VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2258/01 3310755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270755Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9769
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002258 
 
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; ANNAPOLIS MIDDLE EAST PEACE CONFERENCE; 
ARGENTINA-BRAZIL-CHAVEZ; BRAZILIAN OIL DISCOVERY; 11/26/07 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Weekend's local international stories are focused on prospects for 
success of the upcoming Annapolis Peace Conference; an alleged 
attempt by Argentina and Brazil to put Venezuelan Hugo Chavez at 
bay; and implications of the discovery of a Brazilian oil field. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "From Jerusalem to Annapolis - the history of the world" 
 
Luis Rosales, on special assignment in Jerusalem for 
business-financial "BAE" (11/26) "Tomorrow the long-awaited 
international peace conference for the Middle East will be held in 
the city of Annapolis... Peace negotiators will attempt to get 
closer the parties to a world confrontation whose epicenter is 
located in Jerusalem, the historical capital city of the State of 
Israel and the Jewish people. 
 
"... Peace negotiators for the region will meet in Annapolis, the 
bucolic capital city of the State of Maryland. Finding a solution to 
the conflict that has long confronted Palestinians and Israelis is 
the basis for reconciliation among civilizations in conflict in the 
world. 
 
"... Jerusalem does not envision any fast way out of the conflict. 
Skepticism defeats hope. (There have been) so many failed attempts, 
so many broken illusions. However, what everyone knows, feels and 
perceives in every corner is that no progress will be made on 
negotiations among leaders if the Holy City issue is not taken 
on..." 
 
- "A strategic country" 
 
Marcelo Cantelmi, leading "Clarin's" international editor, opines 
(11/25) "The Middle East peace construct is today in ruins, partly 
due to the strategy of the US and its ally, Israel, of cutting talks 
with countries like Syria (which were blacklisted) and, thereby, 
triggering some dangerous isolation. 
 
"Nevertheless, this trend has begun to be reversed although more due 
to circumstances of pressure rather than conviction... 
 
"... While the US seemed willing to give too little in exchange for 
the opening negotiations, it is considering whether to make a 
concession that could become historic. This week, the Middle East 
peace conference will be held in Annapolis, near Washington, and the 
White House and Israel made a special invitation to Syria. However, 
they overlooked Damascus' demand to discuss the 1967 occupation of 
the strategic territory of the Golan Heights. Damascus claims (the 
Golan Heights) should be returned... based on UN resolutions and 
even expressions of support from former President Clinton himself. 
 
"Due to lack of progress on this crucial issue, Syria had decided 
not to go to Annapolis. Washington gave signals it could cede in 
spite of Israel's reluctance and include the Golan Heights on the 
agenda. This could have a double effect. The meeting, that seems to 
be doomed to failure, could perhaps bear more fruit than expected. 
It could also add some realism - there is no way to achieve peace if 
the concrete central problems are not made clear and addressed." 
 
- "Obvious differences and Chavez are included on the 
Argentine-Brazilian agenda" 
 
Alcadio Oa, political analyst for leading "Clarin," writes (11/24) 
"Among several interpretations, one could see the 
Brazilian-Argentine axis created by Cristina Kirchner and Lula as a 
way of generating a common strategy in South America. Another 
interpretation that is not at odds with the previous one is that the 
axis is a way to put Hugo Chavez's ambitions in the region at bay... 
 
 
"An important detail should not be overlooked. Last Monday, at the 
same time the Cristina-Lula summit was taking place, Argentina sold 
Venezuela a 500,000-dollar bond. 
 
"With the international market closed to Argentina, Venezuela has 
become a crucial source of funding for the country... Then, one 
thing is to put Chavez's ambitions at bay and something different is 
confronting him. Clearly enough, any regional strategy makes no 
sense if Venezuela is left out - even with frequent frictions, the 
Brazilian and the Argentine Governments are aware of this fact." 
 
- "Brazil is not flooded with oil" 
 
Santiago O'Donnell, international columnist of left-of-center 
"Pagina 12," writes (11/25) "... While the oil field found in Brazil 
 
 
is the biggest one found since 2000, this does not transform Brazil 
into one of the large oil exporters... This means that even though 
the discovery is very important for Brazil's development, this does 
not affect the world market... It does not change either the 
region's balance of power, where Venezuela and Bolivia are still the 
heavyweights among energy exporters. 
 
"Basically, South America's energy exports and imports are 
approximately for the same amount... - some countries purchase 
energy and others export it. If it was a united bloc, like Europe, 
South America could afford to be its own supplier in a world in war 
for the control of increasingly scarce energy resources... 
 
"As soon as Lula found the oil field, he made two moves, one for 
overseas, the other for the region. In the move for abroad, he 
immediately suspended bids of the area near the oil field found... 
In his move for the region, he suspended a project of joint 
exploration with Pdvsa in the Orinoco Strip. According to some 
media, Brazil withdrew from the Gasoducto del Sur mega-project but 
it has not happened formally, perhaps because the mega-project never 
started... Brazil is not flooded with oil but now it has oil. In the 
past, it had little. Now it has oil, just when it is becoming more 
expensive because it is running out." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE