VENEZUELA'S CANDIDACY TO A UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT; GLOBAL

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002341

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: VENEZUELA'S CANDIDACY TO A UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT; GLOBAL
WAR ON TERRORISM; 10/18/06



1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's leading international stories include Venezuela's bid to the
UN Security Council; and US President George W. Bush signing
"controversial" legislation related to the US Global War on
Terrorism.

Business-financial, center-right "INFOBAE" published a full-page
interview with US expert on NGOs and philanthropy Janet Johnson, who
was invited by the Public Affairs Section. The interview was
headlined "US corporations boost volunteerism."


2. OPINION PIECES

- "Venezuela still lacks a majority to obtain a UN Security Council
seat"

Ana Baron, leading "Clarin's" Washington-based correspondent on
special assignment in New York, writes (10/18) "The standstill in
the vote to determine who will succeed Argentina at the UN Security
Council is far from being solved. After 22 rounds, Guatemala
continues gathering 12 more votes than Venezuela, but neither of the
two countries has managed to obtain the two-thirds required to win.
And while calls to seek a consensus candidate have multiplied,
prospects are not very optimistic.

"The voting was postponed until tomorrow and today an informal
meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Consultation
(GRULAC) will be held. However, every diplomat consulted by 'Clarin'
agreed that the meeting will be fruitless as long as Venezuela and
Guatemala do not agree to withdraw their candidacies. For the time
being, this seems unlikely.

"Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN Francisco Arias Cardenas and
Guatemalan FM Gert Rosenthal said yesterday that their respective
countries would continue to compete. And this is not all. The US has
reiterated its support for Guatemala, and Mercosur, the only group
that could convince President Hugo Chavez to abandon, is not willing
to do it. Quite the opposite.

"'Clarin' was able to confirm that, at least for now, President
Nestor Kirchner does not want to put pressure on Venezuela, and that
his Brazilian counterpart, Lula cannot do it either because he is on
an electoral campaign.

"... US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton made it clear that for the
moment there are only two candidates and that the voting will
continue. 'Clarin' asked him whether the US would support Latin
America in the event the region submits a new consensus candidate.
He answered 'That question is hypothetical. The other regions agreed
on one candidate; this did not happen here, and this is why we are
going through this situation.'"

- "Shouting "

Marcelo Cantelmi, international editor of leading "Clarin," writes
(10/18) "In spite of the inevitable support from most South American
countries, Venezuela seems to be losing the opportunity to obtain a
seat at the UN Security Council.

"This foretold ending is not the result of US candidate Guatemala's
greater ability, but of Hugo Chavez's aggressive diplomacy... and
of the lack of a higher-quality discourse that can represent the
many countries in the region that are against the White House's not
less aggressive and grotesque policies. It is well known that
shouting is useful only if one's purpose is to bewilder."

- "'A strong search of leadership also raises a strong opposition'"

Business-financial, center-right "InfoBae" carries an opinion piece
by Sergio Galeana, international political analyst, who writes
(10/18) "Uruguay could well be a good choice for a Latin American
consensus candidate because it has good ties with the US while also
being a Mercosur member.

"... Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has an open opposition for
having expressed his support for countries like Iran...

"(Chavez's) strategy is aimed at accumulating power because he also
seeks to establish himself as a regional leader. However, a strong
search of leadership also raises a strong opposition.

"Chavez's violent anti-US speech also raised opposition from other
countries.

"On the other hand, Mercosur's open support for Venezuela's
candidacy should not be interpreted as an anti-US vote. There is not

a prevailing feeling of support for Chavez in Mercosur."

- "Efforts to unlock UN voting"

Alberto Armendariz, New York-based correspondent for daily-of-record
"La Nacion," comments (10/18) "After a second day of arduous voting,
and vis-`-vis Guatemala and Venezuela's inability to gather the
support of the two-thirds required by the General Assembly to elect
one of the countries as non permanent member of the UN Security
Council, the idea of a third candidate of consensus gained
strength.

"Chilean Ambassador Heraldo Muoz pointed out that 'many Latin
American and Caribbean ambassadors are making consultations to see
if a new scenario can emerge'...

"... The countries being analyzed as possible candidates of
consensus are: Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican
Republic."

- "Bush signs controversial legislation that supports ill-treatment
of suspects"

Leonardo Mindez, on special assignment in Washington for the leading
"Clarin" writes (10/18) "US President Bush signed key legislation
to further his 'global war on terror.' The new legislation not only
creates special military courts limiting combatant enemies' rights
to defense. It also gives a green light to CIA secret prisons all
over the world, where harsh interrogation techniques which verge
with torture are used to obtain information from alleged
terrorists.

"... In this context, three weeks away from legislative elections
and with Republicans hit by the Mark Foley scandal, Bush has again
sought to shift public attention toward the threat posed by
terrorism - the field in which he feels most comfortable and which
gives his party the greatest advantage."

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

MATERA