MEDIA REACTION US MILITARIZATION OF US-

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001131 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION US MILITARIZATION OF US- MEXICAN BORDER; VENEZUELA'S REACTION TO US BAN ON ARMS SALES; THE KIRCHNER ADMINISTRATION 05/17/06;BUENOS AIRES ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Key international stories today include the US and Mexican reaction to the USG decision to send troops to the US-Mexican border; Venezuela's reaction to the US ban on arms sales to the country; and the Kirchner administration's handling of Argentine economic affairs. Leading "Clarin," conservative "La Prensa," business- financials "Ambito Financiero" and "El Cronista," and liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" publish information from a PAS press release on a meeting between US Ambassador Lino Gutierrez and Argentine Environment Secretary Atilio Savino to review environmental cooperation programs between the US and Argentina. ¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES - "Criticism of Bush due to the military control of the US-Mexican border" Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," comments (05/17) "George W. Bush announced the militarization of the US/Mexican border and proposed to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants through temporary work permits that will eventually lead to citizenry. 67% of Americans approved of this idea, but not everyone believes it can work in practice. "For those who think that the best way to put an end to the problem posed by immigration to the US is to militarily seal the border, the idea of sending 6,000 National Guard troops... will be useless... "Furthermore, legislators who think that illegally crossing the border is a crime, temporary work permits are the same as an amnesty. "... Bush promised he would not militarize the border, but Mexico believes that sending 6,000 troops to the border is precisely that. And yesterday, the Mexican government said that if soldiers arrest those attempting to cross the border, it will file lawsuits at US courts." - "Bush's announcement worsens controversy on immigration" Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (05/17) "The announced troop deployment on the US-Mexican border obtained strong public support in the US, but it deepened even further the profound disagreement within the political sector and within society on what to do with the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the country and the 500,000 that join them every year. "The initial reaction vis--vis the measures announced by US President George W. Bush turned out to be contradictory - deep disagreement between Republicans and Democrats, governors of bordering states and legislators. Disagreement will pave the way for a contentious political and emotional debate in the period running up to November elections. "Both conservative and liberal analysts believed the presidential address was 'inadequate' or 'insufficient,' because it was exclusively intended to build consensus. And, while the response among Americans was positive (according to a CNN opinion survey, 79% approved of President Bush's conciliatory vision),the House of Representatives' reaction was negative." - "Venezuela is planning to sell its F-16 airplanes to Iran" Conservative "La Prensa" reports (05/17) "According to a high-ranking Venezuelan military official, in reaction to the US ban on arms sales to Venezuela, the government is assessing whether to sell their F-16 airplanes to a third country, and it could be Iran. "... The US State Department spokesperson, Sean McCormack, made clear that the sale is not permitted because the US security aircraft is sold only under a specific clause which bans onward sales to third countries without Washington's green light." - "Venezuela, tough with the US" Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" reports (05/17) "The Venezuelan government denounced the US yesterday for wanting to destabilize Hugo Chavez and asserted that, through its decision to ban arms sales, it 'is paving the way for an attack.' "According to a Foreign Relations Ministry communiqu, 'the bottom line is not the global war on terrorism,' in which Venezuela 'is not providing enough cooperation,' which is Washington's reason for justifying the measure, but that Washington wants to 'isolate' Venezuela and 'destabilize its democratic government paving the way for a US military attack.'" - A world of good?" Michael Soltys, executive editor of liberal, English- language "Buenos Aires Herald," writes (05/17) "... The EU-LatAm summit in Vienna gathered more countries than next month's World Cup in Germany but an autistically parochial Argentine performance was woefully unworthy of that international stage - with a vibrant economy to boast President Nestor Kirchner insistently harped on the environment... "... Even if the current benevolent world economic climate continues to smile on President Kirchner's misguided economic model, it brings with it some built- in problems." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires GUTIERREZ