VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0525/01 0781947
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191947Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7601
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000525 
 
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; US-ARGENTINE BILATERAL TIES; US PRESIDENT 
BUSH LATAM TOUR; ARGENTINE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PARIS CLUB; 
03/19/07; BUENOS AIRES 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Weekend international stories include Argentina's cooperation with 
the US on matters related to the fight against international 
terrorism and its impact on the bilateral relationship; the 
aftermath of US President George W. Bush's trip to Latin America; 
and the US influence on Argentina's negotiations with the Paris 
Club. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES 
 
- "There is still more smoke than fire" 
 
Eduardo van der Kooy, political columnist of leading "Clarin," 
writes (03/18) "... President Kirchner again lashed out against 
George W. Bush although the US president has already left the 
region. Kirchner is convinced that Bush's lack of popularity will 
help him in his election campaign. Instead, Kirchner praised Hugo 
Chavez although there is no evidence that the -'caudillo' is very 
popular here. Kirchner values (Chavez') financial cooperation and 
some good business he thinks he has started with Venezuela. 
 
"Also, not everything is exactly the way it appears to be. 
Kirchner's anti-Bush and anti-Washington speech is limited to 
economic and financial issues. There is increasing agreement here on 
policies related to the fight against international terrorism. It 
happened with the decision related to the AMIA case and the judicial 
request for an international warrant against eight former members of 
the Iranian government, which Interpol has just endorsed. 
 
"The Supreme Court also decided that the Israeli Embassy case will 
not face a statute of limitations. This was a joint wish of 
Washington, Israel and the Jewish community... 
 
"... The Tehran regime is the main concern of both Washington and 
Tel Aviv. The Argentine Government's relationship with Iran is 
low-key, although no one thinks that there could be a rupture. 
Argentina expects the discord among the 'biggies' to be solved in 
diplomatic circles." 
 
- "Just for a moment" 
 
Jorge Elias, international columnist of daily-of-record "La Nacion," 
penned (03/18) "... In appearance, Bush is in one extreme and Chavez 
is in the opposite. However, Venezuela is one of the closest 
countries to the US, not only due to oil supply. Venezuelans 
identify more with the US lifestyle than with that of Latin America. 
The fact that Chavez is Bush's adversary does not mean that 
Venezuela is an enemy of the US. 
 
"In contrast to 2005, when Bush traveled to Argentina, Brazil and 
Panama, this time Bush did not highlight the FTAA in order to not 
underline Chavez' Bolivarian alternative for the Americas. Bush just 
emphasized plain free trade, which must be hard to understand by 
those who live on less than two dollars a day... 
 
"If Bush embodies the Davos Economic Forum, Chavez represents 
Seattle anti-globalization demonstrations. For a while, the region 
was caught in the false choice between one or the other. By the end 
of the day, nothing changed. The problem is neither Chavez nor 
Bush..., but the deficit of democracy, which was noticed by Clinton 
and has not been solved since." 
 
- "The Paris Club is crucial for the US" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," 
comments (03/17) "If Economy Minister Felisa Miceli thinks that the 
US could help her unblock the negotiations to restructure the 
country's debt to the Paris Club without a previous deal with the 
IMF, everything indicates that she will be disappointed. 
 
"US Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs 
Clay Lowery yesterday told 'Clarin' that the meeting Miceli asked to 
hold with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Guatemala (where the 
IDB Assembly meeting will take place) has not even been scheduled. 
 
"Miceli has recently received a letter from Xavier Musca, head of 
the Paris Club, saying that Argentina would have to pay (its debt) 
cash in the event it does not want to reach a deal with the IMF... 
However, Argentina does not want to use its reserves to pay its debt 
or to reach a deal with the IMF... During an interview with 
'Clarin,' Lowery did not want to reveal what the US position would 
be in this negotiation, although he suggested that the Paris Club 
(in which Italy and Japan hold the toughest positions) will have the 
final decision... 
 
 
"... At the US Treasury Department, everyone is expecting Timothy 
Ryan's nomination as the new Assistant Secretary for International 
Affairs. Ryan is a former VP at J.P. Morgan who will take over this 
case, as John Taylor was in charge of Argentina's debt swap. 
However, times have changed. Argentina is no longer a US priority. 
There are very orthodox officials at the US Treasury Department now 
who do not approve of Argentina's heterodoxy. Their claims remain 
the same - finding a solution for holdout bondholders, judicial 
security, and concern over inflation and price controls. 
 
"Moreover, if the meeting between Paulson and Miceli did take place, 
Miceli would be the first Argentine Government official to hold a 
meeting with a high-ranking USG official following the irritation 
caused in the White House by Chavez's anti-Bush rally in 
Argentina." 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
WAYNE