Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTIAGO543
2009-06-09 16:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santiago
Cable title:
CHILE MEDIA REPORT -- JUNE 9
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000543
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 -- JUNE 9
Leading Stories
----------------
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000543
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 -- JUNE 9
Leading Stories
--------------
1. President Hugo Chavez postponed an official visit to Chile in
June. He rescheduled the event for July, coinciding with the next
UNASUR summit. Dailies also report that Chile has 890 cases of
AH1N1, 10 are considered to be in serious condition.
Venezuela
--------------
2. President Hugo Chavez postponed his visit to Chile. Chavez
would have been in Santiago in June, but is now expected to come for
the UNASUR meeting in July. The postponement occurs amid growing
discontent among Chilean companies that have invested in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government owes 52 Chilean companies a total of US$80
million and last week ordered Venceramica to close. Some of these
companies have started to talk about "harassment." The Foreign
Ministry has not issued a statement, but regards the issue as
"highly sensitive" (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ.
101,000, 6/9).
Nuclear Energy
--------------
3. The Electric Nuclear Corporation (ENC),the branch of Russian
Intermash in Chile, concluded its report on the requirements to
develop nuclear energy in Chile and submitted it to the National
Energy Commission (CNE). The report is one of three commissioned by
the Energy Commission in 2008. Anatole Gubin, head of ENC, outlined
some of the conclusions: Chile must have a autonomous regulatory
entity formed by experts prior to the reactor's construction and a
special unit to check that the plants operate at international
standards.
4. The report noted that waste reservoirs become necessary 10-12
years after the operations start, and that uranium can now be
recycled. It states that uranium reserves are expected to last 100
years. The document also mentioned torio, an alternative fuel that
produces less wastes, is less radioactive, and for which there are
reserves for 600 years. A nuclear reactor today can withstand a
level 9 earthquake, noted the document, which recommends starting to
train specialized personnel now. The initial cost to build a
reactor ranges from US$2.5 to 3 billion (La Tercera, 6/9).
Digital Television
--------------
5. All television stations in the United States will start airing
with digital technology on Friday. In Chile, the change is not
expected to take place for another eight years. The government,
however, has not yet chosen between the U.S., Japanese, or European
standard (El Mercurio, 6/9).
Cultural
--------------
6. Advertisement announcing the seminar, "Chile-U.S. Comparative
Cultural Policies 2009: Cultural Networks -- Models,
Implementation, Challenges," co-sponsored by PA Santiago, the
Catholic University, and the Ohio Arts Council (La Tercera,
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 6/9).
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 -- JUNE 9
Leading Stories
--------------
1. President Hugo Chavez postponed an official visit to Chile in
June. He rescheduled the event for July, coinciding with the next
UNASUR summit. Dailies also report that Chile has 890 cases of
AH1N1, 10 are considered to be in serious condition.
Venezuela
--------------
2. President Hugo Chavez postponed his visit to Chile. Chavez
would have been in Santiago in June, but is now expected to come for
the UNASUR meeting in July. The postponement occurs amid growing
discontent among Chilean companies that have invested in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government owes 52 Chilean companies a total of US$80
million and last week ordered Venceramica to close. Some of these
companies have started to talk about "harassment." The Foreign
Ministry has not issued a statement, but regards the issue as
"highly sensitive" (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ.
101,000, 6/9).
Nuclear Energy
--------------
3. The Electric Nuclear Corporation (ENC),the branch of Russian
Intermash in Chile, concluded its report on the requirements to
develop nuclear energy in Chile and submitted it to the National
Energy Commission (CNE). The report is one of three commissioned by
the Energy Commission in 2008. Anatole Gubin, head of ENC, outlined
some of the conclusions: Chile must have a autonomous regulatory
entity formed by experts prior to the reactor's construction and a
special unit to check that the plants operate at international
standards.
4. The report noted that waste reservoirs become necessary 10-12
years after the operations start, and that uranium can now be
recycled. It states that uranium reserves are expected to last 100
years. The document also mentioned torio, an alternative fuel that
produces less wastes, is less radioactive, and for which there are
reserves for 600 years. A nuclear reactor today can withstand a
level 9 earthquake, noted the document, which recommends starting to
train specialized personnel now. The initial cost to build a
reactor ranges from US$2.5 to 3 billion (La Tercera, 6/9).
Digital Television
--------------
5. All television stations in the United States will start airing
with digital technology on Friday. In Chile, the change is not
expected to take place for another eight years. The government,
however, has not yet chosen between the U.S., Japanese, or European
standard (El Mercurio, 6/9).
Cultural
--------------
6. Advertisement announcing the seminar, "Chile-U.S. Comparative
Cultural Policies 2009: Cultural Networks -- Models,
Implementation, Challenges," co-sponsored by PA Santiago, the
Catholic University, and the Ohio Arts Council (La Tercera,
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 6/9).
SIMONS