16.05.2007 - MVregio Landesdienst red/dbr

The Telekom strikes last for days now. If one tends to believe the announcements of ver.di [services umbrella union] the Telekom workers of the G8-Team will start participating in the strikes today.

This could lead to problems on the summit that noone thought of so far. Some of the Telecommunications-workers are not only worried because of the strikes. The talk about a highspeed-cable recently laid especially for the G8 summit. It shall transfer data, television pictures and telephone calls and runs nearly unprotected in little depth along the road between Kühlungsborn, Heiligendamm und Bad Doberan.

According to their information al communication that depends on wires will go through this cable. This is exactly where experts of the telecom see the problem arising, as it is more or less impossible to protect the newly laid cable at a length of 30 kilometers it could become an easy target for militant summit opponents. Additionally most of it is located on grounds free to enter. Only a small part of the cable runs through the security zone around Heiligendamm protected by the fence. Why the cable has not be secured better is a miracle to the experts. However it needs a lot of efforts and money to secure earthbound cables.

Connected to this cable will be the International Press Center in Kühlungsborn as well as the Communications Center in Heiligendamm, being build right now. To damage or cut the cable would more or less bring to a standstill the whole summit, as communication than would only be possible through socalled redundant systems and directional radio.

But this directional radio is planned to be exclusively used by the security forces and there are little capacities for civil use. For the International Press Center in Kühlungsborn it would be like switching off the light, say Telekom experts. Certainly the bigger TV stations have their own satelite-up-links to send their pictures to the editors, but the whole writing press as well as the press agencies would be more or less knocked out by a breakdown of the connection.

The Telekom Press Center in BOnn didn´t want to give a statement to that, but mentioned that the summit is a question of prestige for them as well. They did think about all situations possible and do not see risks to be realy severe.