Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUENOSAIRES2567
2006-11-16 20:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

US DEMOCRATIC PARTY; US-MEXICAN BORDER FENCE; US-ARGENTINE

Tags:  KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2567/01 3202005
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162005Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6489
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002567 

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: US DEMOCRATIC PARTY; US-MEXICAN BORDER FENCE; US-ARGENTINE
TIES; CHINA; US-PERUVIAN FTA; US AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S MEETING WITH
ARGENTINE DEFENSE MINISTER NILDA GARRE; 11/16/06

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002567

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: US DEMOCRATIC PARTY; US-MEXICAN BORDER FENCE; US-ARGENTINE
TIES; CHINA; US-PERUVIAN FTA; US AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S MEETING WITH
ARGENTINE DEFENSE MINISTER NILDA GARRE; 11/16/06


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Leading international stories today include the alleged profound
disagreement within the US Democratic Party about how to handle
sensitive issues such as the war in Iraq; the Church's opinion about
the US-Mexican border fence; the Kirchner administration's alleged
closer ties with the USG; the prospect of China as an emerging
global power; negotiations on a US-Peruvian FTA; and US Ambassador
Wayne's meeting with Argentine Defense Minister Nilda Garre.

Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion
piece by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan ("Climate change is
fixable"),in which he urges action on global warming.


2. OPINION PIECES

- "Democrats confront each other"

Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (11/16) "Democrats do not have
control of the US Congress yet, which will happen in January, but
they have already revealed profound disagreement about how to
distribute power, how to handle the war in Iraq, and on sensitive
issues, such as abortion, the struggle against corruption and
homosexual marriage.

"... The debate, which should have occurred before the elections,
was only apparent in recent days. High-ranking Democratic leaders
did not want to show disagreement in front of an electorate that had
to choose between them and the program of President George W.
Bush."

- "According to the Church, the US-Mexican border fence is
'inhuman'"

Julio Algaaraz, Vatican-based correspondent for leading "Clarin,"
writes (11/16) "One of the Pope's ministers, Cardinal Renato
Martino, labeled US President Bush's decision to build a fence on
the US-Mexican border... as 'inhuman.' Martino added that Bush's
fence recalls the Berlin wall and that it is a violation of human
rights.

"... Martino expressed his hope that the new Democratic majority in
both houses of the US Congress will help rectify this 'inhuman'
operation."

- "A new Darwin"

Hinde Pomeraniec, leading "Clarin's" international columnist, opines

(11/16) "... One can predict that no fence can deter those who have
nothing, because for them Heaven will always be on the other side of
the fence.

"In this way, a US ruled by repressive legislation and paranoia will
strangle the future of many and promote the benefit of just a few.
Those are the ones who profit from the traffic of persons... New
smugglers and new slaves in the name of long-standing differences."

- "The (Argentine) Government is believed to have shifted in favor
of Washington"

Mariano Obarrio, political columnist of daily-of-record "La Nacion,"
writes (11/16) "Luis D'Elia's support for Iran on Monday, which was
previously agreed to by Venezuela, implied a challenge to President
Kirchner's foreign policy. D'Elia had said in private meetings that
'the US and Israel are pressuring Argentina to confront Iran over
the AMIA case. They want to invade Iran, and after that, Venezuela.
We cannot let this happen.'

"They perceive in D'Elia's entourage that ever since Kirchner
traveled to New York, there was a tilt in his foreign policy. He is
closer to the US and has demonstrated he is more open to claims from
the Jewish community.

"... According to high-ranking official sources, Kirchner is closer
to Washington. He fosters progress in the AMIA bombing probe and
supports the request for the capture of former Iranian government
officials. He has even frozen his signs of sympathy for Chavez.
Kirchner is attempting now to appear as a popular, although
moderate, president that can keep Bolivian President Evo Morales at
bay (Morales is a US main concern),and avoid Chavez's
omnipresence."

- "China is not that far away"

Leading "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by Sergio Cesarin, political


analyst, and researcher at CONICET (Consejo Nacional de
Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas/National Council on
Scientific and Technical Research),who writes (11/16) "Vis-`-vis FM
Taiana's upcoming visit to China, we should analyze China's reality,
which is very similar to that of Latin America in terms of increased
poverty and inequality...

"... The negative consequences of pro-market policies have brought
China and Latin America's realities closer...

"Chinese President Hu Jintao's goal of creating a 'harmonious
society' expressed the political urgency to alleviate the increasing
social conflictive potential, which is hard to tame in the rural
areas.

"Changing the subject, the recent China-Africa summit demonstrated
China's aspirations as an emerging global power, its increasing
influence on developing countries, its greed for natural resources
and raw materials... It is a scenario that only Latin America and
Africa can guarantee."

- "Alan is desperate to save the FTA"

Carlos Noriega, Lima-based correspondent for left-of-center "Pagina
12," comments (11/16) "The Democrats' victory in US legislative
elections has gone down badly in the Peruvian government. This
victory scares the Garcia administration's hopes that the US
Congress will ratify an FTA with Peru, which Garcia questioned as a
candidate but now fervently supports as the President of Peru.

"In a final, almost desperate, attempt to reverse this situation,
Garcia decided to send half of his ministerial cabinet to Washington
to hold last-minute negotiations with the White House.

"They want to convince Bush to include an FTA with Peru in the list
of priority issues to be dealt with by the US Congress before the
end of the year, when Republicans will lose control of the two
houses of Congress as a consequence of their defeat ten days ago."

- "Garre meets with the new US Ambassador"

Conservative "La Prensa" reports (11/16) "(Argentine) Defense
Minister Nilda Garre met yesterday with the new US Ambassador, Earl
Wayne. They discussed issues such as the UN peacekeeping forces.
Garre set out the (Argentine) Government's position regarding the
so-called 'new threats.'

"... Both Garre and Wayne praised the cooperation between the
defense establishments of both countries, and labeled the meeting as
'very positive.'

"... On the 'new threats' invoked by the US security doctrine, Garre
said that 'the tragic history of military coups in Argentina raises
caution about strategies that could contribute to repeating gloomy
cycles of our history.' The US diplomat said that 'the countries are
sovereign and can decide the direction of their policies.'"

- "Wayne gains friends"

Left-of-center "Pagina 12" highlights (11/16) "In his conciliating
style, US Ambassador Wayne labeled as 'excellent' the US-Argentine
military cooperation... In a communiqu Wayne said he had a 'very
friendly and informative exchange' with Garre on bilateral military
issues...'"

- "Security forces on alert due to tension with Iran"

Leading "Clarin" reports (11/16) "The (Argentine) Government ordered
that all security forces and the SIDE (Argentine intelligence
central unit) are on a state of alert due to the diplomatic incident
with Iran over the AMIA bombing case.

"... In parallel, Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez will meet today
with US Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, with whom he will speak about
the struggle against narco-trafficking and international crime. They
might also analyze the status of the AMIA bombing probe."

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

WAYNE