MEDIA REACTION TIES BETWEEN TRI-BORDER AND

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000782

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 TIES BETWEEN TRI-BORDER AND
TERRORIST GROUPS US IMMIGRATION POLICY BUSH-TABARE
SUMMIT NOMINATION OF EARL ANTHONY WAYNE AS NEW US
AMBASSADOR TO BUENOS AIRES 04/06/06


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Key international stories today include the alleged
ties between the Tri-Border and terrorist
organizations through a New York bank account; US
President Bush favoring a US law including temporary
work permits; and the nomination of Earl Anthony Wayne
as new US Ambassador to Buenos Aires.

Leading "Clarin" carries a reprint of a La Repubblica
article by Anthony Giddens, English sociologist,
creator of the 'The Third Way,' who wrote "As a result
of Sunday's elections, Italy is expected to leave
behind a political leader, who, like George Bush, will
have finished an administration in which he piled up
imprudence, errors and disappointment." Leading
"Clarin" carries an editorial on Iran's nuclear
challenge.


2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Ties revealed between Al Qaeda and the Tri-border"

Alberto Armendariz, New York-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (04/06) "As part
of an investigation that could reveal for the first
time financial ties between the Triple Border and
terrorist organizations, the Manhattan District
Attorney ordered the closure of a New York bank
account alleged to have served to 'launder' Uruguayan
funds and send them to groups like Al Qaeda, Hamas and
Hezbollah.

"According to unidentified judicial sources..., during
the last two years, some 3 billion dollars obtained
from illegal businesses carried out in the Tri-Border
are reported to have been transferred to a New York
Bank of America account through drafts involving
Gales/Lespan Exchange financial company, headquartered
in Montevideo.

"Reportedly, suspected funds must have been sent from
New York to accounts in Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia;
Beirut, Lebanon; and Ramallah, in the Palestinian
Autonomous Territories."

- "Bush pressures US Senate to pass immigration law"

Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading
"Clarin," writes (04/06) "Fully aware that the issue
is turning into a snowball, US President George W.
Bush urged the US Senate to put an end to a debate on
what to do with the 12 million undocumented immigrants
living today in the US...

"... Bush again said he favors legislation including
temporary work permits..., and he acknowledged that
there are people in the US who work hard in positions
US citizens do not want to take."

- "Tabare-Bush summit is a topic of concern for
Argentina"

Carlos Burgueo, columnist of business-financial
"Ambito Financiero," writes (04/06) "A piece of
disconcerting news, which could worsen the Argentine-
Uruguayan ties, was confirmed yesterday morning by the
Argentine Foreign Ministry - On May 4, George W. Bush
will receive Tabare Vazquez in New York, and could
offer him to reenter bilateral negotiations for an FTA
outside of Mercosur...

"The announced meeting between Bush and Vazquez added
itself to the US President's statements that the US
Congress should ratify the US-Uruguayan Bilateral
Investment Treaty."

- "Nationalism on the surge"

Leading "Clarin" carries an op-ed page by prestigious
political analyst Rosendo Fraga, who opines (04/06)
"By the mid-90s, globalization was assumed to be a
central phenomenon in international relations, which
influenced countries by limiting and even eliminating
national sovereignties. However, ten years later, we



find the reverse phenomenon - the possible
revitalization of nationalism.

"The US is today more nationalistic than in the '90s.
its unilateral foreign policy is an expression of a
sort of revitalization of US nationalism.

"In China, India and Pakistan, Europe, the Middle East
there is also a surge of nationalism... The turn to
the left in Latin America could be a regional version
of nationalistic resurgence.

"To all this, we should add that both political
international institutions, like the UN, and economic
international institutions, like the IMF, are today
much more under debate than one decade ago."

- "Commercial rather than political topics in the new
US Ambassador's agenda"

Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading
"Clarin," comments (04/06) "The White House has
announced the nomination of Earl Anthony Wayne as the
new US ambassador to Argentina...

"... While his road to Buenos Aires seems clear of
obstacles, Wayne is obviously aware that his work will
not be easy. While on the surface, bilateral ties
between the US and Argentina are seemingly very calm,
there are some topics that raise concern. It is enough
to read the latest USTR report on Argentina about the
trade barriers the US faces in the world to understand
why the thorniest issues in Wayne's agenda will be
commercial and economic rather than political. The
report talks about 'lack of adequate protection for
patents in Argentina;' tariffs imposed by the Kirchner
administration on 'the import of toys and textiles,'
which are affecting several US companies; US
companies' lawsuits against Argentina at the
International Center for Settlement of Investment
Disputes (ICSID)...

"Everything indicates that while the US will continue
insisting on issues like ties with Cuba, Venezuela, or
diplomatic immunities for US troops performing
exercises in Argentina, commercial issues are at the
core of the US interests in our country, for which
purpose the US is ready to wage battle."


3. EDITORIALS

- "Nuclear challenge and global threats"

An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (04/06) "Iran
has become the main concern regarding its armament
challenge and nuclear development with uncertain
purposes...

"... Iran has defended its right to develop nuclear
energy with peaceful purposes but has not dismissed
its use with defensive or offensive purposes, and it
has not allowed the visit of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA)'s inspectors.

"The strengthening of collective security is crucial
to preventing escalations of violence like that in
Iran from becoming larger confrontations.

"The international community should avoid both Iran's
nuclear development for non peaceful purposes and the
implementation in Iran of the same 'pre-emptive war'
strategy carried out in Iraq three years ago."

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