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