Media Report January 22

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000076 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: Media Report January 22 Lead Story ¶1. A political pact settled by the two right coalition parties RN and UDI with the Radical Social Democratic Party (PRSD) and the Independent Regionalist Party (PRI) to distribute the chairs of the legislative committees at the Higher and Lower chambers triggered another crisis in the government coalition. OAS Secretary General ¶2. "OAS Fine Tunes Agreement to Hold Elections on March 24." Next Tuesday, the 34 OAS accredited Ambassadors will hold another Permanent Council meeting to determine the date to conduct the Secretary General election. Sources confirmed that numerous talks taken place during the past few days have set the election for March, Wednesday 24. Allegedly, a change in Washington's stance over the matter allowed the matter to make progress. Last week, (Foreign Minister Mariano) Fernandez addressed the issue with WHA Assistant Secretary Arturo Valenzuela, who after the meeting commented that (Chile's proposal to move ahead the election) had "merits", thus indicating a strong contrast with the U.S. initial refusal. (Conservative, newspaper-of-record El Mercurio, 1/22) Secretary Clinton-Internet Freedom Speech ¶3. Short article mentioning Secretary Clinton's remarks on Internet freedom yesterday, entitled "U.S. Calls for a Network without Restrictions" Secretary Clinton advocated for an unrestricted Internet and called to globally condemn cyber attackers, in an allusion to the Chinese government's censorship on Google. (El Mercurio, 1/22) Haiti ¶4. "Banks to Function this Weekend; Haiti Seaport Reopens to Distribute Humanitarian Aid" Nine days after the devastating earthquake, some international rescue workers are beginning to withdraw. However, Chilean experts continue to work at the Montana Hotel. (El Mercurio, 1/22) ¶5. "Increasing Fears of Infections and Epidemics Intensify Haiti Crisis" (La Tercera, 1/22) ¶6. "U.N. Dramatic Acknowledgment: 'We are Overwhelmed." While international aid continues to arrive in Haiti's capital city, the U.N. and other countries, such as the United States and Canada, who have sent large numbers of troops, are still unable to coordinate the distribution. Additionally, security continues to be a problem that increases the battered population's anguish. Sidebar acknowledges the contributions and capabilities of the USNS COMFORT. (Government-owned, but editorially independent La Nacion, 1/22) ¶7. "U.S. Blocks Haitians from Exiting by Sea and Sends them to Guantanamo" The Haitians are desperate in their attempts to leave their country for the United States. Although the U.S. has deployed soldiers, rescue workers, doctors and resources, it said that it is not willing "to admit any Haitian citizen who attempts to illegally reach U.S. coasts," reported the State Department in a statement distributed by the U.S. Armed Forces. But not all is bad news. Approximately 200,000 Haitians who already were in the United States at the time of the earthquake will be able to stay and work for a period of 18 months. (Conservative, afternoon-daily La Segunda, 1/22) ¶8. Editorial entitled "Haiti Exposed" "The tragedy has served to expose the U.N.'s unfruitful job done in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere... Once the humanitarian emergency is over, it would be absurd to reinstate the same collaboration strategy that was in place until January 12, 2010. The enormous cost and meager success prevents it." (El Mercurio, 1/22) URBAN