VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1389/01 1731911
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221911Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4972
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001389 
 
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 NORTH KOREA; US-LATIN AMERICA; GUANTANAMO; 
FREE TRADE; LATIN AMERICAN POPULISM; GLOBAL WARMING 06/22/06; BUENOS 
AIRES 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's papers lead with the current tension between the US and 
North Korea; the US concern over Latin American democracy; the EU 
pressuring US President Bush over the closure of Guantanamo prison; 
US President Bush leading world trade negotiations; the nature of 
Latin American populist movements; and the implications of global 
warming. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Without any margin to run risks" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (06/22) "Yesterday, the White 
House sent a message to North Korea - there will be neither a 
pre-emptive attack nor bQteral talks. It also asked North Korea to 
put an end to its missile and nuclear program, agree to 
international rules, and join the five countries that wait for them 
to find a way out together - China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and 
the US. 
 
"Why has US President Bush dismissed a pre-emptive attack (just like 
the one he approved against Iraq) except under extreme 
circumstances? 
 
"Why, if North Korea has said it does have WMD, which Saddam Hussein 
denied? Because all variables are different. North Korea is not Iraq 
- neither for its neighboring countries (China, Russia, South Korea 
and Japan) nor for its military capabilities. 
 
"Pyongyang's Communist regime is making progress every day on its 
long-range war power, while Iraqi forces were reduced after the 
First Gulf War and the following embargo. Times have changed also. 
September 11 attacks changed the world dynamics and particularly 
that of the US." 
 
- "The US is concerned over Chavez and Nicaragua" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," 
comments (06/22) "Latin American democracy has not been a US 
priority for a long time. In the framework of the Cold War, the USGs 
justified (Latin American) military dictatorships in the name of the 
struggle against Communism. Currently, the opposite happens. The 
only thing Washington seems to be concerned about is the future of 
our democratic systems. So much so that yesterday the US Lower 
House's Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing that was entirely 
devoted to this issue. 
 
"Beyond this turn, the problem remains that the US lacks an 
efficient strategy to help find a solution to poverty and 
corruption, which partly explain the region's past and current 
democratic weakness. 
 
"... Both legislators and Thomas Shannon and other two attending USG 
officials, USAID Assistant Director Adolfo Franco and Assistant 
Secretary Paula Dobriansky, agreed to denounce Venezuela's 
 
SIPDIS 
interference in the elections of Bolivia, Peru and Nicaragua. 
 
"However, Democratic Deputy Howard Berman said that not only has 
Venezuela interfered in the elections of other countries. 'I have 
been in Nicaragua during the latest presidential elections and it 
seemed to me that the US Embassy was involved in guaranteeing Mr. 
Ortega's defeat.'" 
 
- "Bush is pressured over Guantanamo" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (06/22) "US President George W. 
Bush faced new EU pressures over the controversial Guantanamo prison 
during a summit with EU leaders in which the EU formally asked him 
to close the prison. 
 
"In response to this demand and in an attempt to reverse the 
negative image he has in the EU, Bush reiterated he intends to close 
the military prison in Cuba, but that he would not be able to do it 
in the short term. 
 
"The US-EU summit occurred at a time when bilateral ties have 
improved after the disagreement over the war in Iraq, although the 
relationship is still darkened due to Bush's bad reputation in 
Europe based on the way he is carrying out the war on terrorism." 
 
- "Bush leads free trade discussions" 
 
Centrist newspaper "Perfil" reports (06/22) "One week away from WTO 
member countries seeking to make progress in the Doha Round 
 
 
negotiations, US President George W. Bush took the initiative in 
multilateral negotiations by pointing out that 'the delayed world 
trade deal is still possible,' in spite of the transatlantic 
disagreement over who should take the first step. 
 
"Following a meeting with European leaders in the framework of a 
US-EU summit in Vienna, Bush said 'The US remains committed in 
succeeding in WTO global negotiations.'" 
 
- "Populists and left-wingers" 
 
Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion 
piece by contributor James Neilson, who writes (06/23) "... What is 
populism? To some, it is simply a nasty way of referring to 
governments that favor the interests of the common man over those of 
the well-heeled. On occasion, that may be true, but unfortunately 
there is more to it than that. 
 
"According to Cardoso, populism is a form of exercising power in 
which the 'Leader' bypasses Congress, other institutions such as the 
political parties and establishes a direct relationship with 'the 
masses' largely by means of handouts. That is a fair description of 
what has happened in Venezuela and, to a lesser extent, in 
Argentina. Another characteristic of populism is the 'Leader's' 
reluctance to do anything that might have an adverse effect on his 
image... 
 
"All populists are self-pitying nationalists who make out that their 
country has for long been the innocent victim of foreign wickedness 
but thanks to them is now determined to fight back. This is the main 
theme of Chavez, Morales and Kirchner, all of whom have contrived to 
pick quarrels with many of their neighbors... 
 
"But while Chavez... blames the US for most of his country's woes, 
Kirchner's approach is more eclectic. Even though some polls suggest 
that Argentines are on the whole less inclined to like the US, 
especially when its president is that dreadful George W. Bush, than 
any other Latin Americans, Kirchner has not made a habit of 
screaming insults at the superpower. The only time he got the people 
in Washington worried was when his government helped Chavez and his 
friends stage an anti-US jam-boree in Mar del Plata, but much to the 
disappointment of local leftists he did not follow that up with a 
full-scale rhetorical onslaught." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "The polar year and a world threat" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" editorializes (06/22) "Next year, one of 
the most important scientific events of all times will begin. It is 
the International Polar Year Program. Roughly 10,000 researchers 
from 50 countries will use teQllion dollars to carry out over one 
thousand works related to diverse specialties. 
 
"... The most important question concerning everyone, which will be 
the IPY-07 central issue, is where will global warming take us? 
 
"David Carlson, prestigious international geologist and head of the 
future IPY, maintained that that the Northern Pole will disappear in 
fifty years due to at eight-percent-per-year ratio-ice melting, and 
only the sea will remain. 
 
"... The panorama that has been delineated is tragic for our planet 
and its inhabitants... 
 
"Global warming...is the outcome of gas emission, which should have 
been put under control a long time ago. The steps of the Kyoto 
Protocol should strongly be implemented but there are still some 
countries that oppose it. 
 
"... Therefore, the IPY/07 should then promote decisions that are 
aimed at rescuing our world from a tangible danger that is 
jeopardizing humanity." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website 
at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
GUTIERREZ