VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0562/01 0820930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230930Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7636
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000562 
 
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; PRESIDENT BUSH'S LATAM TOUR; FREE TRADE 
DEALS; 03/21/07; BUENOS AIRES 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's most important international stories focus on US Assistant 
Secretary Thomas Shannon's remarks about the "positive" results of 
 
SIPDIS 
US President Bush's tour of Latin America; and Professor Richard 
Feinberg's press round table in Buenos Aires on international trade 
and free trade deals. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES 
 
- "Shannon - '(Bush's) tour was very useful" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," 
comments (03/21) "After attending a press conference by (US 
Assistant Secretary) Tom Shannon, the Bush administration's strong 
man for Latin America who made an assessment of US President Bush's 
tour of the region, one journalist said: 'If Shannon was named US 
Ambassador to Iraq, he would certainly go to Saddam Hussein's grave 
and tell him that the US is willing to speak to him as long as he is 
willing to speak with the US.' 
 
"Putting jokes aside, Shannon is convinced that today there is only 
room for dialogue in our region. According to him, our countries 
abandoned authoritarianism and opened its economies, but now the 
second stage is ahead, in which the challenge is how to make 
democracies include all the excluded of the system. Shannon believes 
it is a 'crucial moment,' in which 'there is no room for 
confrontation.' 
 
"... Shannon said that the US is willing to provide the 'required 
cooperation' to solve the Ecuadorian crisis... He termed Bush's tour 
of Latin America as 'positive' and very 'useful.' According to him, 
it served to remind Americans of the importance of the Americas and 
to show Latin Americans the 'human face' of Washington's policies 
for the region. Shannon praised Bush's relationship with Lula and 
said that Uruguay is 'a trustworthy and useful partner.'" 
 
- "Washington criticizes Mercosur and suggests to hold bilateral 
negotiations" 
 
Alejandro Bercovich, economic columnist of business-financial "El 
Cronista," penned (03/21) "Governments may not openly express some 
opinions but they can convey those messages in other ways, whether 
private or public. Perhaps, this is why this time the piece of 
advice came out of the mouth of academic Richard Feinberg, former 
advisor o Bill Clinton and current professor at the University of 
California. 
 
"During a press round table, Feinberg said 'The world does not wait 
and your country is relatively closed to international trade. Free 
trade agreements help open markets and attract investors.' 
 
"... Just a few days after US President George W. Bush ended his 
tour of Latin America (which excluded Argentina), Washington resumed 
the initiative with a trade bloc that many see too much 'inclined to 
the left' in the aftermath of Venezuela's incorporation. 
 
"Feinberg underlined that Brazil-led Mercosur's negotiations with 
third markets did not reap positive results. 'What agreements have 
you been able to reach? Not any deal with Chile, or with the Andean 
countries,  the US or the EU.' And he concluded: 'It is obvious that 
Uruguayans are frustrated over the little progress obtained in 
discussions.' 
 
"Clinton's former advisor also praised the recovery of Argentina's 
economy (which he termed as 'wonderful') although he said he was 
surprised by the 'changes in foreign policy' which, in his opinion, 
have distanced the two governments. 'In a not too distant future, 
both countries will again enjoy a friendly and harmonious 
relationship.' 
 
"... The expert also listed all the advantages offered, in his view, 
by free trade deals. In addition to opening new markets, he 
mentioned the effect of preventing other competitors from obtaining 
positions vis-`-vis the country. He also said that free trade deals 
'help capturing investment, particularly in countries having 
changing policies.' 
 
"Nevertheless, according to Oxfam, an anti-subsidies NGO, the US and 
EU 'are using bilateral and regional deals to obtain tradeoffs they 
would be unable to obtain on a multilateral level, where developing 
countries could join (against them).'" 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE