Russian President Putin is a key figure for the French President because with Moscow's consent François Hollande could bring about a change of regime in Damascus, the conservative daily Le Figaro writes: "The French President's intention is to 'convince' his Russian counterpart that he would do well to drop an ally with no future so as to preserve his own interests in Syria. But others have tried and failed before him. The strong man in the Kremlin is a tough customer. ... He believes that the West is taking advantage of the Arab revolts to dislodge Russia from the Mediterranean. But he's also a pragmatist who knows how far he can go. Will François Holland find suitable arguments to set in motion a change of regime in Syria with Moscow's support even before Putin and Obama meet at the G20 Summit in June? Getting Putin to bend on the issue is a tall order. It would be an incredible start for the foreign policy of this new French president." (30/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » France, » Russia, » Syria
All available articles from » Pierre Rousselin
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Now that French Presient François Hollande no longer rules out the option of military intervention in Syria, the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung defends Germany's more cautious foreign policy and writes that the president is "naïve if he seriously believes he can bring Putin to relent. Calculating, because all he cares about is the fleeting impact this could have ahead of the French parliamentary elections. … It would be unfair to accuse the German government of passivity. In the UN Security Council Germany is among those states that for a year now have been trying to break through the wall China and Russia have erected to protect the Syrian regime. … This stance is the result of the sense of horror of a nation that in recent years found itself in the role of a warring party first in the Balkans and then in Afghanistan and didn't recognise itself in this role. … But which circumstances would bring it to give up [its military reserve] remain a German secret." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Germany, » France
All available articles from » Daniel Brössler
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

After the massacre in Houla and news of further victims in Syria the conservative daily Berlingske hopes Russia and China will relent, and calls for military intervention to protect the civilian population: "One can only hope that Russia and China come to their senses. Protection zones must be set up for refugees within Syria. And food and medical supplies must be provided in places that are suffering the consequences of the incipient civil war. That can only be done with a military intervention. Ensuring that the Syrians are protected from further attacks in secure zones is the very least that should be done. This is nothing more than protecting the civilian population. But for the Russians, even that seems to be too much to swallow." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Crises / War, » Syria
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Military intervention in Syria remains out of the question even after the statement by François Hollande and despite the fact that international pressure has had no effect on the country so far, the liberal daily Helsingin Sanomat writes. "Military measures are still not an option, even if French President François Hollande did say on Tuesday that he was giving the matter some thought. The expulsion of Syrian diplomats from many countries is a fitting reaction to the massacre, but it doesn't solve a thing. The first step must be to convince Russia to withdraw its support for al-Assad. China will hardly resist new sanctions against Syria in the UN Security Council on its own. Syria's plight is neither the fault of Kofi Annan nor that of the peace plan that bears his name. Nevertheless the West must be ready to give up the peace plan if it proves ineffective and only serves to enable Russia to keep face in Syria while the blood bath continues." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Russia, » Global, » China, » Syria
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

The yields on Spanish bonds on Wednesday rose to their highest level since the introduction of the euro. Many fear that the EU will now intervene. Ignacio Escolar explains in his blog why seeking help from the bailout fund should be the last resort: "The problem is that such a bailout would entail the kind of harsh conditions under which Greece, Ireland and Portugal are now suffering. A bailout means that the creditors make the political decisions. And the prime interest of the creditor is to recover his money, not to guarantee the future of the country's economy or the well-being of its population. This is why the bailout is the last resort. … In the best case the Rajoy government will try to hold out until July 1 until the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) takes effect. If a bailout should be necessary, the conditions would be better than under the EFSF fund." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Spain
All available articles from » Ignacio Escolar
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

US President Barack Obama incurred the wrath of the Polish government by using the term "Polish death camp" to refer to a German concentration camp during a ceremony on Tuesday in the White House in which the Medal of Freedom was awarded posthumously to the Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski. Karski disguised himself as a concentration camp guard and reported to the US government on the situation in wartime Poland. The conservative news portal Wprost Online is outraged: "How would Jan Karski have reacted? He, who as an underground fighter managed to smuggle himself into one of these camps? What look would he have had on his face while he accepted the Medal of Freedom when the president of this superpower publicly insulted the man and his entire people? It is perhaps better that he did not live to experience this 'honour' himself. Obama's words simply cannot be ignored." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Remembrance culture, » Poland, » U.S.
All available articles from » Jakub Czermiński

The British Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden where he faces charges of rape. The ruling shows that EU countries are beginning to trust each other, writes the liberal daily Dagens Nyheter: "In principle it's good that borders within the EU are coming down also for persons who are suspected of committing a crime. However the system is based on trust in the legal systems of other countries, and that trust is not yet strong enough. … There are ongoing talks among member states, and they have already been able to agree that the people in question have the right to a translation and information. But there is still no consensus on legal assistance or the possibility of contacting relatives. That Julian Assange will finally be called to account in Sweden is progress. But he and everyone else must be given further guarantees that the legal system in Europe works." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Justice, » Europe
Who's saying what » Wikileaks on trial

Pope Benedict XVI has broken his silence on the so-called Vatileaks affair involving leaked confidential documents. Towards the end of a general audience at St. Peter's Square he spoke of his continued trust in those who work closest to him and rejected rumours about scheming Italian cardinals. But the Vatican is immersed in a power struggle and the Pope's words can't conceal this, writes the liberal daily La Stampa: "The precarious balance of power in the Vatican is at stake here. The struggle raging behind the bronze door of St. Peter's Basilica concerns the highest office in the Church, namely who will be the Pope's successor. … On the one hand there's the old guard, on the other the new: the Papal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone and his supporters. … It's no secret that the 'moles' are targeting Bertone. … Because his policy has been the crucial factor in the feud in the Curia." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Media, » Vatican
All available articles from » Giacomo Galeazzi

A no to the fiscal compact in the Irish referendum today would harm the economy, the left-liberal daily The Guardian predicts: "If it votes no, Ireland will still draw on its 85 billion euro bailout and there was a major debate during the campaign about whether it would be denied access to the successor fund, the European Stability Mechanism. With a domestic economy on a crash diet, caused by both a deflating property bubble and deep spending cuts, Ireland's return to the markets after 2013 when the bailout money runs out is likely to be a bumpy one. It could well need more EU help. Would it risk that by voting no?" (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Financial Markets, » Elections, » Ireland
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

IMF head Christine Lagarde recently called on the Greeks to pay their taxes, even though as an official of an international institution she herself doesn't pay a cent to the tax man. Columnist Alexander Simov explains in the socialist daily Duma why he has had enough of the hypocrisy of the rich: "It's astonishing how the rich, who have caused every crisis in the West, never tire of doling out advice to the poor. First they destroy the banks, then they tell the simple folk that they should learn to get by on less money. First they destroy industry, and then they tell people that unemployment will rise and that they'll have to grin and bear it. First they destroy the environment, then they rant and rave when some damned proletarian forgets to switch off the lights at home on 'Earth Day'. Because the rich are lofty, gallant and clairvoyant beings with a positive take on the world and a good digestion. The poor curmudgeons, by contrast, should just go ahead and sink into their doom-and-gloom mentality, wondering why the world is so unjust and why they're always to blame for everything." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Tax Policy, » Ethics, » Society, » Global
All available articles from » Alexander Simov
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

The German Minister of Economics Philipp Rösler has been paying a visit to Portugal together with several representatives of German companies since Wednesday. That the Portuguese press has largely ignored a visit which is of particular interest for exporters is distressing, writes the business paper Jornal de Negócios: "In a country where nowadays every child is familiar with the word 'export' such a visit should have high news value. Especially if companies involved in the trip are showing their willingness to invest in our economy. But unfortunately this is not the case. … Apparently we are now not just poor, but also ungrateful. Particularly in these hard times, potential investments really deserve plenty of attention. For what could be better proof of trust in a crisis-stricken country than foreign investment plans? And this is all the more true if we want to avoid giving the impression that the Germans are more worried about our future than we ourselves are." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Economic Policy, » Economy, » Portugal
All available articles from » Camilo Lourenço
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

The Aeronautic and Space Company EADS has a new CEO as of today, the German Thomas Enders. The change of leadership is an opportunity to make the pan-European corporation a normal, purely economically oriented company, the liberal business paper Les Echos writes: "EADS' decisions must be dictated by its business interests, not by the colour of the passport of its employees or managers. ... And it lies in the company's commercial interests to be balanced. ... Instead of trying at all costs to maintain a parity between French and Germans, between public and private investors, the time has come to change European legislation to allow the issuance of 'golden shares'. EADS must be a publicly listed company whose shares are held by investors who know that this group is a 'normal' company. Its sole particularity is that in the event of a public takeover bid it is protected by the state through special shares." (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Germany, » France, » Europe
All available articles from » David Barroux

The Swiss parliament has given the green light for the controversial tax agreement with Germany, the UK and Austria. After the Council of States gave its approval, the National Council also voted in favour of the agreement by 108 votes to 81 with two abstentions on Wednesday. This saves Switzerland's status as a banking hub, the liberal daily Corriere del Ticino comments in delight: "The approval is wise, despite the understandable grumbling from certain quarters. It will enable Switzerland (provided the parliaments of its partner countries approve the agreement) to overcome an extremely difficult period of uncertainty and limit the damage. … During this difficult phase, in which some of our neighbouring countries that have a tradition of friendly relations with Switzerland have adopted an unusually harsh tone, a strategy had to be found to leave tax sovereignty largely intact. The tax agreement is the only realistic alternative for getting rid of Switzerland's slanderous reputation as a tax haven and presenting ourselves as a financial market that observes international standards. Yet without compromising an essential principle of Swiss banking tradition: respect for the private sphere."  (31/05/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Financial Markets, » Tax Policy, » Banks, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Moreno Bernasconi