MEDIA REACTION: CFK CRITICIZES PRESIDENT OBAMA DAYS BEFORE

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000256

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 AR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CFK CRITICIZES PRESIDENT OBAMA DAYS BEFORE
MEETING SECRETARY CLINTON; 2/26/10; BUENOS AIRES

SUMMARY

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1. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner's "critical" interview
with CNN and her "photo opportunity" with Secretary Clinton made
headlines in all newspapers. Most highlighted Kirchner's comments
that President Obama failed "to meet Latin American expectations"
and that she disapproved of the way the U.S. handled the Honduran
coup. Argentina's largest daily claimed Kirchner's remarks
"reflect much what other Latin American presidents are thinking."
Newspapers also covered expectations surrounding the meeting
between Kirchner and Clinton on March 1, noting that there is
barely time for much more than "a photo and greetings." End
summary.




2. Ana Baron, largest daily Clarin's Washington correspondent,
focused on President Kirchner's quote that President Obama "did not
meet Latin America's expectations" and also on his weakness towards
dealing with the coup in Honduras. Baron believes Kirchner's
statements "reflect much what other Latin American presidents are
thinking in private." While Baron also points out that the
"timing" of the interview is "calling much attention," Baron notes
that when Kirchner gave the interview, the Argentine Embassy in the
U.S. already knew that "Hilary had decided not to include
Argentina" in her South American trip in March 2010. In fact,
Baron labels the meeting between Secretary Clinton and Kirchner on
March 1 as "simply a photo opportunity."

http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/26/elpai s/p-02147938.htm




3. Second-largest daily La Nacion stated that Kirchner's "focus
of complaints" was the "U.S. conduct during the Honduras crisis."
According to "high-level officials and diplomats" speaking to La
Nacion, Kirchner planned to "bring these words to her meeting with
Hilary Clinton," while the article also quotes a separate "high
official" saying that Kirchner "did not say anything that has not
been said before." Regarding Secretary Clinton's trip to the
region in March, the article points out that it was "never in her
plans" to "step foot in Argentina" and that Argentine diplomats
"did not ignore" the fact that Kirchner's statements came "barely
days before a face-to-face meeting" with Secretary Clinton.

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 237368




4. Headlining the article that Secretary Clinton "will only have
time for a photo" with President Kirchner, La Nacion's U.S.
correspondent, Silvia Pisani, comments that Clinton "traveling to
three neighboring countries without stepping foot in Argentina" is
a "faithful thermometer" of a bi-lateral relationship. Pisani
points out that the U.S. is following "diplomatic practice," as not
having a meeting would be worse. Nonetheless, the meeting could
not last "much more than five minutes," which is typically how long
it takes "to take a photo, greet, and little more." In fact,
Pisani observes that diplomatic sources say that the meeting is
scheduled for 1:45pm, but yet at 1:55pm, Uruguayan President-elect
Mujica will enter the stage, which is when "all guests are supposed
to be seated."

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 237372





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