over the future head of the German 
Expellee Association.   ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute led 
with the EU summit in Brussels, while ARD-TV's early evening 
newscast Tagesschau led with reports on the European Parliament 
rejecting the SWIFT agreement 
 
¶2.   (Iran)   Nuclear Program, Anniversary 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (2/12) editorialized: "Ahmadinejad's pithy 
words that Iran is now a nuclear power and a 'great power' in the 
region cannot conceal the fact that the Iranian regime has never 
been under so much pressure since the foundation of the Islamic 
Republic.  It was a turbulent 31st anniversary....  Not just in 
Tehran, also in other cities serious anger was expressed against the 
regime....  Iran is not finding peace since the fraudulent 
presidential elections in June.  It looks like this will remain 
so." 
 
Sddeutsche (2/12) argued that very tough sanctions must be imposed 
although it would "strengthen the regime in the fight against its 
opponents."  The paper notes: "There is little hope that the inner 
Iranian power struggle will resolve the nuclear program.  Regime 
change is not in sight.  However, the Iranian bomb could be build 
within one, two or three years - whenever the leadership decides to 
do so.  Those who want to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power 
must impose very tough sanctions - even at the expense of the 
opposition." 
 
Die Welt (2/12) noted that the West is in a dilemma: "America's 
greatest hope would be a change of the regime.  However, sanctions 
that are too tough, such as a petrol embargo, or even military 
options would divide the opposition and strengthen the discredited 
regime.  However, if the U.S. and its western allies respond weakly, 
Ahmadinejad will look better.  We will not be able to reach an 
agreement with him.  The West should clearly state what the Iranian 
opposition has known for a long time." 
 
¶3.   (EU-U.S.)   SWIFT 
 
All papers (2/12) gave the vote of the European Parliament (EP) 
against the SWIFT agreement broad coverage.  It was also the main 
story on ARD-TV's early evening newscast Tagesschau.  Sueddeutsche 
Zeitung led with the headline: "EU Refuses To Transfer Banking Data 
to the U.S.," while Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote: "America no Longer 
Allowed to Control Banking Transactions."  In another report FAZ 
reported under the headline: "The Invitation to America was not 
Enough," and wrote: "The SWIFT agreement failed in Strasburg not 
only because of data protection reasons.  The members of the 
European Parliament (MEPs) felt snubbed."  Die Welt headlined: "EP 
Stopped SWIFT Agreement With the United States and Financial Times 
Deutschland noted: "EP Refuses to Accept SWIFT Plan." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (2/12) carried a front-page editorial saying: 
"This agreement would have been re-negotiated in nine months anyway 
 
BERLIN 00000178  002 OF 004 
 
 
and would have been replaced with a final agreement.  And even now, 
U.S. investigators will have access to data on European 
transactions, but they will have greater difficulty getting this 
access.  So let's not get carried away.  Of course, we must now fear 
that the Obama government will consider Europe an 'uncertain ally' 
on which the United Stats cannot rely when it comes to drying up 
transnational terrorist financial transactions.  America will now 
pester the Europeans accusing them of having created a security gap 
by rejecting the SWIFT agreement.  In hindsight, President Obama 
will feel confirmed in his decision not to take part in the EU-U.S. 
summit." 
 
Under the headline: "If There are Doubts, Back Freedom," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (2/12) is of the opposite opinion and argued: 
"It is necessary and justified to fight terrorists, but those who 
fight terrorists, have no right to violate basic civil rights.  The 
EP has now taught this lesson and the addressees are the European 
Commission and the European Council.  If the EP had approved the 
SWIFT agreement, European standards with respect to data protection 
and the protection of civil rights would have been irretrievably 
lost.  But beyond these institutional power games, the broad and 
partisan rejection of the SWIFT agreement shows that the MEPs 
primarily rejected it because of their concern about security and 
freedom.  The balance would have been shifted to the disadvantage of 
freedom.  Even if there will be some irritation in EU-US relations, 
the MEPs have done a great service to transatlantic relations, 
because Washington now knows what to expect:  the terror danger can 
be fought together but not at the price of giving up European civil 
rights." 
 
Berliner Zeitung (2/12) headlined: "Parliament Saved Europe From 
SWIFT," and argued that "two and a half months after the Lisbon 
Treaty entered into force, the MEPs demonstrated in a self confident 
and powerful way that they are willing to fully use their powers and 
bring to bear the interests of Europeans.  Fortunately, the EP 
corrected the mistakes of the European Council.  Now the MEPs must 
prove that they cannot only say 'no,' but that they are also good 
negotiators.  Once the agreement is up for new talks, they will have 
a say - hopefully again in the sense of the voters." 
 
Die Welt (2/12) opined: "The new SWIFT agreement must now be 
concluded as quickly as possible, at best would be a singing in 
March.  Neither side can afford a new bickering about the pros and 
cons.  When the next terrorist attack happens, the people will not 
be interested on who is to blame." 
 
Under the headline: "Well-Deserved Handshake," Handelsblatt (2/12) 
opined: "Finally good news from Europe: the controversial SWIFT 
agreement between the United States and Europe failed.  The MEPs 
have demonstrated that they are unwilling to back every agreement 
but that they must be taken seriously.  It is an irony that the 
Americans realized this earlier than the Europeans. Secretary 
Clinton did massive lobbying in Brussels and Strasbourg to save the 
agreement.  The European Commission and the European Council of 
Ministers, however, treated the MEPs as petitioners.  And that is 
what they got for being so ignorant." 
 
Regional daily Leipziger Volkszeitung (2/12) judged: "Equipped with 
new self confidence, the EP is now giving European standards of data 
protection priority over an all-encompassing U.S. push for security. 
 There is no doubt that the new negotiations about the SWIFT 
agreement will burden EU-U.S. relations, but the joint fight against 
terror will not suffer from it.  With this partisan decision, the EP 
has established itself as a power factor in the political fabric." 
 
Regional daily Schweriner Volkszeitung (2/12) editorialized: 
"Yesterday demonstrated the EU has profoundly changed.  Nothing goes 
without the democratically elected EP....  Europe is becoming more 
 
BERLIN 00000178  003 OF 004 
 
 
democratic.  It does not matter that an allegedly important 
agreement in the fight against terror has gone to the dogs.  We can 
hardly assume that the U.S. Congress would, in the opposite case, 
approve that Europe gets equal information on the financial 
transactions of U.S. citizens." 
 
Frankfurter Neue Presse (2/12) judged: "The Americans will now again 
say that the Europeans are too soft and too scrupulous in order to 
defend themselves efficiently against international terror.  But the 
Europeans argue that it is not good to sacrifice too much freedom in 
favor of security.  The Americans have a different view, even under 
President Obama.  Now Washington must find an arrangement for a 
reasonable compromise with the skeptical old Europe that also does 
justice to data protection.  Over the past years, the 'transparent 
citizen' has heard too many gloomy reports that do not allow him to 
believe that the security agencies always have the best and good 
things in mind when dealing with his personal data." 
 
¶4.   (EU-Greece)   Special Summit Meeting 
 
Lead story headlines included: "EU will help Athens only when there 
are no other option" (Frankfurter Allgemeine), "EU promises Greece 
emergency assistance" (Die Welt), "EU rejects financial assistance 
for Greece" (Handelsblatt),  "A friend in need" (Frankfurter 
Rundschau).  Most editorials support the restrained EU approach, 
noting that the Greeks themselves must be blamed for their country's 
financial crisis, which media described as a "Greek malaise" 
(Deutschlandfunk).  The Greek government is therefore called upon to 
take tough actions. 
 
Deutschlandfunk radio (2/11):  "It is good that the EU did not get 
out its credit card and take on all future risks of the 
Mediterranean country.  The EU is well advised to take Athens up on 
its promise to consolidate its budget and to include the IMF in the 
discussion.  The global financial crisis is only partly to blame for 
escalation of the financial situation.  The Greek way of muddling 
through has laid the foundation for it.  The notion that Greece 
wanted others to cover its deficits right from the start cannot be 
disputed after the experience of recent years.  This way of muddling 
through must not be awarded now." 
Mass-tabloid Bild (2/12) agreed:  "The proud Greeks have cheated, 
deceived and thrown money about-now they are almost broke.  If it 
were possible, we should throw them out of the Euro zone. 
Unfortunately, this is not possible because mistakes were made in 
the drafting of the Euro treaty...  At least, the German government 
does not waste any fresh tax money on this. The Greeks must face the 
music under strict oversight...  This scandalous way of muddling 
through should not be covered up with further money and nice words. 
This would really undermine the confidence in our currency.  Those 
who award deception and cheating with new financial assistance 
damage the euro most.  Only if we are tough on Greece will the euro 
be strong in the long-run." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (2/12): "Greece must further tighten its 
efforts to cut expenditures. Progress will be examined in March, not 
just by the EU commission but also the European Central Bank and the 
International Monetary Fund.  This is a slap in the face of the EU 
Commission, which is well-deserved." 
 
Sddeutsche (2/12): "All participants would do themselves a favor by 
exploiting the existing measures.  Those who do not meet the 
obligations of the European treaties should be punished.  Those who 
run excessive deficits over years, protect certain sectors of the 
industry and reject giving information deceive the community." 
 
¶5.   (Ukraine)   Aftermath of Elections 
 
"The Beauty and the Beast," headlined Handelsblatt (2/12) and 
 
BERLIN 00000178  004 OF 004 
 
 
judged: "Julia Timochenko is clinging to her job as prime minister 
and even one week after Yanukovich's appeal she has not stepped 
down.  She has also blocked the formation of a pro-Yanukovich 
faction in parliament.  Instead of admitting her defeat and 
accepting the seat of opposition leader with full honors, she is 
trying to stop change by fighting the outcome of the elections with 
accusations of electoral fraud and with a recount.  But with these 
activities she is damaging her economically troubled country.  She 
is also putting her own fate over the one of Ukraine.  With these 
moves she is giving credit to her own ego: she is a nice beast." 
 
MURPHY