MEDIA REACTION US PRESIDENT BUSH TO INDIA AND

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000524

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 US PRESIDENT BUSH TO INDIA AND
PAKISTAN IRAQ IRAN GUANTANAMO PRISONERS US-URUGUAYAN
FTA 03/06/06


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's key international stories include US President
Bush praising Pakistan as crucial ally in the war on
terrorism; the implications of a nuclear deal between
the US and India; the civil war in Iraq; the
confrontation between the US and Iran on the latter's
nuclear program; Al Qaeda and its leader bin laden;
the US Pentagon's treatment of Guantanamo prisoners;
President Chavez accusing the US of attempting to
foment the secession of an oil-rich region in Western
Venezuela; Israel pulling out of isolated West Bank
settlements, in response to the rise of Hamas; and the
press conference given by USDA Undersecretary for
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Service in Buenos Aires.


2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Accomplished mission"

Left-of-center "Pagina 12's" international analyst
Claudio Uriarte opines (03/05) "... The US-Indian
nuclear cooperation deal has two aspects - the
military and the economic one. From the military
viewpoint, it is easy to see its logic. In spite of
the anti-US demonstrations that captured the attention
of the media..., India is the second country in the
world with the most positive image of the US (Poland
is the first one in the ranking). India has a long
border with China (which is overhauling its Armed
Forces) and with Pakistan (which is the nest of
radicalized Islamism... and an unreliable ally in the
war on terrorism). On the other hand, acknowledging
India's nuclear status is acknowledging the
inevitable... The US has agreed and even promoted that
eight Indian reactors will be used for the Indian
military industry, thereby turning India into a new
member of the 'nuclear club,' whose members until now
have only been the US, Russia, China, the UK and
France. In fact, it is believed that India could
cooperate in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, which
is in the works.

"... From the economic point of view, the logic of the
deal should be even more apparent. India is (along
with china) one of the two economies whose accelerated
growth and increasing demand for energy are
maintaining oil price above 60 dollars/barrel. It
desperately needs nuclear energy for peaceful
purposes... India is also a huge market for US
corporations... and one of the countries having the
fastest development. After more than one year of
setbacks in foreign and domestic policy, this time
George W. seems to have done the right thing regarding
the US 'permanent interests.'"

- "Tension in Pakistan due to Bush's visit"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (03/04)
"Yesterday, US President George W. Bush arrived in
Pakistan on the third stage of his Asian tour amid
extraordinary security measures and anti-US protest
demonstrations all over the country.

"Bush arrived in Pakistan one day after a car-bomb
killed a US diplomat in Karachi and after visiting
India, where there were protest demonstrations leaving
dead people. During his stay in Islamabad, Bush will
meet with President Pervez Musharraf and discuss
progress on the struggle against terrorism."

- "US and Pakistan, without a nuclear agreement"

Leading "Clarin" reports (03/05) "US President George

W. Bush dismissed the signature of a nuclear
cooperation deal with Pakistan along the lines of the
deal he signed with India...

"The nuclear cooperation treaty signed with India
represents an important strategic turn. Former ally of
the former Soviet India, now India will be an
important US partner, just like Pakistan, in spite of
the fact that the two Asian countries are at odds."

- "No way out"


Jorge Elias, international columnist of daily-of-
record "La Nacion," writes (03/05) "... One month
after Iraq's elections, Shiites demonstrated that
being a majority does not mean being a leading
majority. They had to reach a deal with a minority,
the Kurds, by means of a project to disassemble the
country so as to leave aside another minority - the
Sunnis. In view of this situation, Bush's choice
between unity vs. chaos seemed a sentence - chaos,
translated into formal civil war."

- "According to Bush, a small religious elite
kidnapped the Iranian people"

Leading "Clarin" reports (03/04) "US President George

W. Bush praised the Iranian people's 'pride', but he
said it is 'kidnapped by a small religious elite,
which refuses to grant it any fundamental liberty,
sponsors terrorism and pursues a nuclear weapons
program.'

"(Bush's) statement, which is called to deepen the
confrontation between the US and the Iranian
government..., was made in a troubled scenario - it
was the last day of his visit to India before leaving
for Pakistan, where he arrived last night amid
numerous protest demonstrations.

"In India, Bush signed a polemic nuclear cooperation
program with PM Mahmohan Singh, whose government does
not endorse the NPT."

- "'Iran will face painful consequences'"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (03/06) "On the
eve of the crucial International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) meeting, in which a negative report will surely
be presented on the Iranian government's nuclear plan
- which will be submitted to the UN Security Council -
Washington and Tehran redoubled their challenges and
threats.

"US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton warned that Iran
will face 'tangible and painful consequences' if it
continues with its nuclear ambitions. 'The US will
make use of all its tools available' in order to stop
what the West considers a threat.

"From Tehran, Ali Lariyani, the Secretary General to
the National Security Supreme Council, had warned that
if the case is submitted to the UN Security Council,
the decision will have 'repercussion,' and he
predicted 'many problems' for the international
community. He also made clear that his country's
decision to continue attempting to obtain enriched
uranium... is 'steady and final', and he did not
dismiss the use of oil as a weapon."

- "Al Qaeda is not winning war"

Conservative "La Prensa" carries an opinion piece by
Fawaz A. Gerges, professor, Christian A. Johnson chair
on Middle East Issues, and International Issues, Sarah
Lawrence College, New Jersey, who writes (03/06) "...
Cornered in the military field, Bin Laden is only
acting as a spiritual guide and strategic leader. He
and his followers are waging an ideological war in the
name of Muslim hearts and minds...

"Militarily disassembled, Al Qaeda has stopped being
an organization with central leadership...

"Al Qaeda's big failure lies in its ability to win the
war in the Muslim hearts and minds. One of Bin Laden
and Al Zawahiri's major calculation mistakes consisted
of thinking that by attacking the US, they would
mobilize followers against pro-Western Muslim leaders
and against the superpower supporting them. Their goal
was unleashing a major international crisis and
inciting Washington to leave its refuge, as pointed
out by Seif Al Adl, Al Qaeda military leader in a 2005
document."

- "Caught in a judicial limbo"

Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for


daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (03/05) "... The
US Pentagon has postponed a judicial definition of
'enemy combatants' (in Guantanamo): they are neither
war prisoners nor civilians. It neither subjects them
to trial nor extradites them nor releases them unless
in a discretionary way and after two, three or four
years in the Delta Field. The UN Human Rights
Committee, Amnesty International, the Red Cross and
Human Rights Watch have denounced this situation, but
the US Pentagon sustains this is the only choice
available."

- "Uruguay approaches a deal with the US"

Nelson Fernandez, Montevideo-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (03/06) "...
Yesterday, the Uruguayan left wing took another
important step... - it made it clear that
strengthening Mercosur is important as a commercial
and international policy strategy, but it opened the
possibility of reaching other bilateral or
multilateral deals outside of Mercosur.

"Without naming an FTA with the US, the political
decision paves the way for reaching a deal with the
US, which is what President Tabare Vazquez and his
economic team want."

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