VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1367/01 1991114
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181114Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8659
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001367 
 
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT; US-RUSSIA RELATIONSHIP; 
US TREASURY SECRETARY PAULSON'S TRIP TO LATIN AMERICA; 07/17/07 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Key international stories today cover the international conference 
on the Middle East called by US President George W. Bush; the 
current status of the US-Russia relationship; and implications of US 
Treasury Secretary Paulson's trip to Latin America. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "Middle East Summit" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (07/17) "Yesterday, US President 
George W. Bush called an international conference on the Middle East 
that will include Israel, the Palestinian authorities and several of 
his Arab neighbors, although he seemed to slam the door on two 
decisive actors in the region - Iran and Syria. 
 
"The summit should serve to resume peace negotiations, which were 
bogged down during recent years, and also the construction of more 
democratic and representative institutions in one of the hottest 
areas in the world. 
 
"... US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will preside over the 
summit, which will be held before the end of the year. However, its 
chances of success are already in doubt. Reportedly, only delegates 
of the countries supporting the creation of a Palestinian State will 
attend, neither Iran or Syria, which Bush again accused of 
'sponsoring Hamas.' 
 
"The exclusion of the two most important rivals of the White House 
in the region, which were also charged with funding insurgents in 
Iraq, brought criticism from the Democratic opposition and 
independent experts, who have asked to open high-level diplomatic 
dialogue with Damascus and Tehran. 
 
"Bush refuses to hold a direct negotiation with either country, 
although he did authorize the release of 190 million dollars for the 
Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, in 'humanitarian aid' and 
228 million dollars in guarantees for loans. Additionally, he asked 
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to expand their aid programs for 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas." 
 
- "The US-Russia, just like in Cold War times" 
 
Leading "Clarin" editorializes (07/17) "The USG and the Russian 
government seem to take mutual advantage of a dispute typical of 
other times regarding the strategic balance and the renewed arms 
race. The US initiative of establishing an anti-missile system in 
the Czech Republic and Poland as a protecting shield in space was 
received by Moscow as a 'challenge' ('a new Berlin Wall'), which 
justifies an arms response focused on the expansion of its military 
complex. Russia's response was the announcement of its withdrawal 
from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which leaves 
Russia free to take unilateral measures. 
 
"Washington's anti-missile defense initiative seems to be a way to 
distance itself from the uncertain prospects for the Iraqi war and 
raise the stakes on the sidetracked arms race issue... 
 
"In the current international atmosphere of significant strategic 
imbalance and asymmetrical conflicts, the risks of WMD have spread 
while dodging the control of major powers. The US and powers like 
Russia have a common interest in building balance for the sake of 
international stability and safety. The dilemma is how to do it 
without revisiting the old scheme of the Cold War and the 
confrontation between Western and Eastern powers." 
 
- "Not all fun and games" 
 
Michael Soltys, executive editor of liberal, English-language 
"Buenos Aires Herald," writes (07/17) "Even in a relatively quiet 
week there were plenty of upheavals - severe social unrest in Peru, 
continuing political violence in Colombia and a possible return of 
revolutionary violence in Mexico. Not to mention a regional swing by 
US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. 
 
"... Hank Paulson's regional swing to Brazil, Uruguay and Chile 
(with top State Department officials Nicholas Burns and Thomas 
Shannon always one day ahead of him) was neither a clear success nor 
failure. In Brazil he was dogged by Doha Round issues, especially 
farm subsidies (which Washington has just raised from 12 to 17 
billion dollars) - biofuels provide a powerful bond between the two 
hemispheric giants but also serve as a forceful reminder of the 
strength of the US farm lobby and the protective tariffs it slaps on 
Brazilian ethanol. Biofuels was also on the agenda in Chile whose 
President Michelle Bachelet has other worries (including mine 
 
strikes like Peru). Uruguay with its lively interest in a free trade 
agreement with the US was probably the most upbeat part of the 
visit." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE