VZCZCXYZ0026
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2056/01 2901334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171334Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9496
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002056 
 
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; THE US PENTAGON'S VIEW OF IRAN AND CHAVEZ; 
ARGENTINE PRO-WEST FOREIGN POLICY; ARGENTINE PARIS CLUB DEBT; 
10/17/07 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's key international stories include the US Pentagon's view of 
Iran and Chvez as threats to the region; Argentina's alleged 
'pro-West' foreign policy; and Argentine Paris Club debt 
negotiations. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "According to the US Pentagon, Iran and Chvez pose threats to the 
region" 
 
Ana Barsn, leading "Clarn's" Washington-based correspondent, writes 
(10/17) "During a first encounter with Washington media, Stephen 
Johnson, Latin American policy analyst at the US Pentagon, showed 
concern over Venezuela's arms purchases, which, in his view, could 
set off an arms race among its neighbors, and also about Iranian 
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's trips to the region. 
 
"Johnson aligned himself with the US Department of State when he 
said that the US should not have a confrontational policy but that 
it should reinforce ties to the other countries of the region. 
However, his rhetoric was stronger than the one generally used by 
his counterpart in US diplomacy, Tom Shannon. 
 
"In response to a question from 'Clarn,' Johnson termed the Iranian 
president's recent trip to Venezuela and Bolivia as 'an attempt to 
establish alliances that could well change the balance of 
influences' in the region. This is something we should take 
seriously.' 'We cannot say that we will use (military) force to 
fight this, unless we are first open to taking steps to improving 
our cooperation with our neighbors, and this is the approach we are 
using right now.' 
 
"... During a press conference at the Inter-American Dialogue..., 
Johnson said: 'If Mr. (Hugo) Chvez is able to ensure the release 
(of hostages) by resorting to the FARC's good will..., this would be 
very positive.' 
 
"Nonetheless, Johnson criticized the way the Venezuelan president is 
purchasing weapons. He acknowledged that every country has the right 
to its own defense, but, in his view, Venezuela has surpassed all 
limits in this regard." 
 
- "Discreetly 'pro-West'" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacisn" carries an op-ed piece by historian 
Carlos Escud, head of the Center of International Studies at CEMA 
University and CONICET main researcher, who opines (10/17) "... 
There have been deep discrepancies between Kirchner's strategy and 
that of Chvez and Evo Morales... 
 
In November 2006, after Federal Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral issued 
a warrant for the capture of eight former Iranian government 
officials, picketer D'Ela ... said that the Argentine judicial 
ruling was part of a Zionist-US conspiracy against the Islamic 
Republic. 
 
"After that, the picketer was out of the government. There was no 
doubt about Kirchner's real orientation. 
 
"... Kirchner also prevented D'Ela from becoming an opponent, and 
lowered the prevailing malaise among the Government's militant 
sectors, which envisioned that the Argentine Government was getting 
closer to the US and distancing itself from Venezuela. 
 
"And this was precisely what was happening. Caracas' rapprochement 
to Tehran and evidence that the Persian regime was involved in the 
attack against AMIA led Kirchner to draw a line. He maintained his 
financial and dynamic alliance with Chvez, although he distanced 
himself from (Chvez's) adventures in the Middle East. Additionally, 
this limit was in line with that of the White House in its own ties 
to Caracas. Finally, Kirchner's address to the UN in September 2007, 
in which he criticized Iran regarding the AMIA case probe, confirmed 
that his foreign policy is discreetly pro-West." 
 
- "Crucial negotiation" 
 
Conservative "La Prensa" editorializes (10/17) "Negotiations to 
cancel Argentina's debt to the Paris Club will put an end to the 
stagnation of recent months and create a promising horizon, although 
it would be too risky to anticipate outcomes before reaching a 
definitive deal. The Paris Club debt is pending from the time the 
country defaulted on its public debt... 
 
"The Argentine Government has enough financial resources to honor 
 
 
this commitment, although until now, it has rejected the possibility 
because, according to the Paris Club by-laws, any payment would call 
for a deal with the IMF, which could include macroeconomic 
conditionalities. In order to overcome obstacles, the Government 
offered to selectively pay some countries without an IMF deal, but 
creditors rejected the many options the Argentine Government 
offered. 
 
"These conditions have changed following the appointment of the new 
IMF director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is promoting a more 
flexible stance, whereby the payment could be made with some form of 
Argentine commitment and without a formal IMF deal. This option 
would favor every side, particularly our country, because it would 
be a milestone towards putting our financial situation on a sound 
track and could also try to attract investment from corporations 
based in industrialized countries, which currently cannot obtain 
guarantees from their governments to invest in the country... 
 
"However, international financial players still hesitate because of 
the absence of structural reform and the lack of control over 
inflation... 
 
"A firm political decision would be indispensable in Paris Club debt 
negotiations in order to obtain a more flexible position from 
creditors, which would improve Argentina's position in the 
international financial market while attracting investment." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE