VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0125/01 0251129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251129Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7062
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000125 
 
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 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS; A/S SHANNON'S 
STATEMENTS ON US-LATIN AMERICAN TIES; DAVOS WEF; LATIN AMERICA; 
01/24/07; BUENOS AIRES 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Key international stories today include US President George W. 
Bush's State of the Union Address; US Assistant Secretary for 
Western Hemispheric Affairs Thomas Shannon's statements about ties 
between the US and Latin America, and particularly Venezuela; 
upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos; 2006 Latin America's 
economic and political performance; and prevailing tensions between 
South American central governments and regional powers. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES 
 
- "Bush asks for consensus on Iraq and an immigration reform from 
Capitol Hill" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," 
comments (01/24) "In an attempt to save his two remaining years at 
the White House, US President George W. Bush invited the Democratic 
opposition to  work jointly in the (global) war on terrorism. He 
said 'The US must not fail in Iraq.' 
 
"In his State-of-the-Union address..., Bush showed he intends to 
approach the opposition when he made special mention of Nancy 
Pelosi, the Democratic Leader of Congress, and he underscored that 
she is the first woman to hold the nation's third high- office... 
 
"In his attempt to convince Democrats, Bush proposed 'to establish a 
bipartisan Council to share ideas on how to position the US before 
every single challenge.' 
 
"... Bush also asked for an immigration reform aimed at putting the 
situation of millions of undocumented people on a regular track, as 
Democrats want." 
 
- "'The US must not fail in Iraq'" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (01/24) "In his first 
State-of-the-Union Address to a Congress controlled by Democrats, US 
President George W. Bush defended the basics of his administration 
triggering most resistance in the political sector and the US 
society - the war in Iraq and his downright wish to send additional 
troops to Baghdad. 
 
"... The head of the White House proposed to agree on social 
security and immigration reforms, tighten environmental protection 
policies and, just like the past year, reduce energy dependence. 
 
"The section of his address that sparked most controversy was his 
view on Iraq and his plan to send another 21,500 soldiers to Baghdad 
and neighboring areas in a new attempt to reduce sectarian violence 
in the Arab country..." 
 
- "Closer to dialogue with Chavez" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (01/24) "Twelve hours before US 
President George W. Bush  voiced his view and  governmental program 
for 2007, his top-ranking officer for Latin America, Tom Shannon, 
said that the region should not expect 'a major initiative' from the 
White House, but, instead, 'further dialogue' and 'a year of 
commitment.' 
 
"Shannon, US Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, said 
that the region has left behind most of its (presidential) elections 
and now it is time for dialogue, even with possible antagonistic 
leaders, such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. 
 
"Shannon commented that both he and US Department of State's number 
three, Nicholas Burns, defined 2007 as 'the year of commitment' 
between the White House and the region in order to improve 
diplomatic ties and develop the hemisphere. 
 
"... Shannon said that 2007 could bring some bilateral surprise in 
terms of ties between Washington and Caracas. In his address at the 
Center for Strategic and International Studies, he said that both 
governments 'are closer to dialogue.' 
 
"According to Shannon, 'from our point of view, we have been 
available for this kind of conversation since  long , but  Caracas 
has been reluctant so far,  for a variety of reasons.' Shannon also 
revealed that Chavez could also be interested in healing (bilateral) 
ties." 
 
- "Davos WEF - 'pre-heating engines' in the snow" 
 
 
Ricardo Kirschbaum, leading "Clarin's" general editor on special 
assignment in Davos, Switzerland, writes (01/24) "... Vanishing but 
not yet dead, the impetus of the '90s remain; the WEF agenda has 
been changing and what used to be a bad word now seems a to be a 
finding. 
 
"Globalization has neither brought welfare for all nor has market 
economy spilled more equality and less poverty. Now, the debate is 
over the amount of governmental action required to bring out the 
most beneficial effect possible and balance inequalities in world 
trade. However, those goals seem as remote as ever ." 
 
- "Latin America's political outcome" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an op-ed story by Rosendo Fraga, 
political analyst and head of Centro de Estudios para la Nueva 
Mayoria, who opines (01/24) "Latin America's economic growth is the 
most positive aspect of  its 2006 performance. According to the IDB, 
Latin America's  growth rate for 2006 stood at 4.5 percent, with no 
external deficit, six-percent average inflation rate, and fiscal 
balance; something that has not been seen over the last few decades. 
 
 
"... In spite of its unquestionable economic success, Latin America 
is the 'emerging' region with the lowest rate of growth and the 
lowest social mobility... The World Bank reported that Latin America 
is the region of the world having greater inequality and showing the 
lowest rates of poverty reduction. 
 
"... In summary, economic growth has been the most important and 
unquestionable achievement of Latin America during 2006, basically 
rooted in its high commodity prices, but it is the 'emerging' region 
with the lowest levels of growth and social mobility with slightly 
reduced  poverty and indigence. Its low educational and scientific 
performance seems to be the most important limitation on Latin 
America's long-term sustainable growth. In the political arena, the 
series of presidential elections in the region during 2006 showed a 
shift to the center, with three prevailing lines - the populist 
left, the Social-Democratic and the center-to-right wings." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "The regions and the governments" 
 
Leading "Clarin" editorializes (01/24) "The roots of the political 
organizations of several South American countries are crumbling due 
to prevailing tensions between regional powers and central 
governments - Bolivia is the main example... 
 
"One reason for such region-oriented tendencies is the crisis of 
political systems and national political parties representing the 
different social and geographic sectors... 
 
"Another reason is the emergence of political leaders aiming at a 
radical change of the political model and reformulation of the 
country's political organization through Constituent Assemblies. 
 
"This implies both a major challenge and a big risk. History shows 
that national unity does not result from the addition of sectarian 
interests and regional agreements but from the expression of a 
broader consensus that would acknowledge and contain them both 
within a common  framework." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE