VZCZCXYZ0025
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2254/01 3300754
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260754Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9765
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002254 
 
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; CHANCES OF A MERCOSUR-ISRAEL FTA; IMF AND 
ARGENTINA; US PUBLIC DIPLOMACY; 11/23/07 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's major international stories cover an alleged initiative from 
Lula and Cristina Kirchner for Mercosur to sign a trade deal with 
Israel, in an attempt to keep Venezuelan Hugo Chavez at bay; 
implications of IMF head Dominique Strauss' trip to Argentina to 
attend Cristina Kirchner's presidential inauguration; and the work 
carried out by the US Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Office all 
over the world. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "Gestures aimed at keeping Chavez at bay" 
 
Lucas Colonna, political columnist of daily-of-record "La Nacion," 
writes (11/22) "Argentina wants Venezuela to become a Mercosur 
member. This has been obvious under the Nestor Kirchner 
administration and also under the future Cristina Kirchner 
administration. Argentina also wants to make clear to Hugo Chavez 
and the world that Caracas will not (as a Mercosur member) condition 
the region's ties with the international community. 
 
"The clearest signal in this regard might take place in the 
up-coming days - Argentine diplomats are among the main promoters of 
an initiative that is clearly aimed at setting limits on the 
pro-Iran Venezuelan project, and therefore, on Chavez's political 
ambitions. 
 
"Argentina, supported by Brazil, wants Mercosur to sign a free trade 
deal with Israel in the framework of the Mercosur summit to be held 
in Montevideo by mid-December. 
 
"If ongoing negotiations are successful, Cristina Kirchner would 
lead the initiative... The document, whether with Venezuela in the 
bloc or not, would be a resounding international wink as well as a 
brake on the political interests of Chavez (whose ties with Israel 
are severely damaged). 
 
"The Argentine Government's ties with Caracas could suffer further 
changes in the event Argentina settles its Paris Club debt. 
 
"... If the Argentine government cancels its debt with the Paris 
Club, the country will not only open its doors to investment but 
also access international funding sources... 
 
"Chavez is mainly a source of funds for both Kirchner and his wife. 
If Argentina does not reach a deal to settle its Paris Club debt, 
the Bolivarian leader may once again have to meet Argentina's 
economic needs... 
 
"One of the Argentine President-elect's obsessions is to settle the 
country's Paris Club debt in order to change Argentina's perception 
among the world's major economic hubs... 
 
"... It would be the end of Chavez' economic favors in exchange for 
political favors, like the time when the Argentine government had to 
lend the Bolivarian leader a local stadium to host his anti-Bush 
rallies... 
 
"The new government's bet on foreign policy is focused on Brasilia 
rather than Caracas, as demonstrated by Cristina Kirchner and most 
of her Cabinet's recent visit to Brazil." 
 
- "The IMF seeks to renew talks with our country" 
 
Marcelo Bonelli, economic columnist of leading "Clarin," comments 
(11/23) "Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the brand new IMF director, will 
make a clear political gesture towards Argentina - yesterday, he 
confirmed that he will travel to Buenos Aires to attend Cristina 
Fernandez de Kirchner's presidential inauguration. 
 
"... His mission is unusual - never before has an IMF head attended 
an Argentine President's inauguration. This political gesture is 
unusually valuable because it will happen in the aftermath of the 
stormy relationship between the IMF and Argentina. In this way, 
Strauss-Khan wants to send a concrete sign - he is attempting to 
reopen talks in the relationship between Buenos Aires and 
Washington. 
 
"Even though the Argentine Government is pleased with Strauss-Khan's 
mission, Cristina Fernandez believes that this single gesture is not 
enough to recompose ties with the IMF. The President-elect also 
expects Strauss-Kahn to bring a proposal aimed at facilitating the 
immediate resumption of (Argentina's) Paris Club negotiations. 
 
"(Argentine Economy Minister) Martin Lousteau thinks this 
international financial agreement is crucial: 'It could be an 
 
important sign for industrialized countries.' 
 
"... Lousteau is focused on putting together his team and also 
making clear that there will be full economic continuity... He 
considers that the successful economic policy implemented so far has 
allowed Argentina to minimize the impact of the international 
financial crisis." 
 
- "Improving the US image in the world, a tough task" 
 
Business-financial "BAE" (11/23) carries an opinion piece by Julio 
Burdman, professor and head of International Relations at the 
Belgrano University, who writes "The world has criticized, sometimes 
in an exasperating way, US policies of recent years. This has become 
a State issue for the USG. 'Hawks,' who decisively influenced George 
¶W. Bush's first term in office, developed the idea that the 'anti-US 
feeling' in foreign societies and 'civilizations,' was a cultural 
problem that is out of the political leaders' control. Nonetheless, 
this argument lost strength during the last two years and another 
theory emerged that does not fully leave aside the anti-US feeling 
theory... According to this theory, many citizens in the world who 
criticize and reject the US are well-intended people who simply do 
not agree with US foreign and security policies. 
 
"This is the prevailing spirit at the Public Diplomacy and Public 
Affairs Assistant Secretariat... Improving communication will be 
crucial in 2008 and Karen Hughes' legacy will be the engine of a 
national communication strategic plan, the first initiative of the 
kind in history. 
 
"Among other initiatives, there is the Rapid Response Unit, which 
monitors all print and audiovisual mass media and Internet 
publications and daily reports them to the US Department of State; 
the Counterterrorist Communications Center; and the Office of 
International Information Programs... Student and university 
exchange programs and English teaching have remarkably expanded in 
some regions as well as scientific and cultural cooperation with 
countries in conflict... Sports are considered one of the 
friendliest issues in international relations... 
 
"Of all this there will be more - communication unification, design 
of 'sensitive' messages targeting specific audiences, multiple 
programs for student, scientific, sport and cultural exchange... and 
direct work with TV news networks. And a novelty - they will seek an 
approach between public and diplomatic officers and experienced 
journalists. This means, less diplomats who know about 
communication, and more journalists who know about diplomacy." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE