MEDIA REACTION HAMAS-ARGENTINA, IRAN-IAEA,

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000278

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 HAMAS-ARGENTINA, IRAN-IAEA,
GLOBAL OUTRAGE OVER MUHAMMAD CARTOONS, CHAVEZ-U.S.;
BUENOS AIRES 02/03/06


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Main stories today refer to Hamas' declarations to a
Brazilian daily announcing its trip to South American
countries in search of political and financial
support, with the FMA saying they haven't received any
request for a visit or interviews; Argentina's
possible vote on the Iran case today, siding with the
U.S. and not with Cuba and Venezuela; Secretary
Rumsfeld and Negroponte's tough declarations against
Chavez, which seem to go in the opposite direction of
A/S Shannon's more moderate expressions on the
region's leftist trend to populism, and the global
outrage over cartoons mocking Muhammad, which sparked
criticism in the Muslim world and kindled a debate on
the limits to freedom of expression.


2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Hamas, In Search of Argentine Back-up"

Center right, daily-of-record "La Nacion" says (02/03)
"Hamas... plans to send envoys to Argentina, Brazil,
Bolivia and Venezuela in search of financial and
political support, according to Brazilian daily 'O
Estado de Sao Paulo.'

"The movement's spokesman, Sami Abu Khuri, declared
that Hamas wants to maintain contact with the
Presidents of those countries 'to eliminate the idea
that we're terrorists and show that the problem is
Israel's occupation. We will make our position clear.
Those countries need to support Palestine,' he said.

".... Brazilian Foreign Minister Amorim said yesterday
that his country will only collaborate with
Palestinian authorities if they recognize the State of
Israel.

".... However, Amorim pointed out that the Brazilian
administration hadn't received so far 'a formal
request from Hamas to visit Brazil.'..."

- "Government House Denies Request for Visit or
Interview"

Center-right, daily-of-record "La Nacion" says (02/03)
"'Hamas is a political party and the GOA only has
relations with the NPA.' The FMA official added 'We
haven't received any request for an interview.'

"Yesterday's declarations by Hamas spokesman which
appeared in a Brazilian daily sparked a wave of
consultations.

".... The reaction of the Kirchner administration was
similar to President Lula's, with whom he had recently
tried to harmonize foreign policy positions. The main
difference, however, is the way in which each country
explained its position.

"While in Buenos Aires repeated requests of Government
House spokespersons received no reply and the position
of the local administration was summarized in a brief
declaration from an MFA official, in Brasilia, Foreign
Minister Amorim gave details of Brazil's position.

"MFA sources said they know nothing about any
communication made by Hamas..., seeking financial and
political support from Kirchner, Lula, Morales and
Chavez, as declared by the Islamic organization's
spokesman.

".... The Palestinian Ambassador to Argentina, Suhail
Akel, said that, so far, he hasn't received official
information on a possible visit by representatives of
the fundamentalist organization to South American
countries...."

- "Hamas: Possible Trip to Argentina and Brazil in
Search of Money and Political Support"

Eleonora Gosman, centrist, leading "Clarin" Brazil-
based correspondent, writes (02/03) ".... Hamas
spokesman Khuri said it's most likely that Palestine's
future Prime Minister Haniye will head the mission to


South America.

"According to Brazilian daily 'O Estado de Sao Paulo',
the first one to report on the issue, Hamas' key
interest is to seduce in those places where there are
progressive administrations.

".... Hamas' tactic seems to be a high-level political
operation in search of meetings with Presidents Lula,
Kirchner and Chavez.

".... This diplomatic offensive is the result of a
verified issue: several regional presidents, in their
speeches, expressed their differences with the U.S.
and even criticized the Bush administration.

".... Hamas seems to have understood that ruling is
trying to find communication links with the rest of
the world. According to Abu Kuhri, in addition to
looking for political empathy, Hamas envoys traveling
to South America will try to convince major public and
private companies to invest in the Gaza Strip...."

- "IAEA Decision Today on Iran Case to UNSC"

Maria Laura Avignolo, centrist, leading "Clarin" Paris-
based correspondent, says (02/03) "Iran bought more
time - a month- in its efforts to downplay an
international crisis of unpredictable results and
avoid resuming its uranium enrichment program in the
next few days. The IAEA, gathered in Vienna, offered a
tactic truce until March, but the U.S. and the EU
expect to obtain today a majority of votes against
Tehran, in order to take the Iran case to the UNSC.

"IAEA chief, Baradei, said Iran 'isn't an imminent
threat' and offered Tehran a 'diplomatic window of
opportunity.'

".... The vote on the project of the P-5 to take the
Iran case to the UNSC, will take place tonight.

"In the meantime, Moscow's negotiations with Iran to
carry out its uranium enrichment program in Russia are
still going on.

"But Tehran maintains its defiant position, and said
yesterday it will ban IAEA surprise inspections after
negotiations with the European troika failed and
assured that China and Russia won't allow this
offensive against the Islamic regime...."

- "Argentina, Closer to U.S. Position"

Florencia Carbone, center-right, daily-of-record "La
Nacion" columnist on diplomatic issues, says (02/03)
"Although so far nobody publicly risked saying how
Argentina will vote, today our country will be closer
to supporting U.S. position than aligning itself with
Cuba or Venezuela in their rejection to send the Iran
case to the UNSC.

"When asked about Argentina's vote, the Foreign Policy
Director at the MFA, Luis Cappagli, said 'Argentina
has a very clear position vis--vis the benefits of
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, but is also
strongly committed to nuclear non-proliferation.

"Some Argentine officials concede that the resolution
'isn't the one the country likes most.' Nevertheless,
unlike Brazil, India and South Africa, Argentina
hasn't presented amendments to the original text.

"Local officials would be happier with a resolution
that allows developing countries that want to begin or
continue their research of the peaceful use of nuclear
energy, to do so. 'There's some reluctance among the
most developed countries to shut down this possibility
to smaller countries,' said someone who deals with
these issues...."

- "U.S. Toughens Stance with Chavez: Rumsfeld Compares
Him with Hitler"


Ana Baron, centrist, leading "Clarin" Washington-based


correspondent opines (02/03) "By comparing Chavez with
Hitler, Secretary Rumsfeld clearly showed his game.
Never before had an official of the Bush
administration gone so far.

"'One has a Chavez in Venezuela, with an enormous
amount of petrodollars. He's a person who was legally
elected, like Hitler. Then he consolidated his
power... Now, of course, he's working closely with
Castro and Morales,' said Rumsfeld during a meeting at
the National Press Club in Washington.

"Almost simultaneously, U.S. intelligence czar John
Negroponte went even further on Rumsfeld's idea of
Chavez. During a Senate hearing he accused Chavez of
using democratic legislation to topple democratic
institutions and of wanting to export his Bolivarian
revolution to his neighbors via his 'petrodollar'
diplomacy.

".... Rumsfeld and Negroponte's declarations seem to
go in the opposite direction of Secretary Rice and A/S
Shannon's policy aimed at seeking less public
confrontation and more silent pressure.

"Yesterday, both Rumsfeld and Negroponte expressed
their deep concern for the region, specifically
because of what Senator Pat Roberts mentioned: the
trend towards 'socialist and anti-U.S.'
administrations.

".... Negroponte mentioned Brazil and Chile as two
good examples of countries committed to democracy that
are promoting economic growth, while trying to solve
the issue of poverty. He also praised Colombia... for
not abandoning the path to democracy.

"Negroponte didn't mention a single word about
Argentina, which is, undoubtedly, good rather than bad
news."

- "Relations"

Pablo Biffi, leading "Clarin" international columnist,
opines (02/03) "Only 15 days ago, Tom Shannon... said
'the populist wave in the region' wasn't 'necessarily
bad.' If this analysis were valid, we might suppose
that Washington is seeking new ways to understand what
goes on with its Southern neighbors. The chief of
spies, Negroponte, and the Senate went back to zero
when, using Cold War terms, he referred to the
regional trend 'towards socialism.' Rumsfeld's
declarations, instead, are violent words that help
very little in stopping U.S. discredit in the region."

- "Debating Supreme Values"

Ricardo Kirschbaum, centrist, leading "Clarin"
managing editor, opines (02/03) ".... The case has
complicated aspects. There are direct threats against
newspapers and an anti-European reaction, in sync with
the blocking of Palestinian funds after Hamas'
election victory.

".... The issue is the contradiction between freedom
of expression, responsibility and religion.
Intolerance is the worst solution to solve extreme
tension in which coercion and threat replace dialogue
and understanding."

- "The Responsibility of Respecting Man's Dignity"

Bartolome De Vedia, center-right, daily-of-record "La
Nacion" chief editorialist, writes (02/03) "....
Muhammad's cartoons... have deeply offended the
conscience of millions of Muslims.

".... This is a signal we must pay careful attention
to. Freedom of expression mustn't be exercised in ways
that can offend the dear and beloved symbols that
express or summarize the identity of a religion,
regardless of the geographic or historic roots of the
people that preach it.

"Of course, nobody must ask for mechanisms or
censorship instances that may jeopardize the


extraordinary legacy of the XVIII century, which
proclaimed freedom of expression as a supreme value of
human societies. The simple issue is that this supreme
gift to man not be exercised against the values which
other men - or peoples - incorporated into their lives
as the highest expression of their faith and culture.

".... Freedom of expression was born, historically, as
the supreme expression of Man's dignity. It doesn't
seem legitimate to use it to damage other men's
dignity."


3. 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