CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 17

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000253 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 17 Leading Stories -------------- ¶1. Concerns have been raised over the appointment of a non-elected PPD official to fill the Chamber of Deputy seat vacated by Congresswoman Toha, who joined the Bachelet cabinet as press spokesperson. This has triggered debate about the replacement process and calls for it to be reviewed. Dailies also reported the plebiscite held in the community of Vitacura on proposed municipal development projects has triggered requests for plebiscites in other communities nationwide. U.S.-Related News -------------- ¶2. A New York Times article on Quillagua, "the driest town in the world," in northern Chile, highlighted how water rights in Chile are privately-owned. These rights are bought and sold as any other goods in a process under which the government has little control (El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 3/17). ¶3. Attorney Pablo Ruiz-Tagle, Executive Director of "Oceanos Azules" (Blue oceans) will attend a seminar in Virginia organized by Microsoft, which will gather influential international leaders to discuss public policy on an array of issues, including the environment. Ruiz- Tagle is the spokesperson for presidential candidate Eduardo Frei's political agenda (La Tercera, 3/17). Chile- Peru -------------- ¶4. Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez reiterated Chile's position on Peru's maritime border claim at The Hague: "the maritime border with Peru is determined by the legal border" that already exists between the two countries (La Tercera, 3/17). SIMONS