European press review

Europe's press on Wednesday welcomes the concessions made by Iran over its nuclear programme, although some papers sound a note of caution.

A French paper sees the government unchastened over its budget, the German press is divided on the interpretation of the latest economic figures and a Swedish daily calls for a new EU policy on refugees in the light of the latest migrant deaths.

'Breathing space'

Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau welcomes Tehran's decision to allow tougher UN inspections of its nuclear facilities as a "diplomatic breakthrough".

The biggest success achieved by common European diplomacy in 10 years of political union since the Maastricht Treaty Der Standard

But the paper warns that during negotiations in Tehran yesterday, the EU foreign ministers failed to obtain sufficient assurances on the suspension of its uranium enrichment programme.

"Completely abandoning such an ambitious and costly enrichment programme would represent a spectacular U-turn for which Tehran would probably demand a high price," it says.

It predicts that Iran will try to play Europe off against the United States and that this may lead to a renewed transatlantic rift.

According to the paper, the true value of the European initiative will be decided by "the continual power struggle between hard-liners and pragmatists. In Tehran - and not least in Washington".

Austria's Der Standard hails Iran's joint declaration with the European foreign ministers as "perhaps the biggest success achieved by common European diplomacy in 10 years of political union since the Maastricht Treaty."

But Germany's Die Welt says Iran's stance will bring no more than a "breathing space".

"No threat will stop Iran from realising its plans sooner or later," the paper warns.

It predicts that Tehran will initially comply with all requirements but may, quite legally, cancel any relevant treaties once it is about to build a nuclear bomb.

In an editorial entitled "Preventive diplomacy", Madrid's El Pais says the decision provides "a breathing space for Europe, but something less for the US, which is convinced by samples which have been taken that the ayatollahs' regime is aiming to turn itself into a nuclear power."

French fine escape

France has been scolded and could even be spanked! Fortunately, France does not give a damn Liberation

France has escaped sanctions for being in breach of the EU's strict financial rules and has been given an extra year to bring its budget deficit within the limit of 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But Paris has been asked to report to the European Commission every six months on progress in keeping the deficit reduction on target.

The French daily Liberation notes France is the first country since the launch of the eurozone in January 1999 to be placed under EU supervision for allowing its public finances to go off course.

But according to an editorial in the same paper, this has not chastened the government.

"France has been scolded and could even be spanked! Fortunately, France does not give a damn."

It says the government has opted to defer any difficult budgetary decisions until after next year's regional elections.

"France's [European] partners will take note that they count for less than who runs the regions," the paper says.

It accuses the government of "taking advantage of, or even fanning, a wind of euroscepticism" in pursuing its course. But it warns that the economic outlook for next year is still gloomy, making it difficult to carry out the budgetary adjustments required by Europe.

German economic prospects

Meanwhile, in Germany six leading economic forecasting institutes predict that its economy will grow moderately next year, after three years of stagnation.

Der Tagesspiegel is upbeat about the report.

"Things are improving at last," the paper says.

It points out that the forecast suggests that there may be even greater growth after 2004 "if all goes well".

But it adds that the increase in growth is not forecast to lead to a reduction in unemployment before the end of next year.

We need even lower taxes, even more efficient social security systems, but above all a government which does not already rest on its reform successes Der Tagesspiegel

The government's reform effort must continue, it concludes.

"We need even lower taxes, even more efficient social security systems, but above all a government which does not already rest on its reform successes," it says.

But the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says it is not clear whether the projected economic growth of 1.7% in 2004 will continue beyond next year.

"The central risk factor is politics," it says, pointing out that there is uncertainty over what may happen to a number of economic and social reform projects over the next few months.

The paper calls for the reforms to be implemented as soon as possible to put an end to this uncertainty.

EU's 'perverse' refugee system

And in Sweden, Aftonbladet says the recent deaths of migrants trying to reach Italy illegally from Africa highlight Europe's "perverse refugee system".

Building the walls facing the outside world even higher, as the right-wing governments in Spain and Italy propose, would not help Aftonbladet

"In recent years thousands of refugees from Africa and Asia have paid for their dreams of a better life in Europe with their lives," the paper says.

"They have drowned at sea, succumbed to hunger and exhaustion or died of asphyxiation in locked containers. Their deaths are the result of an inhuman, almost perverse refugee system," it adds.

The paper suggests that a new system, proposed by a Swedish researcher in a report to the European Commission earlier this year, is "worth trying".

"Refugees should have the opportunity to apply for a designated asylum visa at the embassies and consulates of EU countries around the world."

While admitting that this system would not be perfect, the paper says the EU must do something to address the problem.

"Building the walls facing the outside world even higher, as the right-wing governments in Spain and Italy propose, would not help," it says.

"Compared with the rest of the world Europe is a rich continent. We have both the resources and the moral duty to accept people who need protection."

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.