MEDIA REACTION: STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000147 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO CI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS ¶1. On January 25, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 101,000) ran an editorial entitled, "Climate Change and the Global Agenda." Quotes: "Yesterday and the day before, there were two signals... that global warming has become a priority in the global agenda. On Tuesday night in the State of the Union address, the U.S. President spoke about several steps 'that will help us become better guardians of the environment and face the serious challenge of global climate change'.... The President's words are noteworthy for two reasons: First, because he has been skeptical regarding climate change; of the effect of human activity on it, and on the effectiveness of a global initiative such as the Kyoto Protocol to confront the problem. Second, because his country produces 25% of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. "It's true that he had political reasons to allude to the environment and climate in his address.... However, it shows that the leader of the superpower, in addition to taking for granted that this is an issue that cannot be avoided, seems willing to imprint a new focus on his policy in this area." ¶2. On January 25, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 101,000) carried a column by Alvaro Vargas Llosa entitled "Environmentalists Criticize and Democrats Accept Bush's Proposals on Fuels." Quote: "U.S. President Bush tried in his address to pick up the environmental banner, which he had avoided before.... Last year Bush had already given signals that he was willing to accept some environmentalist concerns floating in political circles by denouncing the U.S. 'addiction to oil.' This time he went much farther with specific goals and projects. But Bush's environmental concerns continue to be tied to security issues: The most powerful reason he invoked on Tuesday to lower gasoline consumption was the need to decrease dependence on the oil supply from the Middle East." ¶3. On January 25, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) carried a column by international commentator Karin Ebensperger entitled, "An Increasingly Questioned President." Quotes: "As the historical inclination leans toward de-westernization because of China's and India's rapid rise, the most symbolic and powerful country in the west is trapped in Iraq and internally divided. In his State of the Union Address, President Bush said, 'We will show our enemies abroad that we are united,' while the previous day senators from both parties had introduced a resolution criticizing the war and the decision to send more troops (to Iraq). "Bush is showing an unseen stubbornness.... How the U.S. acts in Iraq or elsewhere is not just an internal affair, because terrorist retaliations affect all of us, not only the U.S. The arguments that were used to invade Iraq were questionable from the beginning, and the result proves it." KELLY