MEDIA REACTION: U.S. RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI; 01/27/10;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000078 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: U.S. RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI; 01/27/10; BUENOS AIRES SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; U.S. RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI; 01/27/10; BUENOS AIRES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. The top Haiti story on January 27 was the U.S. troops' "miraculous" rescue of a survivor from the ruins of a collapsed building. Some media also covered Secretary Clinton's strong defense of U.S. relief efforts in response to those who criticized the U.S. decision to send troops along with civilians. An opinion piece in pro-government, left-of-center newspaper Pagina 12 warned against an international adoption NGO with an office in Florida, which allegedly failed to deliver children as promised. End summary. "MIRACULOUS" U.S. RESCUE TOPS HEADLINES ON HAITI -------------- ¶2. Several newspapers and TV stations reported very positively on the U.S. troops' "miraculous" rescue of a survivor two weeks after the earthquake. Leading circulation Clarin, daily-of-record La Nacion, pro-U.S., conservative La Prensa, English-language and liberal Buenos Aires Herald, and Clarin Group's Todo Noticias cable TV station highlighted the rescue, adding that it came as U.S. relief efforts were focused on getting help to hundreds of thousands of survivors. "HAITI: U.S. DEFENDS ITS ASSISTANCE" -------------- ¶3. Daily-of-record La Nacion and state-owned Telam wire service agency picked up an AP and EFE wire service story highlighting Secretary Clinton's strong defense of the U.S. relief efforts in Haiti. "I deeply resent those who attack our country, the generosity of our people and the leadership of our president in trying to respond to the unprecedented disastrous conditions after the earthquake," La Nacion quoted the Secretary as saying. Noting that not only Bolivian President Evo Morales and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez harshly criticized the U.S. military deployment but also some international media, the articles also quoted Secretary Clinton's remarks that "Some international media did not understand or deliberately misinterpreted" the decision to send troops along with civilians. "INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION AS A BUSINESS" -------------- ¶4. Under the headline "International adoption as a business," pro-government, left-of-center Pagina 12 warned against Angel Faces International Adoption Organization and its Argentine head, Cristina Isabel Gutierrez. According to the article, the organization, which reportedly has an office in Florida, used an Internet site (www.angelfaces-adopcion-internacional.org) and a Yahoo forum to offer assistance in the adoption of "unprotected children" from Haiti arriving "by the hundreds" to the U.S. However, Gutierrez reportedly later said she would not be able to provide the service as a result of lack of support from the U.S. government. Pagina 12 also prints a side-box noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is advising Argentines not to adopt Haitian children based on the UN Convention on Children's Rights and UNICEF dictates. To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ