Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTIAGO276
2009-03-23 19:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santiago
Cable title:
CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 20
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000276
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 20
Leading Story
---------------
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000276
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 20
Leading Story
--------------
1. The opposition alliance is pressuring Bachelet to meet with
presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera to discuss Peru's maritime
claim with The Hague. Lima made the content of its claim public.
Progressive Governance Summit
--------------
2. Interview with U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons: "The bilateral
relationship today is at a very strong point and we have the
foundation to further strengthen it. President Obama has spoken
twice to President Bachelet and they have established a very good
relationship. Next week the Vice President will be arriving, and we
are looking at the possibility of setting a meeting between the
two.... Chile will be the first country in Latin America to receive
a White House visitor, and I believe that is very important.
Although the summit is multilateral in nature... he (Biden) will
have a bilateral with Bachelet. So just as this summit is a good
chance to coordinate hemispheric policies, it is also a good
opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship" (La Tercera,
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 3/23).
3. Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez noted that Vice
President Biden is the first high-ranking Obama administration
official to travel to Latin America, which is "a strong political
sign." He declined to comment on whether Bachelet would discuss the
blockade on Cuba with the Vice President or the President in a
future meeting (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000,
3/20).
4. Fernandez also underscored that Presidents Bachelet and Obama
want to meet, either before or during the SOA, because while Obama
might be interested in listening to what Bachelet has to say from
the perspective of UNASUR, the Chilean President might also want to
listen to what Obama has to share with UNASUR. Fernandez said that
the main issues under discussion between the two governments are
protectionism, promoting renewable energy, and cooperation for Latin
America's poorest countries. "We hope to be able to discuss
coordination in Haiti," said Fernandez (La Nacion, government-owned,
editorially independent, 3/22)
5. Vice President Biden's participation in the progressive summit
shows that the Obama administration has taken the summit seriously
(La Nacion, 3/23).
6. To prevent any leaks, all summit meetings will be confidential.
This will apply to Friday's dinner and Saturday's lunch at Cerro
Castillo, where no security or note takers will be able to attend.
President Bachelet has already scheduled a meeting with Vice
President Biden, who will arrive in Chile with three other
high-ranking government officials (La Tercera, 3/22).
7. The "stars" of the progressive summit are Vice President Joe
Biden, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the Brazilain President Lula
da Silva (La Segunda, 3/20).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
8. A small group of individuals demonstrated peacefully in front
of the Embassy to end the war in Iraq (Las Ultimas Noticias,
leading-circulation, popular, circ. 140,000, 3/22).
9. Cristobal Acevedo, director of the National IPR Institute
(INAPI),said Chile has made significant efforts on IPR, such as
creating the entity he chairs, and hopes that in this context, the
U.S. Trade Representative would remove Chile from its priority watch
list. "Chile is far from being a piracy paradise," said Acevedo (La
Tercera, 3/23).
10. Headlines of interviews with retired General Janis Karpinski,
commander of the forces in charge of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq:
"Splattering Blood" (La Nacion, 3/23); "'No one has the right to
torture another human being" (La Cuarta, 3/20).
11. National Television (Channel 7) TV anchorman Amaro Gomez Pablos
will receive an award from the King of Spain in Madrid for his
special report, "Guantanamo: Exclusive Access to the most
controversial prison," aired by TVN some time ago (Las Ultimas
Noticias, 3/23).
Chile-Peru Maritime Dispute
--------------
12. The text of Peru's main arguments before the International
Court of Justice at The Hague was published (El Mercurio, 3/23).
SIMONS
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 20
Leading Story
--------------
1. The opposition alliance is pressuring Bachelet to meet with
presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera to discuss Peru's maritime
claim with The Hague. Lima made the content of its claim public.
Progressive Governance Summit
--------------
2. Interview with U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons: "The bilateral
relationship today is at a very strong point and we have the
foundation to further strengthen it. President Obama has spoken
twice to President Bachelet and they have established a very good
relationship. Next week the Vice President will be arriving, and we
are looking at the possibility of setting a meeting between the
two.... Chile will be the first country in Latin America to receive
a White House visitor, and I believe that is very important.
Although the summit is multilateral in nature... he (Biden) will
have a bilateral with Bachelet. So just as this summit is a good
chance to coordinate hemispheric policies, it is also a good
opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship" (La Tercera,
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 3/23).
3. Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez noted that Vice
President Biden is the first high-ranking Obama administration
official to travel to Latin America, which is "a strong political
sign." He declined to comment on whether Bachelet would discuss the
blockade on Cuba with the Vice President or the President in a
future meeting (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000,
3/20).
4. Fernandez also underscored that Presidents Bachelet and Obama
want to meet, either before or during the SOA, because while Obama
might be interested in listening to what Bachelet has to say from
the perspective of UNASUR, the Chilean President might also want to
listen to what Obama has to share with UNASUR. Fernandez said that
the main issues under discussion between the two governments are
protectionism, promoting renewable energy, and cooperation for Latin
America's poorest countries. "We hope to be able to discuss
coordination in Haiti," said Fernandez (La Nacion, government-owned,
editorially independent, 3/22)
5. Vice President Biden's participation in the progressive summit
shows that the Obama administration has taken the summit seriously
(La Nacion, 3/23).
6. To prevent any leaks, all summit meetings will be confidential.
This will apply to Friday's dinner and Saturday's lunch at Cerro
Castillo, where no security or note takers will be able to attend.
President Bachelet has already scheduled a meeting with Vice
President Biden, who will arrive in Chile with three other
high-ranking government officials (La Tercera, 3/22).
7. The "stars" of the progressive summit are Vice President Joe
Biden, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the Brazilain President Lula
da Silva (La Segunda, 3/20).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
8. A small group of individuals demonstrated peacefully in front
of the Embassy to end the war in Iraq (Las Ultimas Noticias,
leading-circulation, popular, circ. 140,000, 3/22).
9. Cristobal Acevedo, director of the National IPR Institute
(INAPI),said Chile has made significant efforts on IPR, such as
creating the entity he chairs, and hopes that in this context, the
U.S. Trade Representative would remove Chile from its priority watch
list. "Chile is far from being a piracy paradise," said Acevedo (La
Tercera, 3/23).
10. Headlines of interviews with retired General Janis Karpinski,
commander of the forces in charge of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq:
"Splattering Blood" (La Nacion, 3/23); "'No one has the right to
torture another human being" (La Cuarta, 3/20).
11. National Television (Channel 7) TV anchorman Amaro Gomez Pablos
will receive an award from the King of Spain in Madrid for his
special report, "Guantanamo: Exclusive Access to the most
controversial prison," aired by TVN some time ago (Las Ultimas
Noticias, 3/23).
Chile-Peru Maritime Dispute
--------------
12. The text of Peru's main arguments before the International
Court of Justice at The Hague was published (El Mercurio, 3/23).
SIMONS