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