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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV OPRC PREL PGOV EFIN CI
SUBJECT:  CHILE MEDIA REPORT - NOVEMBER 22-24 
 
Headline Stories 
---------------- 
¶1.  At the APEC Summit in Lima, President Bachelet called on the 
private sector to forge alliances with the public sector to protect 
employment and prevent massive layoffs. The President will travel to 
Cuba in February to open the Havana International Book Fair and meet 
with Fidel Castro; The Christian Democratic party argues Bachelet 
must also meet with the opposition. 
 
U.S.-related News 
----------------- 
¶2.  Foreign Affairs Minister Alejandro Foxley and Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice met briefly during APEC.  Reportedly, they talked 
about U.S. accession to the P4 (Trans-Pacific Partnership) and the 
December 10 Pacific Rim (Pathways to Prosperity) Ministerial in 
Panama.  The Pacific Rim encompasses countries that have signed FTAs 
with the United States and therefore is viewed as a bloc that 
counters far-left governments in the region (La Tercera, 
conservative, independent, Sun. circ. 222,084, 11/23). 
 
¶3.  Foreign Affairs Minister Foxley was asked about the 
region's reaction to Obama's election and he said:  "It was well 
received and there is significant expectation that he will renew 
dialogue and resolve conflicts.  Latin America... is asking (the 
United States) to take its participation in the P4 seriously and to 
continue with its integration and projection in the Asia-Pacific.... 
 It's hard to find an international leader as open to dialogue, who 
represents diversity, and who promotes understanding as strongly (as 
Obama)," said Foxley.  He said this will make it harder for some 
countries to "to attack the empire," adding that Obama "will be 
highly respected by an array of countries and social strata" (La 
Tercera, circ. 101,000, 11/24). 
 
¶4.  Chile's APEC delegation said President Bachelet was 
responsible for including the P4 on the summit's agenda, noting this 
is a "diplomatic victory."  In his remarks, President Bush talked 
about the U.S. negotiations to join the P4 as an example of his 
administration's defense of free trade and as a tool for global 
economic development (El Mercurio, Sun. circ. 260,108, 11/23). 
 
¶5.  U.S. company Monsanto bought 180 hectares in the VI 
Region for US$6 million to produce seeds, soy, and canola. 
McDonalds went ahead with its expansion plan in Chile and will open 
10 new restaurants by 2011, increasing its operations by 15% (El 
Mercurio, circ.  129,000, 11/24). 
 
Cuba 
---- 
¶6.  Bachelet will visit Cuba in February of 2009 to 
inaugurate the Havana Book Fair and meet with Fidel Castro. 
Bachelet has privately said that Chile is "indebted" to Cuba, 
because Castro welcomed military-regime era political exiles, who 
include several of her friends.  The trip would make Bachelet the 
first Chilean president to visit the island since the onset of 
democracy in 1990, and the first in 37 years.  But the trip will 
have political costs.  The DC party said that as the representative 
"of all Chileans," Bachelet must also meet with the opposition.  DC 
President Jorge Burgos said the President also should make special 
gestures, such as including in her delegation Patricio Walter and 
Exequiel Silva.  Both have been repeatedly denied visas to Cuba 
because of their active role in the defense of political rights on 
the island. 
 
¶7.  Chile and Cuba have had full diplomatic ties since 1995, but 
these have been strained over Chile's vote in the UNHRC and Havana's 
acknowledgment that it gave refuge to several Chilean terrorists who 
fled a high security prison.  The trip is also a reflection of the 
differences in foreign policy between Bachelet and the Foreign 
Ministry, which is not organizing the trip to Havana.  While Foreign 
Minister has given priority to ties with the United States and the 
Pacific Axis, Bachelet has prioritized the strengthening of ties 
with Latin American countries through regional entities such as 
UNASUR (La Tercera, circ. 101,000, 11/23 and 11/24). 
 
Nuclear Energy 
-------------- 
¶8.  Finland wants to invest in nuclear energy in Chile. 
Finnish Ambassador Iivo Salmi said his country can contribute by 
sharing the appropriate regulatory framework to develop nuclear 
energy and providing training for nuclear reactor management. 
Finland has the right credentials in this regard.  It's one of the 
countries with the lowest levels of CO2 emissions in the world and 
is developing the most advanced reactors today (La Tercera, Sun. 
circ. 222,084, 11/23). 
 
Education 
--------- 
¶9.  A 2008 Institute for International Education (IIE) 
survey shows that Chile is among the 20 preferred destinations for 
U.S. college students.  U.S. Cultural Attach Michael Orlansky said, 
"There is much interest in learning Spanish and in learning more 
about Chile's economy, history, and politics.  Plus, it's a fairly 
safe place with an array of accommodations available for students 
(La Tercera, circ. 101,000, 11/24). 
 
¶10.  University Alberto Hurtado and Georgetown University 
signed an undergraduate and graduate cooperation agreement that 
includes student and teacher exchange programs and technical 
assistance (El Mercurio, circ. 129,000, 11/24). 
 
Local Politics 
-------------- 
¶11.  RN Presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera is trying 
to win over the environmentalists with whom he will inevitably clash 
over the HydroAysen dam project.  In this context, Pinera is working 
with environmental NGOs on the promotion of non-conventional 
renewable energy initiatives.  He also organized a seminar with 
Chistopher Paine from the Nature Resource Defense Council to discuss 
Barack Obama's environmental proposals (La Nacion, government-owned, 
editorially independent, Sun. circ. 16,200). 
 
Press 
----- 
¶12.  La Tercera and CNN Chile signed a strategic alliance 
accord that will allow both organizations to share news stories, 
editorial commentary and an array of press products (La Tercera, 
Sat. circ. 195,626, 11/22). 
 
Surveys 
------- 
¶13.  A survey in La Tercera shows that RN presidential 
candidate Sebastian Pinera is ahead the presidential race.  To the 
question, "if the election were this Sunday, who would you vote 
for?" 38% said Piera, 12% Ricardo Lagos, 4% Eduardo Frei, and 3% 
Jose Miguel Insulza.  According to the survey, in a runoff election 
with Insulza, Pinera would receive 54% and Insulza 32%; in a runoff 
with Lagos, Pinera would obtain 52% and Lagos 35%; in a Pinera 
versus Frei contest, Pinera would earn 53% and Frei 33% of the vote 
(La Tercera, Sat. 11/22). 
 
Editorials 
---------- 
¶14.  Defense journalist Raul Sohr wrote:  "One of the most 
difficult issues that President Obama will face is Iran.  Many of 
his advisors are advocates of reinitiating a dialogue with Teheran. 
But with or without dialogue, Washington must make sure that Iran 
will effectively abandon its plan to build nuclear weapons" (La 
Nacion, 11/24). 
 
¶15.  "Medvedev's Business and Naval Maneuvers":  "Many see 
Russia's interest in strengthening ties with Latin America as a 
direct challenge of the historical U.S. influence in the region.... 
The most controversial issue for the United States will be the 
presence of Russian President Medvedev during naval exercise headed 
by Russia's nuclear cruiser, Peter the Great, with the Venezuelan 
navy.  The exercise is a provocation, since the Russian vessels will 
stay in the Caribbean, which is an area that Washington considers as 
its area of influence.  It's possible that Obama's arrival at the 
White House will lower the tension between the two former rivals of 
the Cold War, and that Medvedev will have to start a different type 
of relationship with the new U.S. President.  And in that 
relationship, the issue of Latin America will take a take a 
different course" (El Mercurio, circ. 129,000, 11/24). 
 
SIMONS