MEDIA REACTION SAO PAULO: THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, CUBA

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000228 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 SAO PAULO: THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, CUBA 04-17-2009 Media Reaction: Western Hemisphere: Summit of Americas; Cuba, governance, easing of restrictions; South and Central Asia: Iran, regional and global influence; Sao Paulo Friday, April 17th Title - Summit of the Americas Editorial in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-17) states: "....President Obama should take the opportunity and eliminate this hypocritical 47-year trade restriction, which only increases the cohesion of the regime, while it punishes the Cuban population....For the agenda [of the Hemisphere] to advance with a greater speed, the U.S. should end for good this contentiousness with Cuba - which does not imply, evidently, [that the U.S.] stop condemning the systematic human right violations sponsored by the Cuban dictatorship." Title - A tournament of obvious things Op-ed in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-17) by columnist Clovis Rossi states: "....The problem with the 5th Summit of Americas...is the monotony inside its 23 pages and the 97 paragraphs of the final declaration.....Almost all the text could be replaced by the....words [we will accomplish our duties]. Even better would be if they really accomplished their duty instead of promising to do it." Title - When one does not want...[two does not fight] Op-ed in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-17) by columnist Eliane Catanhede notes: "The ideal would be the end of the embargo, but the possible is that Barack Obama announces at the Summit of the Americas....the beginning of an open, public and official dialogue with Cuba, nominating an advisor and/or mediator to the island." WHITE