Santiago Dec. 15 Media Report

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001216 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: Santiago Dec. 15 Media Report Lead Story ¶1. Minister Carolina Toha, the government's spokesperson, resigned yesterday to head Eduardo Frei's campaign for the January runoff election (Conservative, independent La Tercera, 12/15). U.S.-Related News ¶2. Excerpts of an interview with U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons: "One of President Obama's first priorities is to move forward on the issue of climate change. Since his arrival to the White House, he has taken a series of steps in that direction, starting by a making a significant investment in stimulus programs.... The President has also announced very ambitious goals to lower emissions by 17 percent by 2020.... Developed nations cannot do everything. The idea in Copenhagen is for all countries to contribute (...) Awareness (of the importance of climate change) exists not just among environmental groups. They play an important role, but there is also wider and more global awareness among students" (Conservative, independent, La Tercera, 12/15). ¶3. Article on Governor Tim Pawlenty's visit to the Biobio Region headlined, "Minnesota offers business and academic opportunities - Unprecedented coming together of the Biobio Region and the state of Minnesota." Two geographically very different regions -- Minnesota in northern United States and the Biobio Region in Chile's south, launched yesterday an unprecedented relationship that was made official with a sisterhood agreement signed by the highest regional authority, Intendente Jaime Toha, and the Governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty (Regional influential daily El Sur, 12/11). FBI- Former President Eduardo Frei's death ¶4. In October 2004, the Investigations Police submitted a request through the U.S. Embassy in Santiago for the FBI to conduct forensic tests to determine if former president Frei had been given chemical or biological elements that caused his death. Two months later, Justice Alejandro Madrid reiterated this request and asked for an additional test to confirm that the remains, from which the body tissue for testing was taken, belonged to Frei. In February 2005, the FBI agreed to do the tests. Investigations Police officials then delivered the tissue samples in the United States. A week later, the FBI issued its report. The document, which was sent to the U.S. Embassy for the Investigations Police, confirmed that the tissue samples belonged to Frei. The report also ruled out the presence of toxic biological or chemical elements. The tests conducted in the United States were carried out in accordance to legal procedures and the instructions issued by Justice Madrid. Investigations Police officials brought Frei's tissue samples back to Chile in October 2005. The Frei's family attorney, Alvaro Varela, said at the time that the tissue samples handed to the FBI were too small for the tests to be conclusive regarding the presence of chemicals. Varela said that they would have to wait for further tests requested by Justice Madrid from other Chilean entities (El Mercurio, 12/14). ¶5. Forensic tests conducted by two experts in Chile established the presence of thallium and mustard gas in Frei's remains. This contradicts the FBI's report that ruled out the presence of drugs in Frei's body. Doctor Patricio Silva, head of the second operation on the former president in December 1981, has been charged with homicide in this case. But the doctor claims that the evidence is circumstantial and said he is considering requesting a new study of Frei's remains (El Mercurio, 12/14). Local ¶6. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) removed Chile from its tax paradise "grey list." The reason is the recent approval of the Law on Access to Banking Information, which the organization says shows that Chile is committed to respecting international tax standards (Business and financial daily Diario Financiero, 12/15). SIMONS