RICE IN IRAQ; US-BOLIVIAN TIES; AZNAR'S STATEMENTS ON

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002281

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: RICE IN IRAQ; US-BOLIVIAN TIES; AZNAR'S STATEMENTS ON
CHAVEZ; FULBRIGHT PROGRAM; ARGENTINE LIMITS ON US-URUGUAYAN
NEGOTIATIONS; 10/06/06;BUENOS AIRES



1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's most important international stories include US Secretary
Rice's trip to Iraq; Bolivian President Evo Morales' put on a secret
list to prevent his entry into the US by plane; former Spanish
President Aznar's statements that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
poses a threat to Latin America; the Fulbright Program celebrating
50 years in Argentina; and Argentina setting limits on US-Uruguayan
negotiations for a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).


2. OPINION PIECES

- "Rice arrives by surprise in Iraq and claims for an end to
internal fighting"

Leading "Clarin" reports (10/06) "During a surprise visit to Iraq,
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed yesterday that she
will tell the leaders of this Arab country they have a limited time
to put an end to the political disagreement fueling sectarian and
insurgent violence...

"... US President George W. Bush's envoy added 'You have to make
progress. This is the message I will bring, but it will also be a
message of support and of what we can do in order to help.' Next
month, US President Bush will face mid-term legislative elections."

- "Evo may not enter the US by plane"

Conservative "La Prensa" reports (10/06) "According to CBS News,
Bolivian President Evo Morales appears on a secret list of people
who are not authorized to board a plane for the US. CBS reports that
the listing was drafted by US security forces to track possible
terrorists among flight passengers.

"'60 minutes' will reveal in its Sunday's edition some of the most
curious details of this list, which, according to the investigation,
was hurriedly drafted following the September 11 attacks.

"... This is the first time Morales is reported to have been
officially blacklisted to prevent him from entering the US. Last
month, Morales was in New York to participate in the UN General
Assembly, in which the US committed not to deny entry to its
territory."

- "Aznar harshly criticizes Chavez"

Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" reports (10/06) "Former
Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, who is visiting Chile, said that
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' policy 'poses a threat' to Latin
America and he added that Hitler and Osama Bin Laden 'are very
alike.'

"During an interview with Chilean newspaper 'El Mercurio,' Aznar
said that there are currently three worrisome phenomena in the world
- the first is called 'Islam-fascism,' which he terms as 'the
greatest threat faced by the world,' and 'the ideology fueling
terrorism.'

"The other two phenomena are happening in Latin America and are,
according to Aznar, 'radical and exclusionary populism, which wants
to build a sort of real, new, socialism with Cuban roots, and a sort
of indigenous movement that is based on ethnical criteria that
evokes exclusionary nationalism.'"

- "What are the challenges posed by the country, according to US
experts"

Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (10/06) "The Fulbright Program
celebrated yesterday its fifty years of activities in Argentina with
a conference and a reception. During its fifty years of activities,
the Fulbright Program has granted over 4,800 exchange and study
scholarships to researchers, academicians and students from both
countries.

"The conference, which was focused on the current status of the
US-Argentine bilateral relationship and the Fulbright Program's role
in developing it, dealt with the 'challenges' observed by US experts
in the country during the Kirchner administration and in the
upcoming decades.

"Renowned historian Robert Potash said 'President Kirchner's
popularity increases when he confronts some sector but this gives
him a benefit in the short run; we'll see what happens in the
future'...


"Riordan Roett, the head for Latin America, School for Advanced
Studies at the Johns Hopkins University, focused on regional
challenges: 'There is a strong relationship with Chile, Brazil and
Uruguay over there and we'll see what happens in Bolivia, where
Argentina has historically had a lot of influence.'

"Roett added that 'the big question is why Argentina has not become
an industrialized country during the last 50 years.' Nonetheless, he
then said that the choice the country made was another one: 'The
country will have to survive in the future by being more competitive
in agriculture and the technology related to it.'

"... All of them participated in a reception at the Argentine
Embassy in this city, along with Ambassadors Jose Octavio Bordon and
Anthony Wayne, who, reportedly, will arrive in Buenos Aires in
November."

- "Argentina sets limits on Uruguayan negotiations with the US"

Sergio Serrichio, economic columnist of business-financial "El
Cronista," writes (10/06) "The launching of negotiations of a Trade
and Investment Framework Agreement between the US and Uruguay raised
a warning from the Argentine Government.

"During a press encounter with foreign media, Argentine Secretary
for Economic Relations at the Foreign Ministry, Alfredo Chiaradia,
said that while Mercosur countries are willing to 'have a tolerant
attitude' so that Montevideo can negotiate such a deal with
Washington without having to abandon Mercosur, he also warned that
'we are not willing to cede vis-`-vis a deal that could restrict the
future development of Mercosur in some way.'

"Chiaradia, who also underscored the need to respect Mercosur's
Foreign Common Rate, added 'I do not have any problem with the US
giving advantages to Uruguay that it will not give to my country.
The problem is what advantages Uruguay may grant to the US, which it
has not given to us.'

"Last Tuesday, the US and Uruguay announced that they will negotiate
a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). TIFAs are
instruments used by the US to either provide less-developed
countries with basic capitalistic software, or go beyond
multilateral rules on issues of its particular interest, such as
IPR.

"Some examples of the first case are TIFAs with several countries or
groups of African countries, and more recently, with Afghanistan and
Iraq in 2004 and 2005...

"... In the case of Uruguay, Washington's main interest is adjusting
rules related to IPR, and trade of services.
Chiaradia said Mercosur would not cede, 'for instance, in the
service sector, in which integration is not complete yet - not even
the EU itself has completed its own integration in this sector.'

"... So far, what trade advantages the US could offer to Uruguay
remains uncertain. Last but not least, it is the largest market in
the world. And when it comes to trade, size matters."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

MATERA