MEDIA REACTION; CHINA AND RUSSIA'S REARMAMENT; US-ARGENTINE

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000481 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; CHINA AND RUSSIA'S REARMAMENT; US-ARGENTINE BILATERAL TIES; TIP; 03/13/07; BUENOS AIRES ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Key international stories today include an alleged Chinese and Russian rearmament, which could spark US concern; the "conflicting attitudes of the (Argentine) presidential couple towards the Bush-Chavez clash;" and the traffic in people in Argentina. ¶2. OPINION PIECES - "(China and Russia's) rearmament brings over the ghost of the Cold War" Luisa Corradini, Paris-based correspondent for daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (03/13) "The world is heading for a new Cold War, such as the one that kept it on the verge of a nuclear cataclysm between 1946 and 1989. However, this time, the US will have to monitor two fronts at the same time - its rivalry with Russia, in the European scenario, and China's threat on the Pacific (Ocean). "The two countries, which crave to compete with the US, hinted their ambitions when announcing their military projects. "Based on the excuse of a NATO military reinforcement in East Europe, Moscow acknowledged it is preparing a new military doctrine to replace that in force since 2000. The Russian military elite considers the US purpose to install an anti-missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland a dangerous intrusion in its area of influence... "...The US threat, which was invoked by the Kremlin, seems to justify launching an arms race with two purposes. On the one hand, Moscow relies on taking advantage of the current US weakening to recover the prestige it used to have during the Soviet Union times and re-establish a bipolar world. "On the other hand..., Putin wishes to turn Russia's 'military-industrial complex' into the engine of its economy's 'overhauling and diversification.' "... The risk of this escalation for the US lies on the fact that it will also have to face China's arms race. "Last week, Beijing announced that its 2007 military budget could amount to almost 45 billion dollars, which unveils China's geopolitical ambitions. The most important concern is related to China's ability to launch a nuclear attack with long-range missiles... The second major concern is China's space program... "This double arms race, which could well trigger a new Cold War on two fronts, sparks fear in the US and mistrust in Europe. German FM Angela Merkel suggested that the EU does not want to become the scenario of a new confrontation it did not seek." ¶3. EDITORIALS - Two sides of the same coin" Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" (03/13) editorializes "... The ease with which Chavez makes himself at home in Buenos Aires... is primarily important for the implications as to where Kirchner is placing (or misplacing) Argentina in the world but this editorial will chiefly look at the Ferro rally as an example of how the main two-party system is within the government. Even more than Kirchner himself, Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido was the most enthusiastic supporter of the Chavez visit while Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez urged caution over a rally so vehemently hostile to the regional visit of US President George W. Bush. Since Fernandez is promoting Education Minister Daniel Filmus in the City mayoral race while De Vido backs incumbent mayor Jorge Telerman, these two aides could be viewed as the twin poles of power behind the two faces of the presidential couple. "In many ways, the conflicting attitudes of that couple towards the Bush-Chavez clash reflect the differing US realities with the candidacy of each. If Kirchner wins a second term in October, he will have a lame duck Bush as US President for much of the time until he starts becoming a lame duck himself, thus making hostility to Bush a comfortable option. But any Cristina candidacy would be premised on the presidential couple alternating in power until 2019, a period in which the US Democrats whom the first lady courts so assiduously might well be in office much of the time, thus making dialogue with Washington the natural strategy." - Fighting the traffic in people" An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (03/13) "The traffic in people is widely extended in Argentina, where it seems to enjoy some sort of tolerance or complicity from federal agents. "Ever since Susana Trimarco de Veron's daughter, Marita, was abducted by members of a prostitution mafia, Mrs. Trimarco has devoted to investigating several prostitution rings. Even though her search has been unsuccessful so far, she was able to free other one hundred women. "Trimarco has just been awarded a prize for women of courage by the USG on the International Woman's Day. According to Trimarco, prostitution rings kidnap one woman per day and young women are forced into prostitution, tortured and humiliated with death threats. "... We hope that the international repercussion of (Trimarco's) task will contribute to creating awareness about the problem and increasing public efforts in fighting this infamous crime." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires WAYNE