VZCZCXYZ0015
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0308/01 0391942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081942Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3396
INFO RHMFIUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000308 
 
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 IRAN-IAEA-ARGENTINA, GLOBAL 
OUTRAGE OVER MUHAMMAD CARTOONS, HAMAS; BUENOS AIRES 
02/07/06 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Papers continue to lead with the Iran case at the 
IAEA, with France and Russia seeking to stop the 
escalation against Tehran, and Argentina's public 
stance on the up-coming vote at the UNSC; the growing 
violence between the Muslim world and the West, 
following the publication of Muhammad's cartoons and 
Hamas' allegedly remarkable opportunity to bridge the 
deep differences between Israel and Palestine. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Discussing Iran" 
 
Leftist "Pagina 12" says (02/07) "Argentina's 
Ambassador to the UN, Cesar Mayoral, assured that 
Argentina 'won't necessarily side' with the U.S. next 
month when voting on the Iran case at the UNSC. 'Prior 
to the vote, we will discuss the IAEA's final report 
and what we will do with Iran's nuclear program, but 
we won't necessarily align ourselves with the U.S. 
because this is not a problem between two countries,' 
said Mayoral. From New York, the diplomat also charged 
against the 'political side of aligning with the U.S., 
or against Venezuela,' by saying 'what we're debating 
here only has to do with the use of nuclear energy for 
purposes that are not peaceful,' he said." 
 
- "Argentina, Without a Defined Position" 
 
Center-right, daily-of-record "La Nacion" says (02/07) 
".... Ambassador Mayoral said 'We won't decide 
anything until we read the IAEA report; Argentina will 
first analyze the report, listen to what is said in 
Vienna and, from there, discuss future actions, which 
is another issue,' said Mayoral." 
 
- "Russia and France Want to Stop Escalation of War 
Against Iran" 
 
Maria Laura Avignolo, centrist, leading "Clarin" Paris- 
based correspondent, writes (02/07) ".... France 
joined Russia in its search for a negotiated solution 
and urged Tehran 'to cooperate' with the international 
community. 
 
".... Iran replied that 'IAEA inspectors will come to 
Tehran in the next few days'... 
 
"Iran's response appears amid confusing declarations 
within Tehran's government, where some officials refer 
to the ban on IAEA's untimely inspections to Iran's 
installations and others mention the up-coming visit 
of these UN officials to the nuclear plants. 
 
"Some foreign diplomats in Tehran perceive a clear 
division in the administration: President Ahmadinejad 
is supported in his defiant declarations by the Guards 
of the Revolution and the secret service, while the 
Foreign Ministry seems to be trying to find a 
conciliatory line, before the UNSC meeting in March, 
when it needs to obtain votes to counteract possible 
sanctions. 
 
".... Regardless of certain challenging declarations, 
Iran is leaving the door open to diplomacy...." 
 
- "Reactions" 
 
Marcelo Cantelmi, centrist, leading "Clarin" 
international editor, opines (02/07) "The outrage of 
the Muslim world following Denmark's publication of 
Muhammad's cartoons is an exuberant overreaction. But 
that obvious issue doesn't justify the less dogmatic 
position of a good portion of the Western world. The 
publication of those cartoons was made without taking 
into consideration the conflictive scenario in the 
Muslim world due to the war in Iraq, the Palestinian 
dead-end or the 'demonization' of Islam. The West is 
seriously responsible for that, like it was when it 
fostered the growth of Islamic leaders in the region 
to block the USSR during the Cold War, or it wove 
alliances with Bin Laden or Saddam. Therefore, 
Fundamentalism has many fathers. This is why the 
publication of the cartoons appears like an 
 
 
unnecessary and puerile provocation rather than a 
sensible exercise of freedom of the press." 
 
- "A Rift That Grows Day by Day" 
 
Eduardo Febbro, leftist "Pagina 12" Paris-based 
correspondent, writes (02/07) ".... The crisis sparked 
by the publication of the cartoons in a Denmark daily 
acquired a proportion that's out of control. 
 
".... According to observers, the 'cartoon crisis' led 
to a political issue of major proportions that goes 
beyond controversy. 
 
"European leaders believe that the publication by 
several other dailies only 'added fuel to the initial 
insult.' Nothing indicates today that 'the offense' 
will tone down. Those responsible in the EU don't know 
what to do in order to calm down the tension and 
prevent the crisis from being used as a component to 
spread hatred towards the Western world, in a context 
that's already marked by a division between the Muslim 
world and Western countries, with the backdrop of 
three conflicts: the invasion of Iraq, the war in 
Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 
Gathered in Brussels for an urgent meeting, 
representatives of the 25 EU members called for 'peace 
and dialogue.'..." 
 
- "Hamas, a Formidable Opportunity" 
 
Political analyst Vicente Massot, writes in center- 
right, daily-of-record "La Nacion" (02/07) ".... No 
matter how controversial we view it, Hamas' victory 
doesn't necessarily have to be ominous. Moreover: it 
might be an encouragement to negotiate the enmity of 
both sides which, I may add, won't disappear in the 
region by magic. Let's be honest: the present 
situation has nothing to do with poverty in the world, 
the U.S. invasion of Iraq or the absence of democratic 
traditions in the Arab world. In fact, what we must 
bear in mind is the existence of a war that, without a 
solution in sight, has spread since the creation of 
the State of Israel; the presence of two enemies, 
apparently irreconcilable, and the fundamental role 
that the U.S. - as only superpower -- might play as 
ultimate guarantor of Israel's security. 
 
".... Today, the important issue is that Hamas is co- 
ruling and knows, better than anyone, that the Jewish 
army may easily occupy the Western bank, without 
eliminating the Palestinian claim, and also the 
asymmetry in terms of power is so important that 
Israel may, at the same time, maintain the present 
status quo for decades. 
 
".... Those who believed that after Arafat's death, 
the only obstacle to reach peace had disappeared and 
that his successor Abu Mazen would be the ideal 
interlocutor, were far from being right. The only 
interlocutor capable of bridging the huge differences 
between these belligerent players is Hamas, more so 
after its victory in the elections. Basically, because 
it has the necessary power to negotiate and meet its 
commitments...." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "Correct Steps in Foreign Policy" 
 
An editorial in center-right, daily-of-record "La 
Nacion" reads (02/07) "Argentina's decision to side 
with the vote of the majority of the countries that 
are part of the IAEA board to take the Iran case to 
the UNSC, was correct. 
 
"In view of the ratification of its nuclear plan by 
Tehran's theocratic regime - which means more 
instability in the volatile Middle East region and 
represents a threat to global peace - our country 
acted seriously, siding with the nations that want to 
investigate the true reasons for Iran's program. 
 
"By doing this, the Kirchner administration seems to 
have made a correct evaluation of its foreign policy 
strategy, to separate the ideological and biased vote 
 
 
of Cuba and Venezuela... 
 
"In this context, we must celebrate Argentina's 
rapprochement with the U.S. after the abrupt retreat 
and cooling in bilateral relations, due to the public 
differences clearly expressed at the Summit of the 
Americas. 
 
".... Good relations with key countries don't have to 
be equal to submission. Instead, they must be a policy 
marked by seriousness, respect and autonomy in the key 
decisions of the Republic. 
 
"....Despite the differences in criteria, there are 
many issues of mutual interest that Argentina has with 
the U.S., which need to be reinforced, such as the 
future of Bolivia in the hands of its new leader, Evo 
Morales, the growing confrontation between Venezuela 
and Washington, the present and future of Haiti and, 
at a global level, Iran's nuclear crisis. 
 
"Vis--vis this critical issue that jeopardizes global 
stability, our country presented a firm position that 
must be underscored. 
 
".... Argentina's recent steps in foreign policy must 
be highlighted, because they bring the country closer 
to moderate and reasonable positions, which may again 
lead it to become a reference when making key 
decisions for the future of the region and the world." 
 
¶4. 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