MEDIA REACTION: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001366 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT; THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION; A/S VALENZUELA TO ARGENTINA; 12/15/09; BUENOS AIRES SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT; THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION; A/S VALENZUELA TO ARGENTINA; 12/15/09; BUENOS AIRES ¶1. SUMMARY Most newspapers reported the massive world demonstrations against climate change in 130 cities, with veiled criticism of the lack of cooperation among developed countries to reach an agreement. English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion piece that stresses President Obama's "long-war" with the Pentagon "recalcitrant elements" over issues like Afghanistan and Iraq. Local papers also highlight that WHA A/S Secretary Arturo Valenzuela, who will be in Argentina December 15 and 16, will only meet with Cabinet Chief Fernandez, not President Cristina Kirchner, because the Argentine government wants to show its dislike of the U.S. policy in the region, particularly the U.S. military bases in Colombia and US support for the outcome of Honduran elections. END SUMMARY. ¶2. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION - "Obama's wars" Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion piece by Richard Rust (12/13),who opines, "Obama now has a war to wrap up in Iraq - another that is entering a new, dangerous phase in Afghanistan- and a third within his own Administration, where an unknown number of high-level insurgents on his military payroll share neither his vision nor his priorities. If recalcitrant elements in the Pentagon, working with his political opponents and outside interests try to undermine their Commander-in-Chief's strategy, things will get very ugly. This third conflict is likely to be Obama's 'Long War.'" ¶3. COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT - "Massive world demonstration against climate change" Centrist "Perfil" newspaper (12/13) carries an opinion piece by Martin de Ambrosio who writes, "Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated yesterday all over the world against climate change as a way of pressuring government representatives gathered in Copenhagen to negotiate a protocol that will replace or add to the 1997 Protocol of Kyoto. �0A;"Even though demonstrations took place mostly in developed countries, similar demonstrations were made in 130 cities of Asian and European countries. Except some small groups in the Philippines, demonstrations in developing countries were not the largest ones." - "Europe congratulates the US although it asks the US to double cuts on greenhouse gas emissions" Leading "Clarin" carries an opinion piece by Gustavo Sierra, on special assignment in Copenhagen, who comments (12/09) "Yesterday, world environmentalists gathered in the hallways of the huge Bella Center on the second day of the crucial Climate Change Summit could not have been any happier. The Environmental Protection Agency had announced that from now on, it labels those emissions as 'endangering the health,' which enables the President to make amendments to legislation (curbing GHG emissions) without Congressional approval. "John Nordbo, from WWF international environmental NGO, said: Well, now Obama has a Plan B, if conservative senators scrap the law, he will be able to order (GHG) emissions cuts anyway.' "This is not only a demand from environmentalists. Europe wants Obama to commit further. In principle, Europe wants Obama to double efforts and submit 30% GHG cuts, not just 17%." ¶4. A/S VALENZUELA VISIT TO LATIN AMERICA - "Hillary makes a harsh warning to the region" Alberto Armendariz, on special assignment in New York for daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (12/12),"Just 48 hours before the Obama administration's Latin American envoy starts his tour in Latin America, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched yesterday a harsh warning to Latin American countries that have a close relationship with Iran and warned they could suffer retaliation from Washington. "During a press conference, Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere Arturo Valenzuela did not give further details of his upcoming regional tour but said, 'The purpose of my trip is not to bring a series of specific topics; we want to discuss issues of common interest, but the real purpose of my trip is listening.'" - "President Kirchner makes clear her disappointment with Barack Obama" Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an opinion piece by Lucas Colonna, who writes (12/13),"The arrival of Barack Obama's envoy for Latin America, Arturo Valenzuela, the day after tomorrow will exhibit how Argentina views its bilateral ties with the US these days: in a wink of the official disagreement on the US policy on the region, President Cristina Kirchner decided not to receive the member of the Department of State, who will only visit the government's house to meet with Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez. "The ruling party's disappointment is based on two Washington decisions. The first: the US military bases in Colombia... While Argentina played a conciliatory role by organizing the Unasur Bariloche emergency summit, the Argentine government understands the decision as a veiled interference in regional security and a threat to the autonomy of the South of the hemisphere. "The second: the White House's support for Honduran elections. Argentina does not recognize the elections because it believes they legitimize in a way the coup d'etat and thinks Washington did less than it could on the subject." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ MARTINEZ