VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0925/01 1151941
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251941Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4285
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000925 
 
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 US IMMIGRATION POLICY BLOW TO 
EGYPT TORTURE LEGITIMIZATION CHAVEZ AND MERCOSUR US- 
URUGUAYAN FTA CODEL SHELBY CHINA ARGENTINE JUDICIAL 
SECURITY 04/25/06 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Leading international stories today include terrorist 
bombs hitting the Egyptian resort of Dahab killing at 
least 23 people and wounding more than 60; US 
President George W. Bush's trip to California and 
defense of his proposal to grant a temporary work 
permit to immigrants; the possible causes of the blow 
to Egypt; the legitimization of barbarianism in the 
world; Argentine President Kirchner and Brazilian 
President Lula allegedly attempting to limit 
Venezuelan President Chavez's influence in Latin 
America; Uruguayan President Vazquez' trip to the US 
and Mexico to obtain free trade deals; US senators' 
meeting with Argentine VP Daniel Scioli and Foreign 
Minister Jorge Taiana; and Argentina's judicial 
security. 
 
Conservative "La Prensa," left-of-center "Pagina 12," 
liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald," 
business-financial "El Cronista," and populist 
"Cronica" report the visit of Codel Shelby, led by 
Senator Richard Shelby. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Bush: 'Deporting undocumented (immigrants) is not a 
realistic solution'" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading 
"Clarin," writes (04/25) "Less than six months away 
from legislative elections, with an ongoing election 
campaign, George w. Bush traveled to California during 
the weekend..., where he gave a very conciliatory 
speech 'Deporting twelve million immigrants is not a 
realistic solution. It is not going to work.' 
 
"With respect to the US Congress, which does not come 
to terms on what to do with the problem posed by 
illegal immigrants, Bush defended his project to grant 
a temporary work permit to foreign workers. According 
to him, this permit will prevent immigrants from 
having to risk their lives by illegally crossing the 
border." 
 
- "Hitting the economy" 
 
Claudio Mario Aliscioni, columnist of leading 
"Clarin," writes (04/25) "A current interpretation of 
terrorism will insist on linking bombings in Egypt to 
Al Qaeda. But it is equally important to understand 
the event as a result of Egypt's domestic policy. 
 
"Islamic militants' broad official repression of the 
'90s has created a stampede of radicalized youth, 
whose goal is to hit the Egyptian government, which 
they see as an ally of the US and Israel. This is why 
they attacked tourism, which is the vital chord of the 
economy of the country." 
 
- "The problem of legitimizing barbarianism as a 
resource" 
 
Oscar Raul Cardoso, international analyst of leading 
"Clarin," opines (04/25) "... Barbarianism appears 
legitimized as a resource... 
 
"There is a clear anti-civilization impulse in this 
dialectic process. Since the September 11 attacks, we 
have learned to 'digest' an obscure global war because 
the other side is unidentifiable most of the time. 
After the last two decades deemed to establish an era 
of unwaivable respect for human rights, the new era 
displays detainees without a right to trial or defense 
and democratic governments legitimizing torture as an 
inescapable phase. 
 
"... Now, one should wonder whether this sort of 
negative dialectic process will not end up working in 
favor of several forms of social control, whether it 
is the one exercised by George W. Bush or that dreamt 
of by Osama bin Laden." 
 
- "Kirchner and Lula, to reinvent Mercosur" 
 
 
 
Luis Esnal, on special assignment in Sao Paulo for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (04/25) "President 
Nestor Kirchner will arrive today in Brazil to meet 
with Lula... amid the resurge of the conflict over the 
pulp mills whose impact on Mercosur is a topic of 
concern for the two largest partners of the bloc. 
 
"... The main topic of discussion in the bilateral 
meeting between Lula and Kirchner is the deterioration 
of Mercosur, with Uruguay threatening to get out of 
the bloc and Paraguay saying that its largest partners 
do not help the smaller ones. Another topic of 
discussion will be Montevideo's decision to speed up 
an FTA with the US. 
 
"... For his part, Chavez will bring his request for 
support to obtain a chair as a non permanent member at 
the UN Security Council, which Argentina will leave 
this year. 
 
"According to an Argentine diplomat, 'US pressure both 
in Argentina and Brazil, to prevent Chavez from having 
a chair at the UN Security Council is very strong. 
However, with all the business initiatives Chavez is 
proposing to fund, no one is willing to say no to 
him.' 
 
"As long as the value of a barrel of oil remains high, 
Chavez's progress in the region will continue 
increasing, and this is what has started to disturb 
Brazil and Argentina." 
 
- "Uruguay will speed up an FTA with the US" 
 
Luis Esnal, on special assignment in Montevideo for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (04/25) "President 
Tabare Vazquez conveyed to his governmental staff the 
importance of his trip to the US and Mexico, which is 
intended to reach free trade deals that will enable 
Uruguay to increase its exports outside of Mercosur. 
 
"According to governmental sources, it will also be 
another step to explore similar possibilities in 
another region, like China and India." 
 
- "US senators meet with Taiana and Scioli" 
 
Conservative "La Prensa" reports (04/25) "Foreign 
Minister Jorge Taiana received a delegation of US 
senators... to discuss money laundering control and 
local legislation to fight terrorism financing. 
 
"US senators 'emphasized the broad cooperation between 
Argentina and the US in this field.' Foreign Minister 
Taiana 'reaffirmed Argentina's strong commitment to 
eradicating these scourges through bilateral, regional 
and multilateral actions.'" 
 
- "The example set by the Chinese president" 
 
Andres Oppenheimer, contributor to daily-of-record "La 
Nacion," writes (04/25) "When Chinese President Hu 
Jintao visited the US last week, his first stop was 
not the White House, but the headquarters of Microsoft 
and Boeing in Seattle. Latin American presidents would 
do well to take note of this small detail. 
 
"While China and its Asian neighbors are openly 
courting foreign corporations and visiting US 
businessmen, many Latin American presidents either 
ignore multinational companies or insult them to get 
the applause of the audience." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "The country's image and investment" 
 
An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (04/25) "During 
an interview, Finnish Foreign Trade Minister Paula 
Lehtomaki warned of the negative impact of a negative 
investment climate. 
 
"... In order to capture long-term investment, the 
country needs to generate confidence that politics 
will not interfere in the development of business and 
 
 
 
that judicial security will be guaranteed. 
 
"For this purpose, it is necessary to implement 
cautious public policies and avoid aggressive 
political gestures that could create mistrust among 
investors." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
GUTIERREZ