MEDIA SCENESETTER FOR SECRETARY OF STATE RICE'S CHILE VISIT

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000491 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND H AMEMBASSIES FOR PAO/IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OREP PREL PGOV KPAO AR BR CI SUBJECT: MEDIA SCENESETTER FOR SECRETARY OF STATE RICE'S CHILE VISIT (MAR 10-12) ¶1. SUMMARY: The media in Chile are competitive, modern and free but neither overly confrontational nor inclined to investigative reporting. Editors concentrate on the main international issues of the day. Many leading journalists speak English, which creates the prospect of one-on-one English-language interviews. Press conferences are generally conducted in Spanish with the assistance of a translator. Questions that may arise during Secretary Rice's visit--and their proposed responses--follow. END SUMMARY. ¶2. MEDIA OVERVIEW: The media in Chile are numerous. In Santiago alone, there are six television channels and eight daily newspapers. Among the national newspapers, two chains dominate. The older chain, headed by Chilean newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio," remains the most prestigious, but the rival Copesa chain's flagship "La Tercera" nips at its heels in terms of readership. In the battle to be there first, the Chilean media have constantly modernized their equipment and printing capabilities and are universally immersed in the on-line technological revolution. By international standards, most media are conservative in their political orientation. There are a number of other important regional newspapers and television stations in Chile, but radio remains the preferred means through which much of Chile's rural population follows the news. The wealth of media in Chile has made them keenly competitive. ¶3. WHAT TO EXPECT: Despite the intense competition among the media, Chilean journalists traditionally tend to be more respectful and less confrontational than their U.S. counterparts. In part this is attributable to Chilean culture, which is more deferential and less critical toward authority than is American culture. Moreover, many senior Chilean journalists are still influenced by the strict restraints placed upon them in the not-too-distant past during General Augusto Pinochet's regime, and continue to exercise a cautious degree of self-censorship. While cultural conservatism and media reticence are gradually changing, comparatively few media entities--most notably the "La Tercera" daily and several television news programs--conduct investigative reports into Chile's most sensitive issues. Problems persist: journalists do not always corroborate their sources prior to going to print, nor do they always provide equal time for opposing viewpoints. Since "disrespect for authority" provisions still exist and are occasionally used to rein in journalists or commentators for "offensive" comments, complete press freedom is yet to be fully achieved. ¶4. LOGISTICS OF PRESS APPEARANCES: While many top Chilean journalists speak English, most reporters prefer conducting interviews in Spanish. The Public Affairs Section uses top-flight simultaneous translators to facilitate such interviews. The Secretary should expect photo sprays at the top of her meetings with President Lagos, President-elect Bachelet and her bilateral encounters with Presidents Vasquez, Morales, Berger and President-elect Preval. The following questions may appear in the Secretary's CNN en Espaol interview. SIPDIS ¶5. POSSIBLE MEDIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Chile's New President ¶Q. What came out of your meeting with President Bachelet? ¶A. My meeting with President Bachelet today left me confident that our two countries, which share so much in common, will further build during her administration upon the strong relationship we nurtured during former President Lagos' tenure. ¶Q. What did you discuss during the meeting? ¶A. It's President Bachelet's first day in office. Let's give her a day or two to catch her breath before we start talking specifics. What I will say is that I congratulated President Bachelet on her historic election and look forward to future collaboration with her and the members of her administration. United Front Concerning Venezuela ¶Q. What is your reaction to former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos' distancing of the Chilean government from your February comments in the U.S. House of Representatives concerning the creation of a united front to address Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' policies in Latin America? ¶A. Chile has been a positive influence in the region. Its embrace of judicial and economic reforms and its constructive engagement in bilateral and multilateral forums provide powerful examples of the positive force democracy and good governance can wield. Also, I must highlight Chile's contribution to important peacekeeping operations such as the ONE that restored democracy in Haiti. Indeed, Haitian President-elect Rene Preval's presence at President Bachelet's inauguration today would have been impossible without Chile's vital support. We look forward to working with Chile to address important regional issues during President Bachelet's term. Background: In the wake of Secretary Rice's February 16 testimony before the House Committee on International Relations, which included an allusion to Chile as a possible partner in counteracting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' actions in the region, former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos indicated that no ONE in his government had discussed with anyone in the U.S. administration joining such a partnership. Subsequently, in a Chilean radio interview, Lagos urged a more moderate tone toward Chavez. Intellectual Property Rights ¶Q. The United States recently expressed concerns with Chile's enforcement of intellectual property rights. How do you characterize Chile's performance in that area? ¶A. Chile does not appear to be fully living up to its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) obligations with respect to the protection of pharmaceutical test data and patents. -- We hope new Chilean regulations will eliminate practices that are contrary to Chile's FTA obligations, but are concerned the new regulations leave too many loopholes prone to misinterpretation by the HEALTH authority and include too many impermissible prerequisites and exceptions to the protections Chile agreed to provide in the FTA. -- We plan to work with the GOC to resolve the outstanding issues related to this matter and expect the GOC's cooperation to remove the black cloud lingering over an otherwise successful FTA. International Criminal Court/Article 98 Agreements ¶Q. What is the U.S. opinion of the GOC's stated intention to accede to the International Criminal Court? ¶A. The United States respects the right of other nations to become parties to the Rome Statute but asks that other countries respect our right not to do so. The United States is concerned with protecting its military and civilian personnel worldwide. Article 98 of the Treaty of Rome permits nations to arrive at bilateral accords concerning their citizens and the ICC. We have broached the possibility of such accords with governments around the world, including the Chilean government. The United States is engaged in a worldwide effort to conclude bilateral Article 98 agreements that would prohibit the surrender of U.S. persons to the International Criminal Court (ICC) without the consent of the United States Government. As a basic principle, the United States believes that states, not international courts, are primarily responsible for ensuring justice and that the best way to combat serious offenses is to build domestic judicial systems and strengthen political will. ¶Q. What are the consequences for Chile in terms of equipment and aid if it becomes party to the ICC? ¶A. Under the provisions of the American Servicemembers' Protection Act (ASPA),the provision of military assistance (e.g., International Military Education and Training, Excess Defense Articles, and Foreign Military Financing) is prohibited to any country that is a party to the International Criminal Court. The President is authorized to waive ASPA restrictions for any country that has entered into an Article 98 Agreement with the United States or where he determines that it is important to the national interest of the United States to do so. The United States has signed more than 100 Article 98 agreements. We will continue to visit this theme with the Chilean government and are pleased this issue has yet to interfere with future military sales, bilateral relations, or exchanges or humanitarian operations between our countries' armed forces. The United States continues to be among the most forceful advocates for the principle of accountability for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Background: 2006 levels of military assistance to Chile have not yet been determined, but in 2005 Chile received more than ONE million dollars in U.S. assistance under these programs. Suspension of these aid programs would not affect other types of cooperation between the U.S. and Chilean military, such as bilateral and multilateral military exercises. Nor would ASPA sanctions affect other U.S. government initiatives, exchange programs or cooperative efforts with Chilean government agencies, universities and other organizations. Blackwater/Red Tactica ¶Q. Is the United States government associated with the Blackwater or Red Tactica companies that have recruited former Chilean military personnel to serve as armed security guards in Iraq? ¶A. The United States government maintains strict and transparent guidelines for its contractors--in Iraq and everywhere else in the world. For details about a specific contractor I would refer you to the Federal agency that granted the contract. (If pushed) Blackwater and Red Tactica are both independent and private companies. Any questions about the companies' personnel, financing, activities, or recruiting procedures should be directed to Blackwater or Red Tactica representatives. Background: The Chilean company Red Tactica, working under contract with the U.S.-based company Blackwater Security Consulting, has recruited former Chilean military and police officials to serve in an armed security capacity in Iraq. In October, a Chilean investigative television show released a video purportedly showing retired USG personnel training the recruits at an undisclosed location in Chile. The owner of Red Tactica, Chilean citizen Jose Miguel Pizarro, also claims American citizenship. Bolivia-Access to the Sea ¶Q. What is the U.S. position on Bolivia's campaign for access to the Pacific Ocean? ¶A. As Ambassador Kelly and other U.S. officials have stressed on numerous occasions, the U.S. government considers Bolivia's request for access to the sea a bilateral matter between Chile and Bolivia. Background: In the past two years, the Bolivian government has used comments by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to renew its longstanding effort to regain the access to the sea it lost to Chile 123 years ago as a result of the War of the Pacific. Bolivian President Evo Morales has implied that Chile must consider granting Bolivia access to the ocean before expecting any shipments of Bolivian natural gas to Chile. Maritime Boundaries with Peru ¶Q. What is the U.S. opinion of Peru's recent passage of legislation redrawing its maritime boundary with Chile? ¶A. The maritime limits between Peru and Chile are a bilateral issue between Peru and Chile. Chilean Arms Race ¶Q. Does the U.S. believe the Chilean military is engaging in an arms race, as some of Chile's neighbors have recently contended? ¶A. The United States and Chile have long enjoyed very beneficial military relations. We laud the positive role Chile has played in the region, most recently as a member of the international peacekeeping force bringing hope to Haiti, and we appreciate the transparent manner in which Chile has articulated its military capabilities in accord with the timetable long outlined in Chile's White Book of Defense. Background: In January of last year Chile took delivery of the refitted British destroyer Sheffield. The first of the Chilean Navy's two new Spanish/French consortium-built Skorpene submarines arrived in Chile in December. The first two of four reconditioned Dutch frigates arrived in the Chilean port of Valparaiso this week. Last month, Chile inked a deal to purchase 18 used Dutch F-16s. (Note: Lockheed-Martin will give the airplanes a Mid-Life Upgrade.) High-ranking Peruvian officials have labeled Chile's purchase an arms race and recently advocated that the GOP bring its concerns to international organizations such as the Organization of American States or the UN. F-16s ¶Q. Will the U.S. supply AMRAAM missiles for the F-16s U.S. company Lockheed Martin is now delivering to Chile? ¶A. The Chilean government has not requested that the U.S. sell and deliver Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) as part of its F-16 purchase. (If asked) However, Chile has been able to purchase AMRAAM software and training. The understanding between the U.S. and Chile is that the U.S. would favorably consider sale and delivery of the missiles if other countries in the region were to introduce Active-Radar, Beyond-Visual-Range (AR-BVR) missiles. As the technology already exists in the region, the U.S. would consider an AMRAAM sale to Chile. (FYI: Peru has AR-BVR technology.) Riggs Bank Q: Have there been any recent developments in the Riggs Bank case? A: As the Riggs matter is an ongoing Chilean investigation we have no comment. Background: Following the July 2004 revelation by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Government Affairs, that General Pinochet and his family maintained personal bank accounts with Riggs Bank during the 1990s, the Department of State asked the Government of Chile to direct questions regarding the case to the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2004, Chilean Judge Sergio Muoz opened probes into the Pinochet family accounts at Riggs between 1994-1998 and into the Chilean Internal Revenue Service's allegations of tax fraud by Pinochet, members of his family, and his former financial advisor, Oscar Aitken. (Note: Judge Carlos Cerda now oversees the investigations.) Thunderbird ¶Q. Do you have any comment on the status of Thunderbird company's lawsuit against the Chilean Gaming Commission? ¶A. Obviously, we are following the case with interest but as it is an ongoing matter I won't comment. ¶Q. Are you providing assistance to Thunderbird? ¶A. We are confident that Thunderbird's petition to the Chilean court will receive the fair consideration that it merits. Background: Citing U.S. company Thunderbird's failure to deposit funds corresponding to 50% of the value of its bid, the Chilean Gaming Commission disqualified Thunderbird from a competition to build and operate casinos in six Chilean cities. Thunderbird sought a second opinion from Chile's quasi-independent State Defense Council (CDE),which found that Thunderbird had complied with the bidding process rules. The Commission set aside the CDE's findings and maintained its disqualification. Thunderbird filed a motion in a Santiago court to halt the Commission's bidding process for the construction and operation of six casinos. When the Commission appealed Thunderbird's action, the Santiago Appeals Court suspended the casino bidding process for Talca, Antofagasta, Rancagua and Algarrobo. In January, three of the competing casino operators joined the Commission's suit against Thunderbird. Subsequently, a Santiago court ruled that the wider competition could continue for casinos projects on which Thunderbird was not actively bidding. KELLY