CHILE MEDIA REPORT - NOVEMBER 28

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001041 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV OPRC PREL PGOV SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: CHILE MEDIA REPORT - NOVEMBER 28 Lead Stories -------------- ¶1. At ENADE, Chile's most important annual and national business gathering, speakers concurred that one way to reactive the economy is by lowering taxes and making labor laws more flexible. Bachelet announced a bailout program for the salmon industry. Ricardo Lagos scheduled meetings with the PS and PPD political parties amid a growing feeling that he will not run as the Concertacion's presidential candidate. U.S.-Related News -------------- ¶2. Attorneys working with U.S. criminal attorney Michael Tiger wanted to meet with President Bachelet to inform her of the state of a criminal suit they filed against Henry Kissinger. Their position is that by financing military regime intelligence operations, Kissinger is indirectly responsible for human rights violations committed during those years (Que Pasa, conservative news weekly, circ. 101,000, 11/28). ¶3. Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC) advisor Eduardo Sanhueza said that Obama's election is changing expectations at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Poland about the role that the United States in the fight against global warming. He said the expectation is that the new U.S. administration will take a leading role on this issue (El Mercurio, circ. 129,000, 11/28). ¶4. The election of Barack Obama was ranked as the most important event this year in Que Pasa's ranking for 2008. The interesting element here is that the results are based fundamentally on the perception of what the new U.S. administration will accomplish (Que Pasa magazine, 11/28). ¶5. Editorial entitled, "Efficiency of the Bailout Plans": "In the past days the United States government has launched three bailout plans.... The efficiency of these programs has several elements to consider. On the one hand, they increase public expenses... and the other 'unblock' wholesale loan markets.... But this aid only reaches external intermediaries, and does not reach those who have the loan, such as owners of homes and companies, who need to renovate or renegotiate (their loans)" (El Mercurio, 11/28). Nuclear Energy -------------- ¶6. British Amec-Cade, Finish Stuk, and Russian consortium CNE-Chile won the GOC's bid to develop framework studies for the development of nuclear energy in Chile (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 11/27; El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 11/28). ¶7. Finish Ambassador to Chile, Iivo Salmi, wrote a letter-to-the-editor of La Tercera, stating that an article published last week stating that Finland is promoting nuclear energy in Chile" is wrong and intentionally misleading." The workshop to which the article refers, said the Ambassador, "was conducted "at the request of Chilean authorities who wanted to learn more about Finland's energy policy and technology.... The government of Finland does not promote nuclear energy.... Our policy is to have a wide and diverse energy matrix," said the diplomat (La Tercera, 11/28). Local -------------- ¶8. President Bachelet announced a US$120 million bailout program for the salmon industry. The plan provides funds through the Economic Development Agency, Corfo, guaranteeing up to 60% of loans contracted by the local producers, and includes incentives for those who start new projects and conduct research (All dailies, 11/28). ¶9. The Metropolitan health authorities advised consumers not to eat raw ham "Serrano," smoked salmon, and some kinds of meat and frozen vegetables until it can determine the source of an outbreak of Listeriosis, a bacteria that withstands cold temperatures and can cause death. Ninety-one people have contracted the disease this year, compared to just 20 in 2007. Traces of the bacteria have been found in Brie cheese, which has been removed from the market (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 11/26). ¶10. The Production and Trade Confederation, CPC, elected highly respected entrepreneur Rafael Guilisasti as its new president. Guilisasti is responsible for turning Via Concha y Toro into the most successful winery in the country and very well known abroad. He is a man known to have close friends across the political spectrum and in a wide array of areas of expertise. His profile is also different from that of his predecessors in that he holds a history degree and in the 70s was a member of the Leftist United Popular Action Movement, MAPU (El Mercurio, La Tercera 11/27). ¶11. The government and the UDI agreed that it will be necessary to use the 2% emergency fund provided for by the Constitution to finance the Transantiago. However, both agreed with would extend only until March 2009, until a new formula is found to permanently finance Santiago's transportation system (Diario Financiero, business and financial daily, circ. 30,000, 11/28). ¶12. The Investigations Police, PDI, are facing another major scandal -- the fourth in less than two months. Yesterday, its national Chief for Crimes against Property, Trevor Oyarzun, was charged with keeping money seized from a major theft at Santiago's international airport this year (La Tercera, 11/28). SIMONS