MEDIA REACTION HADITHA INVESTIGATION; US

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001229

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 HADITHA INVESTIGATION; US
POLICY SHIFT ON IRAN; ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR TO US ON
BILATERAL RELATIONS 06/01/06; BUENOS AIRES


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's stories include the current status of Haditha
Investigation; the shift in US policy in Iran; and the
opinion of Argentina's ambassador to the US on the
bilateral relationship.



2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

"... Bush promises a punishment for the 24 civilian
massacred in Iraq"

"Clarin", writes (06/01) "...George Bush promised to
punish the guilty 'if laws were violated.' "Until
now, little to nothing has come from the
investigations. There are no photos of the incident
either. But if they are able to verify the witnesses'
denunciations, the Washington scandal will be equal to
or worse than the one generated by the abuses
perpetrated against the Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib.

"Bush seems to be worried about the events of Haditha,
but has maintained that the investigation involves
just a few soldiers, versus a great majority that
behave honorably."

"Scandal in U.S. grows from the slaughter of 24
civilians in Iraq"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion", writes (06/01/06),"The
image of the United States in the North American press
and in the rest of the world is still eroding.

"Yesterday, official sources in Washington said there
is evidence that after an attack with explosives
against marines (on November 19th, in which Miguel
Terrazas died),there was an attack on Iraqis.
Several women and children who lived near there died.

"The Third Battalion of the First Navy Infantry then
reported that all the civilians had died alongside
Terrazas in the attack.

"As a result of increasing public pressure, Bush
broached the subject for the first time. He indicated
that "he is disturbed" by the story going around that
he is waiting for the results of two investigations in
March: one on the deaths and another one on the cover-
up. "If laws were broken there will be punishment", he
promised.

"The United States now proposes to sit down and
negotiate with Iran"

Leading "Clarin" writes (06/01/06),"In a true
political twist, the U.S. announced yesterday that it
has arranged to negotiate with Iran, if the government
of Teheran suspends its nuclear enrichment program
before-hand...

"Until now, the U.S. has left the nuclear negotiations
with Iran in the hands of the Europeans, the group
known as UE3...

"...Tony Blair convinced Bush of the need for U.S.
intervention. Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton's former
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and the

SIPDIS
Republican Senator from Nebraska Chuck Hagel also
pressured the White House to change its policy.

"The decision may cost Bush politically. The
conservative right wing of the Republican Party is
against all official contact with Tehran...it believes
Iran is one of the regimes that most supports
terrorists and that to negotiate with them is to
accept the idea that it is all right to negotiate with
terrorists.

"...According to Rice, Iran now has two options.
Either accept to negotiate seriously or be sanctioned.
When asked what type of sanctions, she said:
political, economic or financial. And she said no
options should be discarded, including using the
military.


"Rice said that at this moment the White House is
committed to the diplomatic route.

"Bordon and Wayne and the Bilateral Relation"

Independent "La Prensa", informs that Argentine
ambassador to the U.S., Jose Bordon, talked yesterday
with members of the External Relations Commission of
the Senate, forecasting that there will be "no
political change in bilateral relations when
Ambassador Anthony Wayne replaces Lino Gutirrez, but
that if any change takes place 'I will inform you'.
Also, Bordon conveyed that to the U.S., Argentina's
position on economic matters appears to have strong
sustainability, recognition of the 'abilities of
Argentina and Kirchner's government '. He added that
last December he `closed a stage of bilateral work' in
which the priority was to obtain the support of the G-
7 and the IMF regarding Argentina's debt. 'Today's
objectives are foreign direct investment, market
access, and mutual cooperation', said Bordon, for whom
the purpose of the new stage is to achieve 'a balance
of interests'. -

"Cronica" (p. 3) adds that for Bordon, the bilateral
agenda is 'independent, respectful and positive' and
that it was crucial in the bilateral relation for the
cancellation of the debt with the IMF. Other important
policies for good relations were the approval of the
Non Proliferation Treaty, measures taken against
terrorism and in favor of promoting democracy and
human rights. When the radical Rodolfo Terragno asked
him if Argentina 'was one of Washington's allies,' the
ambassador answered 'neither yes, nor no'."
Gutierrez