MEDIA REACTION; S-11; ARGENTINE DEBT TO THE PARIS CLUB;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001816 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 SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; S-11; ARGENTINE DEBT TO THE PARIS CLUB; 09/12/07 ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Major international opinion pieces today cover the features of "multinational" terrorism and an assessment of the world response on the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks; as well as ongoing negotiations between Argentina and the Paris Club. ¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS - "Terrorism on the S-11 sixth anniversary" Leading "Clarn" editorializes (09/12) "Six years after the September 11 attacks, the US foreign response has not turned the world into a safer and more peaceful world. "While it is true that no similar attacks have occurred in the US, the Bush administration's pre-emptive defense strategy and global war on terrorism has had as a consequence a dead-end war in Iraq, greater instability in the Middle East and conditions of conflict that fuel violence and fundamentalism. "Meanwhile, the entire military and intelligence capability of the world superpower has not been able to dismantle Al Qaeda... "On the other hand, US society has had to get used to greater surveillance and security restrictions, which in most cases turned into the curtailment of civil rights... "In this way, the brutal September 11 attacks, in addition to those committed in different capital cities of the world, including Buenos Aires on two occasions during the '90s, prove that terrorism still poses one of the greatest threats of our time, for which no adequate, conclusive or efficient responses have been found yet." - "S-11 and the features of the new terrorism" Agustn Romero, professor of the Master in International Relations at the National University of Buenos Aires, writes (09/12) "The S-11 sixth anniversary, the recent attack in Algeria and the aborted massive attacks in Germany and Denmark are again putting multinational terrorism on front pages around the world and on the agendasof the world's most powerful countries... "... In an internationally changing scenario, in which governments' roles and capabilities are in crisis, certain undefined 'places with out law' are emerging that allow criminal groups to prosper. Those groups have easy access to information, mobility and new sources of funding and are in a position to jeopardize not only the domestic security and stability of a country but also international peace and security. "... First and foremost, new multinational terrorism appears to be motivated by cultural and religious goals. Regarding its source of funding, it is not only sponsored by countries but also by mega-fortunes and small private contributions... "Another feature of modern terrorism is that it no longer acts as a hierarchic organization but rather as a horizontal one, which takes advantage of the tools of globalization. "Another issue that concerns experts in counterterrorism is that these groups could have WMD. "Another characteristic of modern terrorism is that it is a multinational and global threat, which does not remove 'neutral' territories from its devastating actions. Not even a superpower can act on its own against what has already been defined as one of the major challenges of this century." - "Argentina's negotiation with the IMF makes progress" Daily-of-record "La Nacisn" carries an opinion piece by Joaqun Morales Sol, who writes (09/12) "A negotiation has begun with the IMF for a resolution to the defaulted debt with the Paris Club. The first new development is that that the IMF will participate in the dealings, although indirectly, in spite of public comments which partly hide the truth. "The only condition for those negotiations to progress is that French economist Dominique Strauss-Kahn be elected as IMF managing director by the end of the month and that afterwards he obtain IMF consensus on Argentine. President Nstor Kirchner and his wife moved forward on a probable agreement with Strauss-Kahn during his recent visit to Buenos Aires. "... Neither Cristina Kirchner nor Strauss-Kahn... went to the heart of the ongoing negotiation. They limited themselves to... setting general guidelines which nevertheless have been taken into account in recent discussions. The debt is approximately seven billion dollars. "... Strauss-Kahn's proposal was that the Argentine Government formally articulate its economic program, which would then be 'accepted' by the IMF. The IMF's favorable 'opinion' would not call for a program or deal between the country and the IMF. As a result, there would be no periodic audits, which are normally required in an IMF program. "The proposal would satisfy both sides... - the Kirchner administration and the IMF. In effect, the norms would be honored in which 'the IMF cannot be avoided', as Strauss-Kahn said, and there would not be any 'audits', as requested by the Argentine Government through its presidential candidate. The IMF 'OK' is essential for a refinancing program with the Paris Club to be approved by the USG and Congress." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires WAYNE