MEDIA REACTION; OCTOBER 19-23 INTERNATIONAL OPINION PIECES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001169 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; OCTOBER 19-23 INTERNATIONAL OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS; 10/28/09; BUENOS AIRES 1.SUMMARY STATEMENT Leading international stories during last week were mostly related to Argentina's new debt swap. Other topics were Russia's military cooperation with Iran; Argentine peacekeeping troops in Haiti; and upcoming Afghan elections. Regarding Argentina's new debt swap to holdout bondholders, most papers agree that the loss of domestic solidity is dictating the Argentine government's quest for funds on global markets. Daily-of-record "La Nacion," business-financial "Ambito Financiero" (October 24/25) and other local dailies highlight the move as a positive step, although they point out that restoring relations with the IMF and Paris Club should be the next steps. However, some huge problems loom, such as the dwindling budget surplus as well as the inability of the INDEC national statistics bureau to supply reliable data on the Argentine economy. Russia-Iran. Daily-of-record "La Nacion" (10/20) carries an opinion piece by political analyst Carlos Escude, who opines that "Russia's military cooperation with Iran will continue, which implies that Moscow will continue using Tehran to compel Washington to interrupt policies that could jeopardize its own security. All this means that the Iranian problem will not be solved peacefully without making tradeoffs to Moscow." As to the war in Afghanistan, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald's" (10/20) contributor James Neilson points out that "Obama's presidency is unlikely to be remembered for its success in persuading the traditionally-minded to exchange their swords for ploughshares. Instead, it would be blamed for having inadvertently set off a series of conflagrations as bad as, or worse than, the ones that combined to make the Second World War." In reference to the Argentine peacekeeping troops stationed in Haiti, October 23 "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by a professor of Political Theory at University of Buenos Aires, Tomas Varnagy, who opines that Argentine troops should stay in Haiti until goals have been met. He believes this does not imply a militarized country or a deteriorated relationship between civilians and military because peacekeeping troops are under the UN umbrella, which responds to the interests of the local inhabitants of the country. To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ