VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1516/01 1881237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071237Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5139
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001516 
 
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: INTERVIEW WITH US AMBASSADOR LINO GUTIERREZ; VENEZUELA'S 
ENTRY INTO MERCOSUR; ARGENTINE'S PEACQEEPING FORCE IN HAITI; NORTH 
KOREAN MISSILE TESTS; US DECISIONS ON IRAQ; US-ARGENTINE TIES; 
MIDDLE EAST 07/05/06 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Major papers cover extensively the Fourth of July reception held in 
the Ambassador's residence in Buenos Aires. Liberal, 
English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an interview with US 
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez who underscores that "US-Argentina ties 
are stronger regarding drugs, terrorism, tourism and scientific 
research," and that he hopes for free trade "from Alaska to Tierra 
del Fuego." Other international stories include Venezuela's entry 
into Mercosur; the philosophy behind the stay of the Argentine 
peace-keeping force in Haiti; North Korea's missile tests; the 
impending US decisions on Iraq; the status of the US-Argentine 
bilateral relationship; and the situation in the Middle East. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Gutierrez: US aided recovery in Argentina" 
 
Michael Soltys, executive editor of liberal, English-language 
"Buenos Aires Herald," interviewed US Ambassador Lino Gutierrez 
(07/04) "In his last month as US Ambassador to Argentina, Lino 
Gutierrez steers clear of viewing US-Argentine ties as an either/or 
proposition, outlining various levels of relations progressing at 
different speeds. He refuses to accept last November's Americas 
Summit in Mar del Plata as a failure and lays any setbacks at the 
door of Mercosur rather than Argentina. 
 
"... 'Relations have been very co-operative. Let us not forget that 
Argentina went through the worst economic crisis in its history... I 
am glad the US has been able to contribute to the recovery in those 
three years. 
 
"'We have also been able to cement our excellent cooperation in the 
problems we all have to face in the post-Cold War world such as 
terrorism. We continue to work very closely with Argentina. We are 
now expanding into areas like money-laundering, terrorist financing 
where we have been able to provide training to government and bank 
officials, private banks, etc. 
 
"'We are certainly disappointed that the FTAA has not advanced, as 
we had hoped it would. We all know that the Mercosur countries have 
decided that they are not ready right now to continue negotiations 
without addressing somehow the issue of subsidies for agriculture. 
We have pointed out that this issue is being discussed at the WTO 
with a very concrete proposal on the table that would reduce 
subsidies significantly in the next few years. The EU has not 
accepted this. We are hopeful that something can be worked out but 
we do not think the negotiations should stop because of that. 
 
"'I just think that at Mar del Plata 29 countries did stand up and 
say 'We want FTAA' and that helped advance the process... So we will 
continue to negotiate agreements advancing free trade in this 
hemisphere and hope that at the end of the day we will have free 
trade from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. We will advance wherever we 
can.'" 
 
- "Venezuela's entry into Mercosur" 
 
Leading "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by Carlos "Chacho" Alvarez, 
head of the Mercosur Permanent Representatives Committee, who opines 
(07/04) "Venezuela's entry into Mercosur is one of the most 
significant events in the history of the sub-regional integration 
institution. 
 
"For the first time since Mercosur was founded, a new State has been 
incorporated as a full member. The participation of this country 
will present new challenges that could contribute to regional 
integration. 
 
"... Another favorable piece of information is Venezuela's 
contribution against the asymmetrical struggle. There would be no 
reason why legitimate claims from minor partners, like Paraguay and 
Uruguay, be dismissed by the three largest South American economies. 
Therefore, it would not make sense for these countries to sign FTAs 
with the US, which would limit their margins of autonomy and work 
against the Mercosur custom union." 
 
- "Haiti and the progressive myth" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an op-ed piece by Gabriel 
Tokatlian, professor of International Relations at Universidad San 
Andres, who writes (07/05) "The Argentine Congress is being delayed 
from considering legislation that would allow Argentine troops' 
continued deployment in Haiti... 
 
 
 
"... The performance of the Argentine (peacekeeping) force in Haiti 
has been highly professional; however the problem the UN delegation 
has is in regards to the nature and purposes of the Argentine 
troops. 
 
"I am afraid that our extended stay in Haiti will increase  the 
likelihood of establishing and legitimizing a new protectorate, not 
necessarily in favor of the weak, poor and excluded... 
 
"At the beginning of the 20th century, Latin America, and 
particularly many Argentine thinkers and diplomats, decisively 
contributed to establishing support for the principle of 
non-intervention... At the beginning of the 21st century, Latin 
America, and particularly some Argentine experts and 
decision-makers, seemed willing to bury it without fully 
understanding, more in favor of what they are currently doing." 
 
- "On maximum state of alert, the US calls North Korea's action a 
'provocation'" 
 
Alberto Armendariz, New-York-based correspondent for daily-of-record 
"La Nacion," comments (07/05) "The US identified the missile tests 
performed by North Korea yesterday as a provocation of the Kim Jong 
Il regime... 
 
"According to governmental sources, the tests of several missiles 
were carried out to coincide with the celebration of the Fourth of 
July and the long-expected launching of the Discovery shuttle in 
Florida. 
 
"As a matter of fact, the US Pentagon was not surprised by the 
tests, which have been expected for several weeks now, and Pyongyang 
itself had given signs that it would continue testing missiles in 
spite of international pressures." 
 
- "A complex and tough player" 
 
Marcelo Cantelmi, international editor of leading "Clarin," writes 
(07/05) "... What Kim Jong-il wants with this war game that disrupts 
the Asian security system, is for the US to resume its delivery of 
food and oil that was agreed on in 1994 with Bill Clinton in 
exchange for abandoning its nuclear plans. This deal was never 
carried out  and ultimately, North Korea's aid was frozen and then 
the country was labeled as a member of the 'axis of evil', and 
crossed threats occurred." 
 
- "The US - riddles of yesterday and today" 
 
Fabian Bosoer, columnist of leading "Clarin," writes (07/05) "The US 
has just celebrated its 230th anniversary of independence revisiting 
the same question as in the past - what is the relationship between 
independence, sovereignty and freedom in the particular case of a 
remote country and people whose destiny has lain in their  hands for 
three years. 
 
"With the invasion of Iraq as a backdrop, the question remains 'How 
to get out of the bothersome status of occupying a country and 
letting the occupied country start writing its own history free of 
influence?... 
 
"On the one hand, we have what analyst David Brooks defined in The 
New York Times as a division between 'populist nationalism' and 
'progressive globalization'. There is a new division - those who 
propose 'to return home,' thereby declining imperial, liberalizing 
or democratizing ambitions while maintaining foreign policy as an 
expression of national security, versus those who see the need for 
reorienting foreign policy through international intervention led by 
diplomacy ('soft power') in order to reverse the negative image of 
international public opinion on the war in Iraq." 
 
- "Buenos Aires-Washington - a relationship with different 
languages" 
 
Jorge Sosa, political columnist of business-financial "El Cronista," 
writes (07/04) "... The US-Argentine relationship has been marked by 
back and forth movements. After the tension heightened at the Mar 
del Plata Summit of the Americas over the FTAA, US Ambassador Lino 
Gutierrez was able to resume dialogue with the Argentine Government. 
The help of US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs 
Tom Shannon was crucial along with a strong dose of friendly 
diplomacy. 
 
"From that point forward, there were no problems, until President 
Kirchner addressed the Spanish Congress, there  he blamed the US for 
scrimping support for our country at the worst point of its crisis, 
 
 
 
defended Chavez, and claimed  that the White House is not offering a 
'beneficial (trade) integration process' to Latin America. 
 
"... Putting speeches aside, language also sounds different on 
sensitive economic issues. According to the Argentine Government, 
its priority in the US-Argentine ties will be winning US direct 
investment, particularly in the services area, leaving FTAA issues 
on the back burner. On the other hand, the new US ambassador to 
Buenos Aires, Earl Anthony Wayne, has told US senators (who must 
approve his nomination) that his priority will be to seek a 
'favorable and secure framework for investment.' The patents issue 
was discussed, and the Monsanto case was raised. And even though it 
was said that the FTAA project is still in process, Wayne confirmed 
the plan to continue negotiating FTAs with other countries of the 
hemisphere. 
 
"The future point of debate will be Venezuela's desire to reform the 
UN Security Council, which is crucial for the US." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "High tension in the Middle East" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" editorializes (07/05) "Ever since Hamas 
took power, the situation in the Middle East has entered a dangerous 
stage of deterioration. Its radical position prevents negotiations 
with Israel from making progress. 
 
"... Israel's tough threats even reached Syrian President Bashar 
Assad... 
 
" The fact that Israel has not moved its tanks to the interior of 
the Gaza Strip and that they are still stationed at the border 
allows for some hope that there could be an impasse. Otherwise, 
violence would be unleashed in the Palestinian territoQes and 
perhaps in Syria with unpredictable consequences. Then, world peace 
would be jeopardized. The time has come for other countries to start 
focusing on their responsibility to help these governments resume 
peace talks as soon as possible." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website 
at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
GUTIERREZ