MEDIA REACTION: EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC: DPRK, NUCLEAR

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000312 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: EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC: DPRK, NUCLEAR PROGRAM; WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA, CHAVEZ'S POLICIES; GLOBAL ECONOMY: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT; ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS: AL-QAIDA GLOBAL INFLUENCE; SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: IRAN, HUMAN RIGHTS; SAO PAULO Title - The Red Button Editorial in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (5-26) states: "Internationally, North Korea uses its nuclear project as a bargaining chip....[and] on the domestic front the detonation serves as propaganda for the worn out communist regime. The stroke suffered by Kim last year initiated a dispute over succession on the sidelines and demonstrations as the one we saw yesterday accomplish the function of reaffirming the power of the present dynasty - the dictator intends to give power to one of his sons. A similar combination of external and domestic motivation, and of nuclear blackmail, is happening in Iran.....International diplomacy must use all of its bargaining chips in order to dissuade Iran and Korea from this path....But it is important to remember that diplomacy does not end at the moment nations enter the nuclear power club...and with that the hypothesis of an armed intervention is always temerarious." Title - Al Qaeda in Brazil Article in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (5-26) by Janio de Freitas says: "A high-ranking member of Al Qaeda was arrested in Brazil, under strict secrecy. The arrest was made by Brazil's Federal Police in Sao Paulo, where the terrorist was based and conducted operations of international scale. Nonetheless, there are no records that he was developing any activities linked to terror actions in Brazil....Only the U.S. government has information on what happened in Sao Paulo.... The choice for Sao Paulo by Al Qaeda seems to be derived, at least in part, by a combination of the Brazilian government's captivating neutrality towards Islamic countries and the non-existence of an anti-terrorist obsession here [in Brazil].....With the active presence of an Al Qaeda member in Sao Paulo, Brazil places itself on the map of international anti-terrorism fixations. And there are only inconveniences in that." Title - The Chavist truculence aggravates Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (5-26) notes: "Before the impact of the steep drop in oil prices on Venezuela's finances and the ability of Hugo Chavez to influence Latin American governments....his reaction has been to enhance the control of the State over the national economy...and to intensify the repression over the remaining independent institutions and social powers in the country, like the press and unions....Chavez and Ecuadorian Rafael Correa have proposed to Unasul the creation of organisms that will 'defend local governments from the abuses of the press.' History shows that, in Latin America, the press has always been obliged to defend itself from governments whose abuse what it denounces. And this is what always happens when a democracy does not succumb to its enemies." Title - New and larger legal aggressions against the environment Editorial in business oriented Valor Econtmico (5-26) states: "Recent measures taken by the [Brazilian] government and by Congress may worsen an already precarious Brazilian environmental picture.....An ample governmental alliance is needed for President Lula to elect his successor. With this political bargain, many bad things may happen to the environment." Title - Violation of Human Rights in Iran Article in business oriented Valor Econtmico (5-26) by Marcos Alan Ferreira, ESPM professor with a degree in Strategy and Defense Policies from the National Defense University, notes: "the U.S. and Europe have acted in a concrete way in international forums against the development of nuclear technology by Iran. On the other side, the important issue of Iran's human right record has been left in second place. Nevertheless, this could be the starting point in the analysis of the international community towards that country...Another worrying issue is its religious intolerance...." WHITE