MEDIA REACTION IRAN ALLEGED A/S SHANNON'S

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000163 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 IRAN ALLEGED A/S SHANNON'S STATEMENTS ON MORALES US-URUGUAYAN FTD HAITI SPAT BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND URUGUAY 01/18/06 ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Today's most important international stories include Argentina's alignment with the US against Iran and promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy; the Latin American intervention in Haiti; Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales' visit to Argentina and his announcement that he wants to solidify an "energy strategic alliance" with Argentina; A/S Shannon's alleged statement that Morales' success will depend on the cooperation of Brazil and Argentina, plus that of Chile and Peru, dismissing that of Cuba and Venezuela; and the USG making it clear that there is no ongoing official negotiation with Uruguay for a bilateral FTD. ¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES - "The US reinforces its anti-Tehran campaign at the UN" Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (01/18) "The USG started an energetic diplomatic and media campaign to submit the Iran issue to the UN Security Council voting, which could end up with economic sanctions imposed as a necessary step in order to avoid an eventual military action. "US VP Dick Cheney started a tour in the Middle East in order to convince several leaders of the region about this, while US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to meet 'as soon as possible.' - "Argentina and Brazil are crucial (for Bolivia)" Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (01/18) "According to A/S Thomas Shannon, Evo Morales' success as president of Bolivia will depend on the cooperation of Brazil and Argentina, plus that of Chile and Peru. It will depend neither on the aid from the Cuba of Castro or the Venezuela of Chavez. "... Shannon pointed out that 'The best way to understand South America's political dynamic is seeing in Brazil and Argentina, along with the other bordering countries, an immediate and direct interest in whatever happens in Bolivia, in having a stable and successful government in the country." - "The US downplays trade negotiations with Uruguay" Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (01/18) "The USG made clear that there is no ongoing official negotiation with Uruguay for a bilateral FTD and that there is no expectation, at least for now, that diplomatic talks are open between the two countries for this purpose. "According to Christian Baker, spokesperson of the USTR, 'the US is not negotiating a FTD with the Uruguayan authorities, nor has a date been fixed for the opening of this kind of negotiations.' "... 'Our purpose is to reach a deal with the entire region. But, if this is not possible, we'll make progress on bilateral deals.'" - "Bush's deadly weapon against drug" Left-of-center "Pagina 12" reports (01/18) "... Charges filed against the DEA for corruption and murders are not new. However, they took on a new dimension since it is the first time a USG official files a charge against it. A confidential report by an attorney of the US Secretary of Justice, which was made public by the Colombian magazine Semana, confirmed all charges submitted by the region, which had been denied by Washington. DEA agents posted in Bogota kill informants and interfere in probes in order to protect local drug traffickers, get involved in money laundering operations performed by Colombian United Self Defense Group (the most important paramilitary group in the country),and, perhaps the most important thing is that the USG offices do know about this, have evidence but do nothing about it. Even more, they fire those who denounce the facts, or threaten to kill them, or re-post them somewhere else." - "Haiti, the danger of a neo-protectorate" Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an op-ed piece by Juan Gabriel Tokatlian, head of Political Sciences and International Relations at Universidad San Andres, who writes (01/18) "Except for UN documents, OAS communiqus and official statements from intervening countries that still defend the UN military mission in Haiti, reports from international NGOs and most independent observers agree to underscore the failure of the international intervention on the island. "... Not only has it failed to overcome the chaos previous to the forced removal of President Jean- Bertrand Aristide but perhaps it has contributed... to deepening it. "... In the least, Latin America should be aware of the Pandora box represented by the Haitian case. We have already accepted a sensitive exception to the principle of non intervention and we have 'de facto' acknowledgment that sovereignty is relatively insignificant. We could also be on the verge of a more drastic change by legitimizing an international system based on some sort of natural inequity among the States, peoples, culture and civilizations, which could disguise a hidden imperial project under the mask of allegedly humanitarian interventionism." ¶3. EDITORIALS - "Bridges over troubled waters" Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" editorializes (01/18) "In recent days Argentina seems to have been lavishing attention on almost every country except the neighbor on the other side of the river to this nation's capital - US A/S Thomas Shannon's visit last week, the presence of Bolivian- president elect Evo Morales here yesterday morning, President Nestor Kirchner's sally to Brazil later yesterday and the generous space given in the media so far this week to Michelle Bachelet's historic victory in Chile. In many ways the country's most serious bilateral problems are with Uruguay - th pulp mill dispute across the Uruguay River, the destructive impact of the ensuing protests on Uruguay's important tourist industry and Uruguay's growing alienation from Mercosur... "... Right or wrong, Uruguay wants the Fray Bentos mills constructed across the political spectrum... and the aspiration to a free trade agreement with the US seems almost as solid... - even Uruguayan FM Reinaldo Gargano... was forced to back down and admit the desirability of a FTD with the US since even his most stridently anti-US colleagues are fed up with Mercosur." - "Iran and the international community" Daily-of-record "La Nacion" editorializes (01/18) "After two years of patient, although tortuous, negotiations on the dangerous Iranian program for uranium enrichment, Germany, France and Great Britain have decided to interrupt talks with Iran and submit the issue to the UN Security Council. This suggests that the three countries believe that Iran has turned into a threat to world peace and security. "The US has announced that it will support the EU's initiative, and Russia has made public that it will not hinder the discussion of the issue at the UN Security Council... "... For now, Iran is openly challenging the rest of the world. The crisis seems to have reached a point of tension that had previously been avoided. Argentina has a chair as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council... The increasing political and economic closeness between Iran and Venezuela compels Argentina to adopt a serious and transparent attitude, which will undoubtedly prove that Argentina is a capable actor in the international community." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires The Media Reaction Report reflects articles and opinions by the cited news media and do not necessarily reflect U.S. Embassy policy or views. The Public Affairs Section does not independently verify information. The report is intended for internal U.S. Government use only. GUTIERREZ To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires The Media Reaction Report reflects articles and opinions by the cited news media and do not necessarily reflect U.S. Embassy policy or views. The Public Affairs Section does not independently verify information. The report is intended for internal U.S. Government use only. GUTIERREZ