MEDIA REACTION; HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT, U.S. FARMING

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000439

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; HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT, U.S. FARMING
LEGISLATION, 03/07/07; BUENOS AIRES



1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

The press report on the Human Rights Report, focusing mainly on the
U.S. mention of GOA pressures on Argentina's press. Stories also
note the report says Argentina has "generally" respected human
rights.


2. OPINION PIECES

"U.S. Denounces GOA Pressures on Argentine Press"

Leonardo Mindez, leading "Clarin" New York-based contributor, opines
(03/07) "The State Department echoed other foreign voices who are
calling attention on the Argentine government's treatment of the
press. Argentina's chapter of the 2006 human rights report stresses
that 'independent media, non governmental organizations and
international organizations have complained about the lack of
transparency and control in the distribution of government
advertising by the federal government.'

"The timing of the report, which targets Cuba and Venezuela as the
countries with the most severe violations of civil and individual
rights in the continent, is not the best for Washington, as the
United States itself is under scrutiny for its own human rights
record."

"U.S. Says Argentina Puts Pressure on the Media"

The financial newspaper Ambito Financiero reports (03-07),"The
United States acknowledged for the first time faults in relations to
human rights, especially linked to the war on terror.

"About the Southern Block, the White House stated that Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay have 'generally' respected human
rights during 2006, although there continued to be some problems
regarding impunity and abuse of power.

"According to the US, last year there was in Argentina 'some
weakening in the independence of the Legislative and Judicial
branches of power, and pressure on the media."

"Washington Sees Institutional Weakening in Argentina"

Conservative, century-old La Prensa reports, "The Argentine
government has 'generally' respected human rights last year, the
State Department concluded in its annual report, which was published
yesterday.

"The report by the US Foreign Service assesses 190 countries in the
world ... and places Cuba and Venezuela at the top of the region's
black list.

"In the case of Argentina, the report highlights the government's
decision to resume court investigations into military and police
officers that had been frozen by amnesty legislation, but cites
allegations of murder and police brutality that 'the government
probed but failed to punish', a prison situation 'below the
standards' and 'long detentions' prior to trials."


3. EDITORIALS

Daily-of-record La Nacion prints an editorial on new farming
legislation submitted to Congress by President George W. Bush, which
reads, "The new farming legislation scales back on subsidies but
falls short of curbing the protectionist policy which were born in
the 1930s and expanded in the last few decades."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires


WAYNE