VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1102/01 1351902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151902Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4538
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001102 
 
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 TROOPS TO MEXICAN BORDER EU- 
LATIN AMERICAN SUMMIT ARGENTINE DEPUTY KUNKEL 
REJECTING STATEMENTS BY NOMINEE FOR US AMBASSADOR TO 
BUENOS AIRES WAYNE US VIEW OF LATIN AMERICAN DIVISION 
US-URUGUAYAN FTA ARGENTINE PRESIDENT KIRCHNER USG 
CONCERN OVER THE TRI-BORDER 05/15/06;BUENOS AIRES 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Weekend stories include the US Pentagon drawing up 
plans for troops on the Mexican border; European and 
Latin American leaders' pledge to bolster ties in "bi- 
regional strategic relationship;" Argentine deputy 
Carlos Kunkel rejecting the statements of nominee for 
US ambassador to Buenos Aires, Anthony Wayne; the US 
view of Latin American division; a possible US- 
Uruguayan trade deal; Argentina's plan for Haiti; 
Argentine President Kirchner's style; the likelihood 
of an oil re-nationalization in Argentina; and the USG 
concern over the Tri-Border. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "The US could send 5,000 troops to the Mexican 
border" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (05/13) "According 
to the US Department of Defense, the US Pentagon could 
deploy more than 5,000 troops and military equipment 
to the US-Mexican border to help reduce the entry of 
hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants per year. 
 
"More than 12 million undocumented immigrants live in 
the US, most of whom come from Mexico and the rest of 
Latin America. However, the Departments of Homeland 
Security and Defense fear that the border could be 
porous enough to let terrorists enter. The US Defense 
Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and his Mexican 
 
SIPDIS 
counterpart, General Clemente Vega, have already 
discussed some of the problems observed on the border, 
which is over 3,200 kilometer long." 
 
- "Kunkel against the US ambassador" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (05/13) "National 
deputy Carlos Kunkel rejected the statements of the 
future US ambassador to Buenos Aires, Earl Wayne, on 
the alleged lack of judicial security for foreign 
investment in Argentina. Kunkel said 'An Argentine 
Ambassador would never go to the US to say what 
domestic policy the US should have.' 
 
"... The Kirchner deputy went further when he said 
that the future US ambassador 'is coming to our 
country as though he was a viceroy trying to tell us 
what we should do - returning to the '90s with the 
same prescriptions of the Washington consensus.' 
 
"... In spite of his criticism, Kunkel highlighted the 
'good ties' between the (Argentine) Government and the 
US, and he added that he expected Michael Matera... to 
inform the future ambassador that 'we respect the 
sovereignty of all countries.'" 
 
- "How the US sees divisions in Latin America" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (05/14) " USG 
officials prefer to keep their most conclusive 
opinions on Latin America to themselves. They know 
that whatever they say may feed hemispheric division, 
and the White House has also been the recurrent target 
of Hugo Chavez's tough statements. 
 
"US Assistant Secretary for Latin American Affairs Tom 
Shannon maintained his low profile as regional 
disputes were more and more acute during latest weeks. 
However, the US Department of State maintained and 
reiterated its stance that Argentina and Brazil should 
play 'a more active role' with presidents Evo Morales 
and Hugo Chavez. 
 
"The future Ambassador to Buenos Aires, Earl Anthony 
Wayne, has said that the two most powerful countries 
in the Southern Cone are 'very committed to 
democracy,' and that this is a strong basis for the 
promotion of stability in the hemisphere. 
 
"For his part, former Assistant Secretary of State for 
 
 
 
 
 
Latin America, Otto Reich, said that 'it is 
interesting to see how the rational and democratic 
left wing is differentiating itself from the radical 
and violent left wing.' 
 
"... Peter De Shazo, also former USG official in 
charge of Latin America at the US State Department, 
agrees with Reich. 'What happens in Bolivia during the 
next weeks will be very important for the country and 
for its ties with Brazil, Argentina and Spain, which 
has huge investment initiatives in Bolivia.'" 
 
- "Europe and the US benefit from Latin American 
fights" 
 
Horacio Riggi, columnist of business-financial, center- 
right "InfoBae," writes (05/15) "The exhibition of 
(Latin American) bilateral conflicts, (like that 
between Argentina and Uruguay over the paper mills or 
the one between Bolivia and Brazil due to the 
nationalization of hydrocarbons) highlight the 
weakness of South American integration as compared 
with that of the EU. 
 
"This seems normal except if one takes into account 
that in these times of globalization future FTAs are 
at stake all over the world, and this will call for a 
common discourse when the time comes to negotiate as a 
bloc. 
 
"... What was floating in Vienna is that while South 
American countries are confronting each other, the G7 
countries are continuing their game. In fact, the 
summit was a follow-up of WTO negotiations... 
 
"The summit was 'crowded' with Mexican businessmen, 
who are key allies of the US when the time comes to 
defend the alleged benefits of an FTA for the region." 
 
- "Proposal to Uruguay - the US and Mercosur" 
 
Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" (05/15) 
"Uruguay could sign a trade deal (as long as it is not 
a free exchange of goods and services) with the US, 
which could enable it to increase its exports and stay 
within Mercosur. In this way, the Vazquez 
administration could be able to make progress on its 
relationship with the US without affecting its status 
within Mercosur. 
 
"This proposal will be submitted by Argentine and 
Brazilian negotiators to Uruguayan government 
officials during the meetings that have been held in 
Buenos Aires since May. Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana 
is attempting to separate the paper mill conflict from 
Mercosur negotiations with a clear purpose - to 
prevent the July 8-9 presidential summit in Argentina 
from failing. Tabare Vazquez's attendance is not 
guaranteed and if he fails to attend it would be the 
first time a head of State would be missing." 
 
- "Kirchner sees an axis with Brazil and Venezuela" 
 
Alejandro Di Lazzaro, on special assignment in Vienna 
for daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (05/14) "... 
Nestor Kirchner believes that Argentina, Brazil and 
Venezuela will be the main partners of Mercosur. 
 
"Economic strength and foreign governments' confidence 
will be the main pillars. Kirchner is building on the 
recognition of Argentina's economic recovery he 
received from European leaders, the deployment and 
variety of Brazilian production, and the impetus oil 
gives to the Venezuelan economy. 
 
"According to him, Bolivia is not reliable yet, and he 
is not taking Uruguay into account. Chile has to enter 
the gas negotiation." 
 
- "Argentina is preparing a plan for Haiti, the 
poorest country in America" 
 
Nicolas Lantos, columnist of centrist "Perfil" 
 
 
 
 
 
newspaper, writes (05/14) "... In order to carry out 
his administration, Preval asked the presidents of 
Argentina, Chile and Brazil to prepare a plan of 
government. According to Foreign Ministry sources, the 
Argentine role would be to  adapt to Haiti those 
social policies implemented here after the 2001 
crisis. 
 
"This plan plus a rapprochement to Cuba and Venezuela 
would be the base on which Preval will attempt to 
build his power." 
 
- "Kirchner's challenges to foreign leaders" 
 
Joaquin Morales Sola, political analyst of daily-of- 
record "La Nacion," opines (05/14) "... Kirchner's 
style and some latest measures of his administration 
have meant a noticeable slump in Argentina's 
international standing. The crisis with Uruguay broke 
unexpectedly in Europe. Javier Solana, who is in 
charge of the EU's foreign relations, warned Mercosur 
that it will be lost if it does not put aside its 
clashes. 
 
"... Kirchner challenges businessmen and investors, 
does not honor the promises he makes to them, and, on 
top of everything, he portrays them as looters of 
national wealth. As a result, investors leave or do 
not come, whether he likes it or not. 
 
"And a problem of the Argentine president, and not a 
minor one, is that his name is too often associated 
with Chavez and Evo all over the world." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "Evo Peron?" 
 
An editorial in liberal, English-language "Buenos 
Aires Herald" reads (05/15) "Nothing is official 
yet... but there seems every reason to expect Kirchner 
to be following in Juan Domingo Peron's footsteps, 
renationalizing oil just as Peron renationalized the 
railways. The political reasons for such a move are 
obvious... but if it takes two to tango, the current 
Spanish Repsol owners of YPF seem only too willing to 
make up a pair. The Spaniards are anxious to reduce 
their exposure to Argentine risk and the merciless 
export duties but they would find it extremely 
difficult to find a commercial buyer because 'buying 
dear to sell cheap' runs against the most basic 
business principles and that is what any private- 
sector purchaser would effectively be doing - paying a 
fortune on the basis of today's sky-high oil prices 
only to sell fuel at Argentina's politicized prices... 
 
"If indeed Kirchner makes his spectacular 
announcement, the next question would then be what the 
state intends to do with its new toy. After taking 
control either directly or indirectly of the 
privatized utilities, the state has shown a sudden 
interest in raising gas, power and other utility rates 
- would there be a similar U-turn with the politicized 
petrol and fuel prices in order to secure a return on 
investment?" 
 
- "Tri-Border, a concern" 
 
An editorial in conservative "La Prensa" reads (05/13) 
"During an address to the US Lower House International 
Relations Committee..., the coordinator of Affairs 
against Terrorism at the US Department of State, Henry 
¶A. Crumpton, clearly highlighted increasing US concern 
over the so-called Tri-Border... 
 
"... The contentious Tri-Border case may contribute to 
creating an agreed upon security policy among the 
different Mercosur partners. Delays or weaknesses in 
implementing security measures can only contribute to 
increasing the potential danger posed by the lack of 
control in the area and protecting serious crimes 
against humanity." 
 
 
 
 
 
- "The Southern Cone is divided at the Vienna Summit" 
 
An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (05/14) "The 
Southern Cone's environmental and energy issues 
unexpectedly invaded the Vienna summit agenda, thereby 
postponing the treatment of crucial issues in inter- 
continental ties. 
 
"... The Argentine-Uruguayan dispute over the paper 
mills and the conflict between Brazil and Bolivia over 
the nationalization of hydrocarbons have made everyone 
disregard what should have been the main topic of the 
summit: the EU not honoring its promise to lower farm 
subsidies." 
 
- "Little progress in Vienna" 
 
Conservative "La Prensa" carries an editorial (05/14) 
"During the EU-Latin American summit, Latin American 
divisions... and the EU going through an identity 
crisis made obvious the need for finding alternatives 
to the restrictive policies marked by regional 
alignment and alliances. 
 
"... What was highlighted at the summit is that no 
European country wants to renounce protectionism... 
The main topics of the summit conclusions were the 
need for reinforcing democracy, human rights and 
multilateralism, and deals of association, energy and 
education. 
 
"Vienna deepened regional confrontations and left open 
questions about what the future relationship between 
Mercosur and the EU will be like." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
GUTIERREZ