ARGENTINE-URUGUAYAN PULP MILL DISPUTE: FINNISH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 001776 SIPDIS SIPDIS PASS NSC FOR MICHAEL SMART PASS FED BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR PATRICE ROBITAILLE PASS USTR FOR KATHERINE DUCKWORTH AND MARY SULLIVAN TREASURY FOR ROSELLEN ALBANO USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/OLAC/PEACHER US SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD OES FOR LAWRENCE SPERLING EX-IM BANK FOR MICHEE WILKINS OPIC FOR GEORGE SCHULTZ AND RUTH ANN NICASTRI USDOC FOR ALEXANDER PEACHER AND JOHN ANDERSEN USCINCSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017 TAGS: ECON EINV SENV PREL SOCI FI UY AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINE-URUGUAYAN PULP MILL DISPUTE: FINNISH EMBASSY OFFICIAL DISCOUNTS POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS VIOLENCE REF: BUENOS AIRES 01707 Classified By: DCM Tom Kelly, Reasons 1.5 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Finnish Embassy believes that despite the bilateral frictions that the Argentina-Uruguay pulp mill dispute has created, the mill project will open as scheduled in October with a minimal possibility of violence. The Embassy discounts as spurious Argentine environmental activists' complaints, saying that both federal and provincial governments have politicized the protest movement and resisted any attempts at dialogue with Botnia. President Kirchner has failed to see how ""damaging"" his actions have been to Argentina's own international investment image. The Embassy praised the King of Spain's mediation effort, but said this effort, as well as the GOA-GOU International Court of Justice case, are ""going nowhere."" The Embassy said that the Government of Uruguay (GOU) has been ""terribly disappointed"" with Brazil and Mercosur for its lack of support in the dispute, which has in turn forced the GOU to consider building ties outside the trade bloc. The Embassy said this dispute is ""vastly more important"" for Uruguay than it is for Argentina. The Embassy said Botnia chose Uruguay over Argentina for this pulp mill due to the former's more salutary environment with respect to anti-corruption laws, rule of law, and forestry management. END SUMMARY. -------------- Pulp mill ""perfectly safe"" -------------- ¶2. (C) EconOff met Ms. Petra Theman, Charge of the Finnish Embassy, on August 23 to discuss the Finnish-based Botnia's pulp mill project in Uruguay (reftel). The Finnish Embassy in Buenos Aires is also accredited to Uruguay. Ms. Theman has been in Argentina for over a year, and appears to be very knowledgeable about the pulp mill issue. She described the long and conflict-ridden history of this project. While neither her Government nor Embassy has any direct role in this Finnish private sector project, it has at times been drawn into the debate, and provided general advocacy for the project. ¶3. (C) Theman said that the GOA, media and analysts have long known ""perfectly well"" that the GOA and Gualeguaychu activists have ""no case"" on the environmental merits. She said that it is well known that the Botnia technology is safe, and uses the most advanced technology. Theman said her Embassy had been in contact with Greenpeace and other environmental NGOs throughout this conflict, and they had all long ago dissociated themselves from the Gualeguaychu protests, recognizing early on the mostly political nature of their cause. She said that this particular pulp mill technology has not been an issue for Greenpeace for a long time. She said that Finland itself has a dozen or so mills exactly the same as this one in Uruguay. -------------- Mediation ""still going nowhere"" -------------- ¶4. (C) Theman said that the International Court of Justice case between the GOA and GOU might last several more months or longer, as it decides on the central issue of whether the GOU violated the 1975 Treaty of the Rio Uruguay (joint oversight of the river). She said the GOU and GOA were submitting reports and counter-reports to the ICJ, and this could take time. She said that, unfortunately, neither side ever did exchange any actual physical note agreeing to allow the pulp mill. The leaders did verbally agree to allow it to move forward, but other than ""some speeches"" to this effect, there were nothing more concrete, which was ""a slight problem for the (GOU)."" She said that the King of Spain's mediation effort has also seen ""little progress,"" although she praised the Spaniards for their ""great job."" She understood that the King of Spain has high hopes to be able to announce something concrete during the November Ibero-American summit in Chile. -------------- -------------- ""Fifteen minutes of fame"" for ""uneducated"" protesters -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Ms. Theman said she had visited Gualeguaychu, Argentina, and Fray Bentos, Uruguay many times, and appeared to know these communities well. Theman said that many Gualaguaychu activists liked to portray their town as kind of ""environmental haven, but in fact it is a big polluter."" She said that like many small Argentine towns in the interior, it in fact has big pollution problems: factory air and water pollution, solid waste, and the community's wastewater goes untreated directly into the Rio Uruguay itself. She said that Botnia has for years attempted to inform and include the Gualaguaychu community in the project: invitations to visit Finland and its (identical) pulp mills there, invitations to attend community information sessions, and many press and information notices to local newspapers to counter the ""totally false propaganda."" However, all such advances have been rejected. She said that Entre Rios Governor Jorge Busti threatened to cut off all official advertising to newspapers carrying any ""pro-Botnia"" advertisements. She said that, in fact, the very few Argentines who do attempt to learn more about the Botnia issue, or even express neutrality, are ""cut off"" from the community, and have even been threatened. She said that one journalist who did take up the Botnia offer to visit Finland returned with a more ""open mind,"" but was also shunned. She said that another frustration for Botnia is that, and contrary to what most Argentines think, Gualaguaychu is actually around 18 miles away from the River Uruguay, and even the small tourist beach area with which it is associated is six miles away from a site across the river from the Botnia plant. Theman said that the ""educational level"" of many of the most vocal protesters did not seem too high, and that for some, the protest was an ""interesting wagon to ride on,"" and an opportunity for their ""15 minutes of fame."" -------------- -- Entre Rios Province and GOA's ""unhelpful"" roles -------------- -- ¶6. (C) Theman explained that, as Gualaguaychu has traditionally been Radical Party territory, the decision by Peronist Governor Busti to joining the cause was an ""opportunity to co-opt this group"". Now, he ""is more or less stuck with the role."" Theman also said that Busti has had good relations with the Kirchners, was an early supporter of then-Governor Nestor Kirchner's 2003 presidential bid, and has also helped Mrs. Kirchner financially in her own presidential campaign. This close relationship has contributed to the GOA's own support of this cause. ¶7. (C) Theman said that her Embassy and its contacts are certain that the GOA, among other groups, has financed the protesters, and she indicated that these otherwise ""marginal"" protesters had no other means of support. She said that the GOA has not been at all helpful during this near two-year ordeal. The Finnish Embassy and Botnia's main interlocutor at the MFA was initially the ""very difficult"" MFA Environmental Affairs official, Raul Estrada Oyuela. (Post has also found Estrada Oyuela to be recalcitrant and officious.) Theman said that Estrada Oyuela was ""totally on the side"" of the protesters, and always resisted Finnish attempts to talk or exchange views. Theman said that there is wide agreement in the Argentine scientific community, and even in the GOA scientific community, that there is no environmental danger from the pulp mill, but the GOA forced its own experts to keep quiet. Theman actually marveled at the level of expertise among the Argentine environmental community, in and outside government, but said it was ""a pity"" that they could not speak out. She also noted how, for the GOA, this dispute was a great natural fit in the GOA populist ""blame game"" campaign against outside interests: to blame ""multinationals"" for treating Argentina as a ""waste dump."" ¶8. (C) Speaking more generally about Argentina citizens' propensity for conflict, Theman cited the ""remarkably low trust"" that residents of Gualaguaychu, and Argentines in general, have towards their own government, businesses, and institutions. She said that a big contributor to this conflict has been citizens' own lack of confidence and trust in their own institutions, politics, politicians, international organizations, and multinational corporations. Thus, ""it was only natural to have little faith in Botnia."" She said that perhaps the only institutions that enjoy a modicum of trust or respect in Argentina are the Catholic Church and universities. -------------- -------------- Uruguay ""terribly disappointed"" with GOA, Brazil, Mercosur -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) As non-resident diplomats, Theman and her ambassador visit Uruguay fairly often, and her ambassador has met with President Vazquez and senior GOU officials. She said that the GOU has been ""terribly disappointed"" by the GOA, Lula/Brazil and Mercosur, for its lack of action or support. She said, partly as a result of this ""betrayal,"" the GOU, including Vazquez, has mentioned its interest in reducing its Mercosur ties, opening up more to the world in the ""Chile fashion"" (i.e., opening much more to the rest of the world, albeit with a foot still in Mercosur). She said that Brazilian President Lula will have a state visit in Finland in the coming weeks, and Botnia will surely be on the agenda. Theman said that, although it is widely assumed that Kirchner has his hands tied in opposition to the mill, it was actually GOU President Vazquez who really had his hands tied, given the ""extremely fragile"" leftist Frente government, and that Vazquez ""cannot go too far left or right to maneuver."" She also said that there is ""universal"" support all over Uruguay for this project, and that the issue is ""vastly"" more important in Uruguay than it is here. She agreed with our assessment that, media coverage notwithstanding, this is virtually a non-issue for 98% of Argentines. -------------- -------------- Beefed up security for Finnish Embassy and staff residences -------------- -------------- ¶10. (C) In response to a question if the Embassy or staff felt threatened, Theman expressed a general sense of satisfaction with security and that her Embassy staff thought there was ""nothing to worry about."" But as a ""precaution,"" the Finnish Embassy had increased security at the Embassy (a fifth floor office in a downtown high-rise) and at the residences of the Ambassador and the Mission's three-member staff. -------------- Damage to Argentina's investment climate -------------- ¶11. (C) Theman said that Kirchner, perhaps due to his ""provincial background,"" did not seem to grasp, in this ""globalized world of instant communications,"" just how damaging the GOA's stance has been for Argentina's own global investment perception. She said that GOU officials from President Vazquez on down know all too well that they could never have undone this project (which they inherited from the previous GOU administration). If they had canceled the project, she said, it would have been a ""monumental disaster"" for their future investment prospects. Theman said that many potential Argentine sub-contractors and suppliers had lost out on opportunities, many out of fear of reprisal from Argentines. Many other Argentine sub-contractors had already lined up work, but had to cancel in the face of this pressure. -------------- Why Uruguay? -------------- ¶12. (C) Theman discussed some of the reasons that Botnia chose Uruguay for its site in the first place. She noted that Argentina, and in particular, Governor Busti's own Entre Rios Province, had itself courted pulp mills for its territory. Theman mentioned the widely-cited high levels of corruption in Entre Rios province and Argentina as a whole, compared to the much lower levels in Uruguay. Theman also cited several other important reasons that Uruguay was chosen for the pulp mill project: a better tree-growing climate and soil, rule of law, and relatively skilled workers. She particularly highlighted what she said were the GOU's ""model, advanced"" forestry legislation, management and long term planning. -------------- Recent industrial accident at Botnia -------------- ¶13. (C) As mentioned in reftel, on August 14, there was a highly publicized leak of a mixture of sodium sulphide at the Botnia plant. A small amount of this chemical, a material with which Botnia employees routinely work, was accidentally released in the air during a period of high wind. According to a Botnia press release, two workers downwind showed skin, eye and upper respiratory symptoms, but according to medical professionals, there were no major clinical symptoms. Nonetheless, this incident prompted more GOA and activists' complaints. Theman said that a group of Brazilian subcontractors, in violation of procedures, transported a bag of sodium sulphide during high winds, and it spread about 12 meters around. -------------- Next steps: face-saving deal in the works? -------------- ¶14. (C) Speaking of the likely October mill opening - ""right at the same time as the presidential elections!"" - Theman largely downplayed any possibility of major violence. She said that everyone to whom she speaks on this matter also dismisses the chance of violence. However, she would not rule out the possibility of ""a lone person or small group doing something,"" like disrupting a shipment to or from the plant, along the River Uruguay. She hoped that during the late October-through-early December 10 GOA presidential transition, there might be a face-saving solution, but did not hold out a lot of hope for this. Theman said that one possible deal that she had heard about was that, in exchange for the GOU and Botnia delaying the mill's opening, the GOA would withdraw its ICJ complaint. But Theman herself did not give this theory too much weight. She said that that what might likely occur is just more blockades and protests, which would gradually taper off as the project goes on line and ""people slowly start to see that there really is no major environmental problem to the mill."" Theman was not sure if there were even any GOA-GOU talks going on at all. She noted that GOA Chief of Staff Alberto Fernandez and GOU Secretary of the Presidency (Chief of Staff) Gonzalo Fernandez were three-decade-old friends from the University of Buenos Aires, and assumed that they're in touch on this pulp mill issue as well. (These two reportedly met in person last week in Uruguay, but no reports have surfaced on the content of their discussion.) -------------- Comment -------------- ¶15. (C) Most, if not all, of Theman's comments track closely with Embassy's own reading of events. The conflict has always been mostly about politics rather than the environment. The coming weeks will be a sensitive time, with the opening of the mill roughly coinciding with the GOA's October 25 presidential election. Post will continue to monitor this case, especially for any indication of violence. WAYNE =======================CABLE ENDS============================