Ambassador in Mendoza Province - Students and Youth,

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000935 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/OLAC/PEACHER PASS NSC FOR JOSE CARDENAS US SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DEPARTMENT PASS TO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EINV ENRG BEXP PREL OTRA TPHY TSPA SCUL OIIP OSCI, OEXC, OPRC, AR SUBJECT: Ambassador in Mendoza Province - Students and Youth, Scientists, Governor, Americans, Business People and Press Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) In an active and well-publicized May 3-4 visit to the central-western province of Mendoza, the Ambassador held a successful youth outreach event at the Mendoza Binational Center, where he awarded scholarships to students to study English; met with Mendoza Governor, and possibly future vice presidential candidate, Julio Cobos; visited a USG-funded cosmic ray observatory; met resident Americans and business leaders; and discussed the unique role of the press in Argentina with media leaders. The visit was widely and positively covered in the local media. Mendoza, bordering Chile and the Andes mountains and blessed with excellent agriculture, climate and outdoor attractions, has an outward looking trade, tourism and agricultural agenda. END SUMMARY. Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory -------------- - ¶2. (U) The Ambassador toured the highly regarded Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory in the southern Mendoza town of Malargue. The USG contributes 20% of the observatory's funding via grants from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, and the project also receives administration support from the Department of Energy's Fermi Lab. The observatory consists of a series of interconnected sensors (spread over an area larger than Rhode Island) that collects and analyzes cosmic ray data. The lab is working to discover the source and causes of cosmic rays which could yield clues to the early stages of the universe. The project began in 1992 and has made several key discoveries on the nature of cosmic rays. The observatory counts on the collaboration and funding from 17 nations, over 200 physicists, and 70 different scientific and research institutions. The lab works closely with the local community, and many Argentine scientists and graduate students work with the center as well. The province of Mendoza also is involved: it has been very helpful in acquiring land for the lab, constructing one of the buildings used to hold the observation equipment, in the provision of electricity and transmission lines, and the construction of roads. Binational Center -------------- ¶3. (U) A key focus of this Mendoza trip was highlighting our strong bilateral relations, and the Ambassador's visit to the Mendoza Argentine-American Intercultural Association (AMICANA) was an important element of this message. Ambassador's visit to AMICANA also received very positive press coverage the next day. The Ambassador met with AMICANA's president and board, toured the center, and visited many of the students in their classrooms. He presented 10 Sarmiento-Mann scholarships to study English at the center. The two leading Mendoza newspapers covered the ceremony and gave it prominent play. One of them, Diario Uno, has actually worked hand-in-hand with AMICANA to promote the scholarship program. The paper described the Ambassador as "the man of the hour" for his visit to the province. A local television station and two radio stations also covered the scholarship-awarding ceremony. The Ambassador also met with returnees from last year's U.S.-based Science Camp and the Rhode Island World Scholar-Athlete Games. The Ambassador also met with a number of former Fulbright scholars and International Visitors, learning about their experiences in the United States. During the discussion, one idea proposed was to set up a listserv to keep all former visiting scholars, visitors and journalists in contact. Governor of Mendoza Julio Cobos -------------- ¶4. (U) The Ambassador next met with Governor Julio Cobos, from the faction of the national opposition Radical party that now supports Kirchner. Mendoza is enjoying a relatively healthy economy, bolstered by growing domestic and international trade; and healthy wine, tourism, service, construction, petroleum and potassium production sectors. Mendoza boasts an impressively low unemployment rate (6.9% compared to the national average of 10.4%),which Cobos attributed to his push to diversify the province's economy. Governor Cobos, an engineer by profession, also cited the role of education and the province's emphasis on science and mathematics, for the province's relatively strong economy. Governor Cobos and his ministers also expressed an interest in working with the Embassy on regional and bilateral commercial development. ¶5. (SBU) Governor Cobos has been frequently mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate to run alongside either President Kirchner or Cristina Kirchner in the October 2007 presidential elections. Cobos discussed such a Peronist-Radical alliance on the national ticket in the context of the ever changing nature of the main political parties here. Cobos said that both the Peronists and the Radicals have much in common - and noted that each party also has wide divergences within their respective parties - and that the lines between these two historic parties are often blurred. Cobos has also been a leading Radical proponent of a possible Peronist-Radical "concertacion" (coalition). In a move that has been widely interpreted as a possible signal of a formal alliance between Kirchner and Cobos, President Kirchner recently announced that he will commemorate May 25, Revolution Day in Argentina, in Mendoza. This event is normally celebrated by the President at the traditional May 25 religious service in the Buenos Aires Cathedral. This visit has also fueled further rumors that Cobos will be a Kirchner running mate in the October election. End note Dinner with Enrique Pescarmona of IMPSA -------------- ¶6. (U) Ambassador attended a private dinner with Enrique Pescarmona, CEO of IMPSA, an Argentine metallurgical multinational company that is in the process of purchasing General Electric's worldwide hydro electricity business. Pescarmona companies operate in 27 countries, and posted revenues of US $600 million in 2006. Pescarmona has a very positive attitude towards the United States and has actively supported educational exchanges between universities in Pittsburg, PA (his former home while in exile in the U.S.) and in Mendoza. As a leading Argentine business leader, Pescarmona is a strong advocate for efforts to increase the competitivity of Argentina's business sector and to emulate world best practices in business, a stance which does not always align with GOA approaches. Breakfast with the Mendoza Expatriates Club -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) The Mendoza Expatriates Club has about 70 members and a mailing list of 200, many of whom are from the United States. The growing number of business people from the United States and other countries prompted the founding of the club. Many American citizens have been very successful starting a wide variety of businesses in real estate, tourism and wineries. At the breakfast, the Ambassador reviewed his visit to Mendoza, and highlighted the strong bilateral ties the U.S. enjoys with Argentina. He particularly noted the previous days' success at the binational center, and his awarding of more scholarships to young Argentines. Ambassador also answered several general questions about bilateral relations, investment and the Embassy's American Citizen Services. The members showed a strong interest in the discussion and also asked several follow-up questions of the consular officer who was also present. Off the Record Press Event -------------- ¶8. (U) Finally, the Ambassador met with five leading local newspaper, television and radio journalists, who he engaged in a frank, off-the-record discussion on the state of bilateral relations, the status of press freedom in Argentina and the upcoming general elections. Mendoza is Argentina's fifth largest electoral district and has a vibrant and competitive media. The meeting was informative both for the journalists and the Ambassador. The journalists discussed with the Ambassador the historic and current reasons for anti-American sentiment in Argentina, which according to polls is among the highest in the region. The journalists said that for many years, Argentine politicians have made political gains out of slamming the US. This continues to be true in the case of Nestor Kirchner. Related to this, the journalists said that there is an ingrained cultural trait in Argentina, which one journalist described as "perverse," that leads Argentines to place blame for their problems on an outside agent, and the US has fit that role well. The journalists also said that, as a result of weak institutions, journalists in Argentina have had to take up roles other than simply reporting the news, as citizens sought to satisfy many demands via the media rather than the established institutional channels. This process, the journalists argue, has reached the point that even the President now fights with some journalists and media organizations rather than with opposition politicians. The Ambassador told the journalists about the USG efforts to promote and strengthen our positive agenda with Argentina. WAYNE