MEDIA REACTION A/S THOMAS SHANNON UPCOMING

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000041 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 A/S THOMAS SHANNON UPCOMING VISIT TO BUENOS AIRES URUGUAY DENYING FTD WITH US HAITI ARGENTINE-BOLIVIAN TIES CHAVEZ AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND BOLIVIA US DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE THE KIRCHNER ADMINISTRATION 01/09/06 ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Weekend stories cover: the upcoming visit of A/S Thomas Shannon to Buenos Aires; Uruguay denying that it may be negotiating a free trade deal with the US; the upcoming elections in Haiti; the Argentine- Bolivian relationship; US Republican Tom De Lay quitting US Congress majority post; the alleged US domestic espionage; and the US-Argentine bilateral relationship. ¶2. INSIDE-PAGE HEADLINES ON A/S SHANNON'S UPCOMING VISIT TO BUENOS AIRES - Daily-of-record "La Nacion" (01/07) "Shannon arrives in Argentina in order to put the US-Argentine bilateral relationship on a sound track." "Bush's envoy will also visit Brasilia with the same purpose." - "Leading "Clarin" (01/08) ?One week of encounters with the US and France." "Government officials arrive in the country." - Conservative "La Prensa" (01/07) "A USG official will visit our country." "US Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon will arrive in Argentina on Thursday." "He is planning to meet with Foreign Minister Taiana and Vice Foreign Minister Garcia Moritan, but he will hold some other meetings." "The visit of the influential member of the Bush administration will have a special political meaning." - Business-financial "El Cronista" (01/09) "Argentina and the US resume contacts." - Business-financial, center-right "InfoBae" (01/09) "New Argentine approach to Washington." ¶3. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES - "Shannon arrives in Argentina in order to put the US- Argentine bilateral relationship on a sound track" Florencia Carbone, political columnist of daily-of- record "La Nacion," writes (01/07) "US Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere Tom Shannon will SIPDIS come to Argentina next week. "The visit of the head of US diplomacy for Latin America was confirmed yesterday by sources from the (Argentine) Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy in Buenos Aires and will occur just a few days before the meeting to be held in Brazil with presidents Kirchner, Lula and Chavez in light of Evo Morales taking power in Bolivia... "Asked about the topics of the agenda, spokespersons of the US embassy briefly said 'regional and bilateral issues'... "This phrase, translated into less diplomatic language, could include certain inevitable bilateral topics such as free trade, the political and social situation in the region, the struggle against narco- trafficking and terrorism. "... Shannon, who will meet with Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and Vice foreign Minister Roberto Garcia Moritan..., will be here during the same week in which a delegation of US Republican senators will arrive in the country. "... There is a highlighted item on the US agenda on the region, and particularly in the US agenda on Argentina and Brazil - Evo Morales taking power. "The Bush administration sees the coca leader as a hypothetical ally of the presidents of Venezuela and Cuba in their anti-US crusade." - "One week of contacts with the US and France" Leading "Clarin" reports (01/08) "During this week, the Argentine government will hold a series of meetings with members of the Bush and Chirac administrations at a moment when their bilateral relationship is not at its best. "A/S Thomas Shannon is scheduled to arrive in Buenos Aires between this Thursday and Friday in order to hold meetings with Argentine authorities. "This is not minor information if one bears in mind that the Argentine ties with the White House are not at their best, particularly in the aftermath of the Fourth SOA... "By then, Shannon was in charge of the frustrated negotiations with Mercosur countries, which triggered Bush's anger because the US was unable to re-launch FTAA negotiations. "Next Thursday, (Argentine) Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana will receive a delegation of US Republican senators that will be led by Mitch McConnell, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, of most importance in the White House's foreign policy. With them, Taiana will tackle FTAA- related issues... "The legislators' visit is aimed at talking about topics related to security, the struggle against terrorism, hemispheric economic integration and bilateral trade." - "Uruguay denies talk of US FTD" Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" reports (01/07) "Uruguay yesterday denied that it may be negotiating a FTD with the US, after Argentina warned it that such an accord could only be discussed from within the Mercosur trade bloc and demanded clarification. Uruguay and Argentina are also locked in a separate diplomatic dispute over the construction of two pulp mills on the border between the two countries. "... Uruguayan Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano said yesterday that 'the Uruguayan government is not negotiating any FTD with the US.' "He even expressed doubts about the news report... "Gargano said that despite Montevideo not seeking a FTD with Washington, that 'does not mean that we are not discussing trade issues with all countries in the world such as China, India and South Africa... or that we are not demanding (like Argentina is doing) that the US lower its tariffs and increase its purchases." - "Haiti: no easy way out" Gwynne Dyer, contributor to liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald," writes (01/09) ".... Haiti is responding badly to foreign intervention because it is a real country with a tragic history. Haitians may have no money, little education and few prospects, but they actually know who they are... ".... The date has finally been set for the first elections to be held since Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted from power nearly two years ago. "... Aristide, in exile in South Africa, still sees himself as the legitimate president of Haiti, and so do a lot of Haitians. They will not be allowed to vote for him even if the 'interim government' does eventually manage to stage an election, but that means that nothing will be settled and the violence will not abate. Aristide may never return, but the old order cannot be restored." - "Kirchner wants to turn Bolivia into a commercal ally" Martin Rodriguez Yebra, political columnist of daily- of-record "La Nacion," writes (01/07) "The hypothesis of a conflict does not fit in the relationship the Kirchner administration is planning to have with Bolivia, in spite of President-elect Evo Morales' warnings on the increase in the gas price supplied to Argentina. "Far from any tension, Kirchner will try to build a commercial alliance with the Bolivian leader that will be similar to the one he negotiated with the Venezuela of Hugo Chavez two years ago - in summary, Kirchner will attempt to reach a series of deals focused on the exchange of gas supply for industrial machinery and scientific and technological cooperation." - "Gas - Chavez wants to act as a mediator between Bolivia and Argentina" Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" (01/09) reports "Hugo Chavez wants to become a sort of mediator between Evo Morales and Nestor Kirchner vis--vis the imminent bilateral conflicts between the future Bolivian government and the Argentine administration. The Venezuelan president will seek to personally deal with both presidents in order to approach positions, particularly on the gas price issue, so that the potential problems are dismissed and a fast commercial agreement is reached. "In concrete, Chavez will seek that before the month of June, Morales will sign the same sort of energy deal he reached with Venezuela last December at the Montevideo Mercosur summit, in which Venezuela started its process as a 'political partner' of Mercosur." ¶4. EDITORIALS - "US domestic espionage" An editorial in leading "Clarin" reports (01/07) "The USG has earned strong domestic and foreign criticism of its infringement on individual rights under the protection of the broad powers granted by the anti- terror legislation. "US President George W. Bush acknowledged several actions of espionage on behalf of the National Security Agency on US citizens without any judicial order, which overrides governmental powers. ".... The September 11 attacks made clear shortfalls in the domestic security of the country that most money assigns to national defense and security. This is why the emphasis on strengthening security and prevention measures is fully understandable. What cannot be explained is that it damages other citizens' rights and guarantees." - "End of a cycle in the Middle East" An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (01/09) "In his last battle for life, PM Ariel Sharon is leaving the Israeli political scene without one of the last leaders who lived under the sign of war. "... Sharon's stance was that of a nationalistic intransigent leader... "Nonetheless, during his latest administration he initiated a territorial separation that could imply the acknowledgment of an independent Palestinian State. Peace process in the Middle East depended on leaders who understood the opportunity to re-orient history in another direction. Another crucial part of that road is still ahead." - "A realistic foreign policy" Business-financial "El Cronista" editorializes (01/09) "Argentina's foreign policy will face an agenda calling for clear definitions in the next weeks, leaving little room for rhetoric and false ideologies... "As a sign that the region is going through a special political and economic moment, several key encounters will occur starting this week. First, A/S Tom Shannon will arrive in the country on Thursday... His visit is in the framework of a cooled (US-Argentine) relationship due to the dispute over FTAA negotiations in the Mar del Plata Summit. But, Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana is attempting to maintain a less distant relationship with the US. The topics of the meetings will not only be the bilateral ones. Just some days after, Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales is scheduled to come to the country - Morales publicly supports Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and Nestor Kirchner. ".... Nothing leads one to think that President Kirchner's foreign policy will change. He believes his ties with Chavez act as political contention and support for regional stability. "... Argentina has the opportunity to establish a mature strategy, far from short-term and false ideological dilemmas." - "The (Argentine) Government's responsibility following the payment of its debt to the IMF" Leading "Clarin" (01/08) editorializes "Through the payment of its debt to the IMF, the (Argentine) government won freedom, but it assumed a strong commitment that the economic policy and its outcome will be its own responsibility starting now... "... But it is also fundamental to generate the framework to return confidence to foreign investors in Argentina. "Investors' confidence depends primarily on the prospects of economic expansion and profitability. Secondly, but not of less importance, it also depends on confidence in institutions and judicial security. "... The positive effect of partial dis-indebtedness and the growth obtained during recent years could be weakened by the counter-productive effect of populist gestures or political intemperance." 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