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DE RUEHSG #0853/01 2621655
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181655Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3727
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3537
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2099
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1049
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0428
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1781
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 0078
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ SEP LIMA 5686
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4045
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO 0030
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1912
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000853 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC, EEB/IFD, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON VE BL CI
SUBJECT: CHILEANS GENERALLY UPBEAT ON UNASUR OUTCOME 
 
REF: (A) SANTIAGO 852, (B) SANTIAGO 851 
     (C) SANTIAGO 846 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Political commentators we consulted over the past 
two days tended to view the emergency UNASUR meeting as a positive 
development, particularly the nudging of Bolivia toward a political 
dialogue.  They regard the UNASUR consensus as a Chilean foreign 
policy success for having tamed the out-spoken Chavez and helped a 
neighbor in need.  UNASUR has been bolstered as well.  However, 
opponents of the Bachelet administration see the accord as a setback 
for the OAS and its role in the hemisphere.  END SUMMARY. 
 
UNASUR Role Enhanced 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Editor of El Mercurio's online news service Sebastian 
Campana described the summit as very brief, effective, and 
to-the-point.  He told us President Bachelet's prestige rose as a 
result of her leadership and management of the summit, including 
among her South American colleagues.  He agreed with other 
observers, that it was better for UNASUR to support Evo Morales than 
to let Chavez unilaterally intervene, which is what would have 
happened without the summit. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Campana said the UNASUR leaders carefully tried to 
"control" Chavez so that he would not divert the attention from what 
they had come to do -- address Bolivia's crisis.  He shared that El 
Mercurio learned a few days ago that President Morales had called 
President Bachelet and asked for the emergency summit.  Upon hearing 
this Chavez, "who cannot keep anything to himself," immediately 
publicized the plan, which stole the limelight from Bachelet.  He 
noted that El Mercurio had decided to make UNASUR its second lead 
story largely because UNASUR had a large Chavez component ("tenia 
olor de Chavez"), which the paper did not want to highlight.  (The 
U.S. financial crisis was the lead story.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Campana said the event demonstrated a clear signal of 
 
support by the South American leaders to the recently-created 
UNASUR, validating the existence of the organization that in Chile 
is not yet "legal," (i.e., Congress has yet to fund it).  Campana 
also felt that the successful UNASUR summit had marked the decline 
of the OAS, an organization with a U.S. "apellido," or last name. 
 
Containing Chavez Worked, Leaders Sought Consensus 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Journalist and international commentator Libardo Buitrado, 
who covered the UNASUR meeting at La Moneda Presidential Palace, 
told us there was a positive and "prone to proposals" atmosphere at 
the event.  Contrary to expectations, the leaders showed an 
optimistic and serene attitude.  Despite President Chavez's 
incendiary language upon his arrival, the Chilean and Brazilian 
Foreign Ministers helped influence and keep Chavez in line and to 
prevent him from commenting irresponsibly to the press during or 
after the event.  In addition to Lula's strong role, Presidents 
Correa and Lugo also contributed in a discreet way in setting a 
peaceful atmosphere. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Buitrago (a Colombian, but long-time resident of Chile) 
downplayed the media's assessment of Uribe and Bachelet's greeting, 
which was described as "cool."  He said that there was no tension 
between them and that Uribe was treated in the same manner as the 
other visiting leaders.  He added that for journalists covering the 
event, this summit differed considerably from the Ibero American 
Summit in Santiago last November, notably in terms of a better 
atmosphere and organization. 
 
Opposition: Critical OAS Left Out 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Chief of Political Studies at the RN party-affiliated, 
center-right Instituto Libertad think tank, Jose Miguel Izquierda, 
had a different view.  He told us he is not supportive of the UNASUR 
concept, and lamented that the OAS, which is the hemisphere's 
institution to resolve such problems, appears to have been left 
without a role.  He added that the UNASUR members tend to share a 
common ideology that is supportive of Evo Morales.  He noted a clear 
double standard:  when Gonzalo Sanchez de Losada had similar 
problems, none of these same countries came to his rescue. 
 
¶8. (SBU) He felt the UNASUR event had bolstered Brazil's strategic 
vision of regional leadership and helped lower tensions in Bolivia. 
Morales both won and lost with UNASUR.  He lost because the Bolivian 
opposition is now more legitimate and will benefit from foreign 
observers closely tracking developments.  Now Evo would not be able 
to dismiss the opposition.  He won because the 12 member states 
agreed not to recognize any change in regime that might emerge 
through a government collapse or "civil coup." 
 
Party Line: A Boost to Chilean Leadership 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) Former Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker described the UNASUR 
meeting in a media interview as a great success, positive for the 
region, and a boost to President Bachelet and Chile's foreign 
policy.  He said that Chile reacted quickly to a complex situation 
in Bolivia and generated an impressive turnout of leaders on short 
notice.  President Lagos' former minister noted UNASUR produced a 
clear message in support of democracy through political dialogue. 
 
 
A Sigh of Relief 
---------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment:  Most Chileans are probably relieved President 
Chavez was not the main story of the emergency summit, and Chile, 
particularly Bachelet, came out well in their view.  Clearly the GOC 
was better prepared to deal with the maverick Chavez than during the 
Ibero American summit, when the King of Spain uttered his famous 
line.  While there is concern over a lack of an OAS role, GOC 
officials say they are planning for OAS involvement in Bolivia. 
 
SIMONS