VZCZCXYZ1524
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2100/01 2581125
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151125Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5909
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002100 
 
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: FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11; NON ALIGNED COUNTRIES' 
SUMMIT; IRAN; US-SYRIA; BOLIVIA; 09/14/06; BUENOS AIRES 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's most important international stories include the world's 
view of the USG on the fifth anniversary of the September 11 
attacks; the upcoming Non Aligned Countries' summit; the allegedly 
increasing disagreement between the US and the EU vis-`-vis the 
Iranian case; and the situation in Bolivia. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Only the weak are loved" 
 
James Neilson, contributor to liberal, English-language "Buenos 
Aires Herald," writes (09/14) "As is now customary when another 
anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington 
flits by, many people made the most of the opportunity September 11 
gave them to remind us that the US lost no time in the allegedly 
limitless goodwill outsiders felt just after the Twin Towers came 
crashing down killing almost three thousand people. That is true 
enough... (However,) almost immediately voices could be heard saying 
that the US had had it coming because of its obnoxious behavior, 
that though Osama bin Laden men may have gone a bit too far they had 
plenty of legitimate grievances and, in any case, the CIA had funded 
them when they were fighting the Russians in Afghanistan. 
 
"Even so, the US might have clung to its status as a victim had it 
not gone and ruined everything by hitting back, first against Al 
Qaeda and its Taliban friends in Afghanistan and then against the 
ferocious dictatorship of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in an effort to 
implant a functioning democracy in a key part of the Middle East." 
 
- "Bush's 'enemies' gather at the US gates" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (09/14) "The Non Aligned 
Movement Summit will become an opportunity for several tough critics 
of Washington (among them, some members of the so-called 'axis of 
evil') to meet face to face in Havana, just a few kilometers off the 
US coast. 
 
"The presidents of Iran, Venezuela, Bolivia and high-level 
delegations from North Korea and Belarus will gather tomorrow and on 
Saturday in the summit. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is also 
expected, although he could cancel his trip due to the terrorist 
attack against the US Embassy in Damascus. 
 
"The big question is whether Fidel Castro will show up at the 
meeting or his brother Raul will do so... 
 
"... The summit has at least a certain anti-US atmosphere, which is 
disguised as a call to defend 'multilateralism.' 
 
"As a matter of fact, the draft final statement of the summit 
strongly criticizes US foreign policy although attendance of 
Washington's allies at the meeting could downplay the tone of the 
document. 
 
"... On the contrary, the document shows clear support for some of 
Washington's main enemies, such as Iran, Venezuela and, of course, 
Cuba... 
 
"For his part, Chavez will use the summit to gather support for 
Venezuela's candidacy for a non permanent seat at the UN Security 
Council... The summit will be an excellent opportunity for Chavez 
because members of the NAM represent nearly two-thirds of the votes 
at the UN General Assembly." 
 
- "Increasing disagreement between the US and the EU over the 
Iranian case" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (09/14) "At a moment of strong 
international tension over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, disagreement 
increased between the US (which supports the implementation of 
sanctions on the Islamic regime), and the EU (which proposes to 
continue talks). And, for the first time since the beginning of 
negotiations, Washington and the EU countries made public their 
disagreement. 
 
"During a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 
Vienna, US Representative Gregory Schulte warned Iran to 'make the 
correct choice' regarding its nuclear program and 'avoid the 
consequences' of eventual sanctions from the UN Security Council. 
 
"... Washington believes that Tehran should opt for the full and 
immediate abandonment of its enriched uranium-related program... On 
the contrary, the White House believes the UN should impose economic 
sanctions on it and, in the worst of cases, it should consider a 
military intervention. 
 
 
"For their part, France, the UK and Germany... have said in the name 
of the EU that there is still time to reach an agreement through 
talks with the Islamic regime and that the time for sanctions has 
not come yet. 
 
"... Diplomatic sources said that the disagreement between the US 
and EU has deepened after last weekend's proposal from Iran to 
freeze its enriched uranium-related activities for 'one or two more 
months.' While this offer could be interesting for the EU, 
Washington has already expressed its mistrust of the Iranian 
proposal." 
 
- "More and more fronts for Bush" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (09/14) "The Bush administration 
faces multiple international crises at the moment. Some of them are 
unexpected - the bloody wave of violence in Afghanistan, a terrorist 
attack on Syria and even further deterioration of the situation in 
Iraq. 
 
"These crises led the White House again to defend its antiterrorist 
policy, which Democrats criticized once again. 
 
"In a conflict termed by Bush as a 'fight for civilization,' the US 
also found itself in the unusual position of having to praise one of 
the governments which it usually refers to as a villain in the war 
on terrorism - that of Damascus. 
 
"Tony Snow, White House spokesperson, said 'Syrian government 
officials helped Americans' to frustrate an attack on the US Embassy 
in Damascus. He also proposed that Damascus 'become an ally' in the 
war on terrorism. The Bush administration has strongly criticized 
the tough control wielded by the Syrian regime on its people and the 
support it has granted to Hezbollah and the Palestinians, and it 
included Syria in the so-called 'axis of evil.'" 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "Tensions met by Bolivia" 
 
An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (09/14) "Bolivian President 
Evo Morales has had the most conflictive weeks of his administration 
since he took over... 
 
"One of the main points of the political conflict is the 
interpretation on what majority is required to approve decisions by 
the Assembly. However, behind that conflict, between the official 
party and the opposition, there are also social and territorial 
divisions reflecting the tension between the Eastern provinces, 
which generate 44% of GDP, and the rest of the country. 
 
"Bolivia is going through a transformational stage in which it 
should define a new Constitution. It will succeed in this task as 
long as it reaches a national unity agreement among its political 
and social sectors and consensus among its leaders. Political 
instability and social polarization have been endemic evils in 
Bolivia and their recurrence also negatively impacts on the 
region." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
MATERA