UY MOVES TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM PROTESTS

DE RUEHMN #1143 3351036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011036Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6590
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
,UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 001143

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/BSC AND EB
BRASILIA FOR JSTORY
BUENOS AIRES FOR ASCHANDLBAUER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI UY
SUBJECT: UY MOVES TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM PROTESTS



1. (U) Summary: November 29, President Vazquez ordered the
Uruguayan military to create a protective ring around the
controversial Botnia paper mill in order to prevent possible acts of
sabotage. The GOU also filed a complaint against Argentina with the
International Court of Justice demanding an end to the blockade of
bridges between Uruguay and Argentina by Argentina protesters. The
Argentine ambassador to Uruguay has asked for details of the force
to be deployed, and Uruguayans wonder if Argentina or Argentine
protesters might take the presence of troops as a provocation. End
Summary.

MILITARY TO THE PAPER MILLS
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2. (U) November 29, President Vazquez ordered the Uruguayan military
to create a protective ring around the controversial Botnia paper
mill in order to prevent possible acts of sabotage. The army will
patrol the land surrounding the plant near Fray Bentos, and the
Coast Guard will monitor the river near the plant. Argentine
protesters, who blocked major bridges into Uruguay last summer and
resumed the blockade this November, have long reviled the plant, and
the GOU fears that the protesters may attempt sabotage. Press
reports indicate that earlier this year thousands of eucalyptus
seedlings were stolen from a Botnia facility by protesters who left
a note justifying their actions. The military is still formulating
its plans to execute the President's order. Botnia currently
subsidizes the salaries of 50 Uruguayan policemen who guarded the
facility and will continue to patrol the Botnia property.

URUGUAY FILES IN ICJ
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3. (U) On November 28, Uruguay filed a complaint against Argentina
in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The formal document
claims that the GOA has done nothing to stop the blockade of an
international border by Argentine protesters. It asks that
Argentina take ""every reasonable and appropriate measure at its
disposal to prevent the interruption of transit between Uruguay and
Argentina."" Local politicians seem resigned to the fact that the
ICJ process will be incredibly long, and they continue to seek
alternative measures.

COMMENT
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4. (SBU) Just as Vazquez and opposition leader Larranaga met
recently in a show of solidarity with Botnia, we note the potential
for Argentina to do the same with Gualeguaychu's protesters. The
Argentine Ambassador to Uruguay immediately asked for details of the
planned military force which will be located immediately across the
river from Argentina. The military force could possibly antagonize
the protesters or the Argentine nation and lead to a serious
escalation of the dispute.

BAXTER