MEDIA REACTION; LATIN AMERICAN TENSION; 03/05/08

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000283 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; LATIN AMERICAN TENSION; 03/05/08 ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT All local papers today carry opinion pieces and editorials that delve into the implications of the conflict between Colombia and Ecuador/Venezuela and its impact on the region. Daily-of-record "La Nacion" highlights that "the Kirchner administration seeks to coordinate a common posture with Brazil and the other countries from the OAS to make a joint call for peace." ¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS - "Neither Bush nor Galtieri" Leading "Clarin's" editor-in-chief Ricardo Kirschbaum writes (03/05) "The prevailing discussion is whether Colombia's military actions overseas are legitimate. It is not an academic debate - when one admits that a punitive incursion has violated the sovereignty of a territory, this implies an acknowledgment that some principles override international law... "Ecuador and Venezuela have a porous border with the FARC. Obviously enough, the governments of both countries and Colombian insurgents are politically aligned... Most important of all is that Venezuelans seem willing to grant the FARC the 'belligerent' status, which could equate them with the Uribe administration... "Uribe is supported by the White House. His pre-emptive blow on Ecuador is along the lines of Bush's military policy on Afghanistan and Iraq... "For his part, Chavez is dangerously overacting..., which adds more tension to a problem that is becoming a serious regional conflict. "The precedent set by the war between Ecuador and Peru in the '90s, with Argentina's shameful participation through a clandestine sale of weapons, is a sample of what lies ahead if no regional deal is reached to ratify respect for territorial sovereignty and no solutions are found for a dangerous state of war..., and no commitment is reached to prevent bordering countries from harboring insurgents. "Argentina should actively participate in the process by promoting respect for territorial sovereignty, energetically asking for the FARC hostage release and preventing war. The expansion of the confrontation could be a new regional catastrophe." - "Characters in the tropics" Mario Wainfeld, left-of-center "Pagina 12'" international columnist, writes (03/05) "Obtaining support for a repudiation motion of Colombia at the OAS is an impossible mission. The main US ally in the region is supported by many countries, particularly Central American countries, which are influenced in their economy, politics and even their language by the main world power. "Ecuador's fair claim suffered a predictable retreat. No one could imagine another ending. Chilean Jose Miguel Insulza's impulsive calling had a more accessible goal - a FM summit could be set today. Of course, this will not be a definitive solution. There is no panacea and neither can one expect to deactivate the whole thing overnight. Alvaro Uribe, under the shadow of the most important world power, is harassing peace in the region. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Democratic pre-candidates, are supporting him 100 percent. Transversal action has been the reaction to a flagrant violation of a country's sovereignty." - "Cristina makes a call 'to fight for peace'" Mariano Obarrio, political columnist of daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (03/05) "For the first time, President Cristina Kirchner made a public reference to the conflict between Colombia and Venezuela/Ecuador, which was sparked by the death of Raul Reyes and she called for a 'fight for peace' and commitment to 'the release of Ingrid Betancourt and Colombian hostages.' "In this way, the Argentine President made a subtle turn in the posture expressed by the Foreign Ministry (which had condemned 'any form of violation of sovereignty.') "According to official sources, the change in her discourse, which is now more moderate, was due to the fact that the Kirchner administration seeks to coordinate a common posture with Brazil and the other countries from the OAS to make a joint call for peace. "The President seeks to become a mediator in the conflict among the three countries. The Argentine Government also wants Cristina Kirchner to mediate in the release of hostages (particularly Ingrid Betancourt) in not too distant a future. "... Something that concerns the Argentine Government is Kirchner's trip to Venezuela to meet with Chavez, the most controversial party to the conflict. "Yesterday, the Argentine Government feared that the Bolivarian leader could use the event to put Argentina near his own position, which is confrontational with Colombia and Washington. Nonetheless, the President is preparing gestures and words aimed at adopting a moderate posture that will not raise her political costs overseas." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires WAYNE