MEDIA REACTION SAO PAULO: Antarctica, Obama, G20, Venezuela

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000230 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: Antarctica, Obama, G20, Venezuela 04-10-2009 and 04-12-2009 Media Reaction: Global Economy: G-20 summit readout; financial market crisis; protectionism; climate change and environment; Europe: POTUS with EU; Western Hemisphere: Venezuela, Chavez's policies; Sao Paulo Friday, April 10, 2009 Title- South Pole Treaty, 50 Editorial in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-10) states: "The presence of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the session to celebrate the 50 years of the Antarctic Treaty on Monday illustrates the importance of this unique international deal....This was a symbolic but positive move, because at the moment, polar tensions converge for the North. The ideal is that in the North Pole uses the same model adopted in the Antarctic. Less promising is the process that should produce in 2009 an international treaty to fight climate change and succeed the Kyoto Protocol....Despite the political turnaround in the U.S., talks don't advance. [We expect] that in 50 years we will have a treaty as we now celebrate with the Antarctic." Title-A good hurricane Op-ed in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-10) by the Brazilian Senate President and former President Jos Sarney says: "Europe was fascinated with Obama when they received him....Instead of an arrogant oil driller from Texas, a simple, kind men, lover of dialogue and with ears opened to listening appeared. He shares opinions and responsibilities....Obama's power to convince others shows that the right route to fight terrorism (as opposed to an insane practice that affects all humanity) is the cooperation of wills and not only the multiplication of weapons and troops...This is a different U.S. President. It encourages a better humanity." Title- G20 and Brazil's emergence Op-ed in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-12) by Senator Aloizio Mercadante comments: "Obama's public praise to Lula in the G20 summit....represents above all, a recognition of the new role that our country [Brazil] and other emerging nations have in this turbulent global scenario...G8 had to turn into G20....There won't be 'national solutions' for the global crisis. In the 1929 crisis, 'national solutions' led to more crisis, xenophobia and authoritarian regimes that led to the World War II....Obama, representing a U.S. more aligned with multilateralism, was decisive [in London]. And 'the man' [in allusion to Obama's comments on Lula, "that's my man'] representing the new force of Brazil's help- A lot." Sunday, April 12, 2009 Title- The crisis in Venezuela Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (4-12) notes: "The situation of the [state-run company] Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) is critical....Having few alternatives to finance itself, the government preferred to voraciously use its reserves....Without resources from the oil [industry], Chavez will have to cut his projects." Title- Diplomacy under works Editorial in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-12) states: "[Obama's] sentence [to Zapatero "you will realize that my approach is completely different from that of my predecessor] does not catch [our] attention for its unpretentiousness, but summarizes well the spirit of the series of trips and diplomatic initiatives to which Obama has devoted himself to in the last couple of days...After September 11's trauma...we have a return to a style of 'diplomatic realism' that without any doubts is more adequate to the complexity of the [current] international scenario. Obama's challenge, that is barely beginning, is to fight a situation in which demonstrations of force do not constitute the first option." WHITE