MEDIA REACTION: FIRST HAITIAN ORPHAN ARRIVES IN ARGENTINA;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000130 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL HA AR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: FIRST HAITIAN ORPHAN ARRIVES IN ARGENTINA; 2/4/10; BUENOS AIRES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Haitian orphan Rosalindha's arrival -- the first in Argentina -- received broad press coverage, most of which noted the medical care the baby received in Pittsburgh. Several media praised U.S. efforts to expedite the orphan's arrival to the country, while two reported on the U.S. decision to resume visa issuance for Haitians. Left-of-center Pagina 12 claimed the American relief workers in Haiti do not approach Cuban doctors despite Fidel Castro's proposal for humanitarian cooperation. An op-ed by Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank Group, was picked up by business-financial El Cronista urging to learn from lessons of the past in rebuilding Haiti. End summary. PRAISE FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE WITH ADOPTION, VISAS -------------- ¶2. Haitian orphan Rosalindha's arrival in Argentina from Pittsburgh made front page headlines in leading Clarin, daily-of-record La Nacion and centrist Critica de la Argentina. Nearly all press highlighted the medical care the baby received in Pittsburg. Two newspapers and one TV station also highlighted U.S. efforts to facilitate Rosalindha's travel to Argentina accompanied by her adoptive parents. Under the headline "A baby rescued through adoption," pro-government, left-of-center Pagina 12 (usually not pro-U.S.) particularly praised the efforts made by the U.S. Immigration Service and the Argentine Foreign Ministry. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/04/socie dad/s-02133090.htm http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 229312 http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota &nid=37992 http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/su bnotas/139567-45074-20 10-02-04.html ¶3. America 24 cable TV station interviewed the lawyer of the family, who underscored the cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. Conservative daily La Prensa also echoed the lawyer's remarks that the orphanage in Pittsburgh notified the family that they took Rosalinda and 52 other Haitian children to Pittsburgh whose lives were in danger. Centrist Critica de la Argentina and Todo Noticias Online Website quoted State Department Spokesperson Philip Crowley's announcement that the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince resumed issuance of visas. http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota &nid=37996 DOES THE U.S. REFUSE TO APPROACH CUBAN DOCTORS? -------------- ¶4. Based on what appears to be interviews with Cuban physicians stationed in Haiti, Pagina 12 claimed that, although the U.S. and Cuba have the most people deployed in Haiti, the U.S. refuses to approach Cuban doctors. The paper also asserted that the White House did not respond to the Cuban government's proposed humanitarian cooperation, even after Cuba allowed the U.S. to use its air space to expedite U.S. aid to Haiti. http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3- 139567-2010-02-04.html "PROGRESS IN HAITI IS POSSIBLE" -------------- ¶5. Business-financial El Cronista printed an opinion piece by Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank Group, urging coordinated aid between donor countries, the Haitian government and the people. Zoellick cited Indonesia's reconstruction after the 2005 tsunami as a model. http://www.cronista.com/notas/220052-el-progr eso-haiti-es-posible- To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ