VZCZCXYZ0173
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0065/01 0111818
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111818Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3042
INFO RHMFIUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, 
WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION VISIT OF US SENATORS UPCOMING 
VISIT OF A/S SHANNON TO BUENOS AIRES EVERETT 
EISSENSTAT APPOINTMENT IRAN EVO MORALES 01/11/06 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's leading international stories include 
Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana's meetings 
with a delegation of US Republican senators; 
tomorrow's visit of A/S Shannon (business-financial 
papers highlight the "US and Argentina's renewed 
intention to resume talks after the 'short-circuits' 
occurred at the SOA due to FTAA"); and the appointment 
of Everett Eissenstat as US Assistant Trade 
Representative for the Americas. Business-financial 
"El Cronista" carries a positive editorial on Evo 
Morales. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Without 'carnal relations,' Taiana resumes talks 
with the US" 
 
Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" (01/11) reports 
"Nestor Kirchner wants, although not in a strident 
way, to heal the Argentine relationship with the USG, 
which was impaired at the SOA. The US Department of 
State and several governments of the region believed 
the SOA was a failure. This is why this week, the Pink 
House expects to improve the situation somewhat. In 
addition to tomorrow's visit of A/S for the Western 
Hemisphere Tom Shannon, yesterday, a delegation of US 
senators led by Mitch McConnell started a series of 
official visits. 
 
"... On trade hemispheric integration, disagreement 
prevails - Argentines talked about their ambition to 
liberalize agricultural trade before making progress 
on the FTAA. Obviously, they spoke about Bolivia and 
the political and institution riddle represented by 
Morales, and also about the endless Haitian crisis." 
 
- "Key meeting with Bush's envoy" 
 
Micaela Perez, economic and political columnist of 
business-financial "El Cronista," writes (01/11) 
"Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana received yesterday a 
delegation of US senators, led by Republican Senator 
Mitch McConnell, who are in Argentina to discuss 
several topics of the bilateral and regional agenda 
with local government officials. 
 
"... Generally speaking, the meeting's framework was 
the renewed intention of both countries to resume 
talks after the 'short-circuits' occurred at the SOA 
due to the FTAA implementation. 
 
"The most important bilateral meeting will take place 
tomorrow midday when Taiana meets with A/S for Western 
Hemisphere Affairs Tom Shannon, one of the main 
protagonists of the SOA in charge of promoting FTAA 
negotiations... 
 
"... Shannon's visit unleashed certain suspicion after 
Uruguay's alleged purpose of reaching a FTD with the 
US... Another topic that will surely be tackled is the 
US concern over Morales' victory in Bolivia." 
 
- "The US appoints Assistant Trade Representative for 
the Americas" 
 
Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" reports (01/11) 
"The US appointed a new officer for the development of 
its economic strategy on Latin America. It is Everett 
Eissenstat, who has acted so far as chief 
international trade counsel to the US Senate. 
 
"... This change is aimed at reversing the little 
success obtained in the development of bilateral deals 
with Latin American countries and blocs during latest 
years. 
 
"After what happened at the 2004 Cancun WTO meeting, 
the Bush administration decided to change the 
direction of its commercial policy on the hemisphere. 
It noticed that the FTAA could be slow, and, 
therefore, preferred to make progress on bilateral 
economic integration deals. 
 
"Nonetheless, this policy did not turn out as 
 
 
expected, and ever since just a few deals have been 
reached... 
 
"Then, the Mar del Plata Summit was a new retreat for 
US commercial projects in the region in view of 
Mercosur and Venezuela's rejection of the FTAA. 
 
"The new strategy seeks to speed up and deepen 
bilateral deals by making progress on FTDs with Peru 
and Ecuador." 
 
- "The West has little maneuvering margin" 
 
Alberto Armendariz, daily-of-record "La Nacion's" New 
York-based correspondent, writes (01/11) "Iran's 
resumption of its nuclear research program unleashed 
yesterday a dangerous verbal escalation between Tehran 
and the West, but the US and EU's threats to submit 
the issue to the UN Security Council could have no 
impact on the conservative government of Mahmoud 
Ahmadinajad, who believes the West's coercion power is 
today limited. 
 
"... Yesterday's was President Ahmadinajad's second 
nuclear challenge to the international community since 
he took over in August... 
 
"... Iran's attitude did nothing but increase 
Washington and the EU's fears that Iran seeks to 
manufacture nuclear weapons... 
 
"... If the issue is finally submitted to the UN 
Security Council, diplomatic sanctions or an economic 
embargo could be imposed, but Iran's reaction... could 
pose even greater economic and political problems to 
the international community." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "Evo, the new Lula?" 
 
Business-financial "El Cronista" editorializes (01/11) 
"Amid post-crisis questions and concern unleashed 
among international corporations by Morales taking 
over, there have been encouraging signs in La Paz. 
Amid Morales' long international tour, the Bolivian 
Private Businessmen Corporation praised Morales' 
presentation and termed his tour as 'exceptional.' 'He 
obtained what others would not have obtained,' in 
reference to the economic aid promised by Venezuela 
and Spain. 
 
"During recent days, Morales has appeared convinced 
that the country will need investment in order to 
overcome poverty and has even promised guarantees to 
businessmen. Will his administration be closer to 
those of Castro and Chavez, as one could expect, or to 
pragmatic Lula? We'll see, but the choice of realistic 
integration could be a first positive step." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
The Media Reaction Report reflects articles and 
opinions by the cited news media and do not 
necessarily reflect U.S. Embassy policy or views.  The 
 
Public Affairs Section does not independently verify 
information.  The report is intended for internal U.S. 
Government use only. 
 
GUTIERREZ