Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTIAGO697
2009-07-23 19:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santiago
Cable title:
CHILE MEDIA REPORT - JULY 23
how-toVZCZCXYZ0014 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHSG #0697 2041915 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 231915Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5260 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 4086 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2496 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1596 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1018 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2181 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 6298 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4496 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2511 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000697
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 - JULY 23
Lead Story
----------
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000697
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 - JULY 23
Lead Story
--------------
1. Eduardo Frei's campaign advisors want National Television
Network TVN to review anchorwoman Karen Doggenweiler's contract. The
anchor, "a station symbol," is married to presidential candidate
Marco Enriquez Ominami and "can be influential," they argue. The
station backed Doggenweiler: "Karen has been an anchor for this
station for 20 years and her position is the result of dedicated
work.... Her participation in her husband's political activities
falls in the area of her personal activities" (El Mercurio,
conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, 7/23).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
2. Tension in the U.S. Congress is stalling Obama administration
nominations. Republican Senator for Arizona John Kyl objected to
Judge Sotomayor's confirmation, stating that he "is not sure" that
Sotomayor "can put aside her biases, if confirmed." On Tuesday,
Senator Jim DeMint asked to postpone Arturo Valenzuela's nomination
arguing that the nominee "told me he was unaware of the events
taking place in Honduras" (Diario Financiero, business and
financial, 7/23).
3. Several international electricity holdings have shown interest
in entering the local market, including U.S.-based Duke Energy. None
of them, however, are pursuing a position in Chile. Local company
officials say foreign players feel discouraged when they learn about
environmental regulations to protect indigenous peoples and native
forests and about the lengthy environmental (certification) process.
But there are other reasons too. Duke did not want to increase its
exposure with coal plants to avoid problems with the USG, and
long-term energy supplies have already been sold to current
generators, leaving little room for new players to enter the market
(La Tercera, conservative, independent, 7/23).
4. Over the last 50 years, the IDB has given Chile US$7 billion in
loans for public projects, such as Route 48 and Transantiago. Now
the IDB wants to contribute to private sector initiatives in Chile
by financing through its Multilateral Investment Fund, "innovative,
replicable, and measurable" initiatives, including those related to
education, said the entity's representative to Chile, Jaime Sujoy
(El Mercurio, conservative, influential, 7/23).
Local
--------------
5. OECD Executive Secretary Angel Gurria said that for Chile to
join the organization it must pass laws that allow the exchange of
tax information and lift banking secrecy (El Mercurio, 7/23).
AH1N1
--------------
6. The Health Ministry opened a bidding process to buy six million
vaccines for human influenza to inoculate three million people in
2010 (2 doses each). Given the number of people that acquired the
virus this season, next winter 3.7 million will have been
inoculated. The bidding process is a way to assure a supply of the
vaccine amid limited global production. There are 11,293 confirmed
cases of AH1N1 in Chile (El Mercurio, 7/23).
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 - JULY 23
Lead Story
--------------
1. Eduardo Frei's campaign advisors want National Television
Network TVN to review anchorwoman Karen Doggenweiler's contract. The
anchor, "a station symbol," is married to presidential candidate
Marco Enriquez Ominami and "can be influential," they argue. The
station backed Doggenweiler: "Karen has been an anchor for this
station for 20 years and her position is the result of dedicated
work.... Her participation in her husband's political activities
falls in the area of her personal activities" (El Mercurio,
conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, 7/23).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
2. Tension in the U.S. Congress is stalling Obama administration
nominations. Republican Senator for Arizona John Kyl objected to
Judge Sotomayor's confirmation, stating that he "is not sure" that
Sotomayor "can put aside her biases, if confirmed." On Tuesday,
Senator Jim DeMint asked to postpone Arturo Valenzuela's nomination
arguing that the nominee "told me he was unaware of the events
taking place in Honduras" (Diario Financiero, business and
financial, 7/23).
3. Several international electricity holdings have shown interest
in entering the local market, including U.S.-based Duke Energy. None
of them, however, are pursuing a position in Chile. Local company
officials say foreign players feel discouraged when they learn about
environmental regulations to protect indigenous peoples and native
forests and about the lengthy environmental (certification) process.
But there are other reasons too. Duke did not want to increase its
exposure with coal plants to avoid problems with the USG, and
long-term energy supplies have already been sold to current
generators, leaving little room for new players to enter the market
(La Tercera, conservative, independent, 7/23).
4. Over the last 50 years, the IDB has given Chile US$7 billion in
loans for public projects, such as Route 48 and Transantiago. Now
the IDB wants to contribute to private sector initiatives in Chile
by financing through its Multilateral Investment Fund, "innovative,
replicable, and measurable" initiatives, including those related to
education, said the entity's representative to Chile, Jaime Sujoy
(El Mercurio, conservative, influential, 7/23).
Local
--------------
5. OECD Executive Secretary Angel Gurria said that for Chile to
join the organization it must pass laws that allow the exchange of
tax information and lift banking secrecy (El Mercurio, 7/23).
AH1N1
--------------
6. The Health Ministry opened a bidding process to buy six million
vaccines for human influenza to inoculate three million people in
2010 (2 doses each). Given the number of people that acquired the
virus this season, next winter 3.7 million will have been
inoculated. The bidding process is a way to assure a supply of the
vaccine amid limited global production. There are 11,293 confirmed
cases of AH1N1 in Chile (El Mercurio, 7/23).
SIMONS