MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: CUBA, GOVERNANCE;

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000224 SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: CUBA, GOVERNANCE; LOOKING AHEAD TO THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS; EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC: PLANNED MISSILE LAUNCH, SOUTH KOREA; SAO PAULO "The poisoned cellular" Op-Ed in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-15) by columnist Clovis Rossi states: "Smart guy this Obama. Introduced in the package of goodness for Cuba a poisoned dart in the form of cellular and computers....What's so smart about it? Simple: information is power. The ones that have total control of information, as it happens in totalitarian countries like Cuba, have more facility to control power and to extend the control for longer time....[Now] it won't be easy to hold the archaism of the regime." "Obama's policy for the Americas at the OAS stage" Editorial in business oriented Valor Econtmico (4-15) says: "U.S. foreign policy, now under Barack Obama's command, is changing in various fronts and is not clear yet which will be its Latin American face, it will begin to be designed at the Summit [of the Americas]. Its main axis will turn around the presentation of Barack Obama's intentions for the Hemisphere - not a priority in relation to the many and urgent worries of the U.S. diplomacy - and we should not expect much more beyond that....Lula's government will keep playing a role of conflict mediator in the region, a task that will be facilitated by Obama's agenda of seeking deals instead of conflicts. The main problem for Brazil won't be the U.S., as it wasn't with Bush, but its turbulent neighbors." "Gradual opening for Cuba" Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (4-15) notes: "The modest release of those measures [to ease restrictions to Cuba, made by Obama's advisors and not by himself] was symptomatic....But Washington's attitude towards Castro's regime continues to be one of the most delicate issues - of internal policy - in the U.S. If the new president's intention is to review the relationship with the island, he left it clear that he chose to walk in this direction with calculated steps in order to avoid antagonisms with the Republican opposition in Congress and to avoid a surprise of an adverse reaction from Raul Castro's government.....At least, up until now, the Cuban regime is doing its part. It asked not to discuss the embargo at the Summit of the Americas and requested that the news [on the easing of U.S. restrictions] was aired on state TV... " "North Korea missile: reason for disappointment" Op-ed in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-15) by Republic of Korea Ambassador Kyu Hyung Cho notes: "....There was a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution 1,718 [in the launch of a missile by North Korea]. It was not only a provocative act to the security and peace of the Korean peninsula and northeast Asian, but also a rupture of the treaty with all the international community....the attention of influent and responsible countries of the international community becomes even more necessary to exhort Pyong-yang to resume the dialogue and to go back to the Six-Party Talks negotiating table (U.S. Russia, Japan, China and the two Koreas)....What is expected from the N. Korea is that, as a responsible country and member of the international community, it resumes the dialogue with South Korea and be ready to open up [to the outside world] and make reforms that will enhance the quality of life of its people." WHITE