2010-12-21 WikiLeaks in today's media: Cablegate coverage

Romanian Insider: New WikiLeaks cable on Romania: US-Romania relations threatened by musician’s death

"U.S. diplomats said in November 2007 the impending “final offer” by the U.S. Army Foreign Claims Service, Europe to the family of the late Romanian rock star Teofil Peter seems certain to have a significant, negative effect on the U.S.-Romanian relationship, The Guardian has reported. Peter, bass player for Romanian rock band Compact, was killed in a 2004 car accident involving a former Marine detcommander with the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: Iraq security firms operate 'mafia' to inflate prices

"Halliburton executive's comments reveal tensions between security firms, oil companies and the Baghdad government.

Halliburton's senior executive in Iraq accused private security companies of operating a "mafia" to artifically inflate their "outrageous prices", according to a US cable."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: Iranian TV channel faced UK sanction over jamming row

"Foreign Office looked to use UN sanctions against Press TV after BBC Persian service was blocked by Tehran.

Britain considered taking punitive action against the London headquarters of Iran's English-language state broadcaster earlier this year after Iran jammed the signals of the BBC's Persian TV service (PTV), according to a US state department document released by WikiLeaks."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: Lamb sales behind New Zealand's 'flap' with Israel

"Country's condemnation of Israeli intelligence agents in 2004 seen as attempt to increase exports to Arab states.

US diplomats disparaged New Zealand's reaction to a suspected Israeli spy ring as a "flap" and accused New Zealand's government of grandstanding in order to sell more lamb to Arab countries, according to leaked cables."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: UK hopes to influence Islamic education in Bangladesh

"British officials working with US to change madrasa curriculum as a 'common counter-terrorism goal', cables reveal.

British government officials have made moves towards influencing Islamic education in Bangladesh as part of regional counter-terrorism strategies."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: US pushed for reopening of Bangladesh coal mine

"Ambassador urged country's energy adviser to approve plans, despite mine being closed in 2006 after violent protests.

US diplomats privately pressurised the Bangladeshi government into reinstating a controversial coal mine which had been closed following violent protests, a leaked diplomatic cable shows."

Read more

The Guardian: Wikileaks cables: McDonald's used US to put pressure on El Salvador

"Burger giant tried to delay US legislation in order to aid lawsuit being fought in Central American country, cables reveal.

McDonald's tried to delay the US government's implementation of a free-trade agreement in order to put pressure on El Salvador to appoint neutral judges in a $24m (£15.5m) lawsuit it was fighting in the country. The revelation of the McDonald's strategy to ensure a fair hearing for a long-running legal battle against a former franchisee comes from a leaked US embassy cable dated 15 February 2006."

Read more

The Guardian: Wikileaks cables: Vatican vetoed Holocaust memorial over Pius XII row

"Moves to beatify controversial wartime pope reveal tension between conservatives and liberals in Catholic church.

The Vatican has withdrawn from a written agreement to join an international Holocaust memorial organisation because of tensions over the activity of Pope Pius XII, the pope during the second world war, American diplomatic cables show."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: Mauritius sues UK for control of Chagos islands

"Leaked document shows Foreign Office official told US that marine reserve would end evicted islanders' claims.

The prime minister of Mauritius has accused Britain of pursuing a "policy of deceit" over the Chagos islands, its Indian Ocean colony from where islanders were evicted to make way for a US military base. He spoke to the Guardian as his government launched the first step in a process that could end UK control over the territory."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: How 'Hurricane Anna Nicole' blew away the Bahamas

"Island was intoxicated by antics of former model and her death unwittingly led to government scrutiny, say cables.

The confidential cable was written poetically and revealingly. Harnessing all the drama of a Mills and Boon novel, the US ambassador pulled out every stop when describing the impact of a B-list celebrity on the tropical Caribbean paradise of the Bahamas."

Read more

The Guardian: Wikileaks cables: Bangladeshi 'death squad' trained by UK government

"Rapid Action Batallion, accused of hundreds of extra-judicial killings, received training from UK officers, cables reveal.

The British government has been training a Bangladeshi paramilitary force condemned by human rights organisations as a "government death squad", leaked US embassy cables have revealed."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: US suspected Allen Stanford long before ECB deal

"American diplomats told to avoid contacting or being photographed with billionaire two years before his fall from grace.

More than two years before he touched down in a helicopter at Lord's cricket ground bearing $20m, US diplomats were so concerned about rumours of "bribery, money-laundering and political manipulation" surrounding Allen Stanford that they avoided contacting him or being photographed with him."

Read more

The Guardian: WikiLeaks cables: Libyan attacks aimed to force out 'Zionist' Marks & Spencer

"Anti-semitic smear campaign by Libyans 'at the highest levels' risked damaging ties with UK, embassy warned.

A Marks & Spencer store in Tripoli was subjected to a "repugnant anti-semitic" smear campaign by the Libyan government in an attempt to force its closure, according to US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks."

Read more

El País: El Gobierno pidió a EE UU que presionase al PP, CiU y PNV (The Spanish government asked to the United States to press the "Popular Party", "Convergence & Union" and the "Basque Nationalist Party")

"Ángeles González-Sinde solicitó a la embajada que mediara ante Génova para allanar el trámite parlamentario. A Miguel Sebastián reclamó que "parasen" a Esperanza Aguirre por alinearse con activistas contrarios a la ley. (Ángeles González-Sinde asked the American embassy to mediate in front of Genoa to help arranging the parliamentary deal. She demanded to Miguel Sebastián to stop Esperanza Aguirre for dealing with activists that are agains the law.)"

Read more (Spanish)

El País: Lula pidió a Chávez que bajara el tono contra EE UU (Lula asked Chávez to change the tone against the United States)

"El presidente brasileño envió a su ex lugarteniente, José Dirceu, a advertirle a su par venezolano de que no "jugara con fuego". (The Brazilian President sent his deputy, José Dirceu, to warn his Venezuelan counterpart to stop “playing with fire”.)"

Read more (Spanish)

El País: Los Juegos Olímpicos acercan a Brasilia y Washington (The Olympic Games bring Brasilia and Washington closer together)

"El Gobierno brasileño pide a EE UU una mayor cooperación en seguridad. (The Brazilian government asks to the United States a larger cooperation in the matter of security.)"

Read more (Spanish)

Le Monde: Les Etats-Unis ont intrigué pour barrer la route du GIEC à un scientifique iranien (The United States are intrigued about blocking the route to IPCC (in French: Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat, GIEC) for an Iranian scientist)

"En 2002, Washington avait usé de son influence pour éviter qu'un scientifique américain, Robert Watson, soit reconduit à la tête du Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat (GIEC). (In 2002, Washington used its influence to prevent an American Scientist, Robert Watson, from taking control of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).)"

Read more (French)