VZCZCXYZ0042
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0513/01 0751625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161625Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7552
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000513 
 
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; AMIA CASE - INTERPOL TO ORDER ARREST OF 
FIVE IRANIANS; SEPTEMBER 11 MASTERMIND; ARGENTINE NEGOTIATIONS WITH 
THE PARIS CLUB; 03/16/07; BUENOS AIRES 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Major international stories today focus on Interpol's Executive 
Committee unanimously accepting Argentina's petition to have red 
notices issued against five Iranians and one Lebanese (although not 
for former Iranian President Akbar Rafsanjani), suspected of 
involvement in the 1994 AMIA bombing; Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 
claiming responsibility for the September 11 attacks and the 
beheading of US journalist Daniel Pearl; the impact of Mohammed's 
claim on criticism of the US suspect questioning methods used in the 
"Global War on Terrorism;" and the Argentine Government's 
negotiations with the Paris Club. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES 
 
- "Fifteen years without an answer" 
 
Ricardo Kirschbaum, general editor of leading "Clarin," penned "The 
decision was made just at the right moment. Fifteen years away from 
the attack against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Interpol 
accepted Argentina's petition to have red notices issued against 
five former Iranian government officials and one Lebanese for their 
alleged involvement in another major terrorist attack - the one 
against the AMIA... 
 
"This international warrant signifies partial acknowledgment that 
the Argentine claim is legitimate, although it does not make certain 
that the conspiracy which took the car-bomb to the AMIA was decided 
by the Iranian intelligence apparatus and Hezbollah. What is still 
more patent is that all this picks up what Israel and the US have 
always thought - this is to say, Iran masterminded the terrorist 
attack. 
 
"... The abrupt change in the official investigation of Iran in the 
framework of the AMIA case was also seen as an outcome of a 
reshuffled and improved US-Argentine bilateral relationship." 
 
- "Methods feeding criticism of Bush" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (03/16) "Three years ago, Khalid 
Sheikh Mohammed's confession would have reaped tangible benefits to 
the Bush administration. It would have contributed votes for Bush's 
reelection and renewed support for his 'global war on terrorism.' 
 
However, yesterday, it brought more criticism of Bush. The fact that 
he sent troops to Iraq that should have focused instead on fighting 
Al Qaeda and the way the confession of Osama Bin Laden's aide was 
obtained feeds mistrust in the Middle East and criticism from the 
international community. 
 
"Mohammed's confession could also serve to assess the power Bush 
still retains and the other side of the coin, which is the 
counterweight that the Supreme Court of Justice could wield... 
 
"... Mohammed's claim could also feed the arguments of those who 
defend the existence and efficacy of Guantanamo's controversial 
centers of detention. 
 
"However, Mohammed's claim also revives criticism of the policies 
carried out by the White House ever since the September 11 
attacks." 
 
- "Strong spat between Miceli and the Paris Club" 
 
Leading "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by Marcelo Bonelli, economic 
columnist of the paper, who comments (03/16) "Felisa Miceli had a 
harsh exchange of letters with Xavier Musca, the head of the Paris 
Club... Miceli rejected all the demands set by Musca for Argentina 
to strike a deal with the G7. 
 
"Miceli is against G7 advice to use Argentine reserves in order to 
pay off the country's defaulted debt with the Paris Club. 
 
"... The (Argentine) Government will not make progress on any 
negotiation to reach a deal with the IMF... 
 
"The situation reflects a political issue - the negotiations with 
the Paris Club are stalled... 
 
"Until last night, no meeting between Miceli and US Treasury 
Secretary Henry Paulson had been scheduled. Minister Miceli asked US 
 
SIPDIS 
Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Tom Shannon for 
the meeting, who committed to arranging it but so far there has been 
no confirmation. 
 
 
"The Argentine Government suspects the delay could be caused by 
Washington's irritation over the Argentine Government's ties with 
Hugo Chavez. 
 
"Kirchner lashed out: 'They are a bunch of hypocrites. Why don't 
they say the US and Venezuela have business together of some 50 
billion dollars?'" 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE