VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #1032/01 3301810
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251810Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3989
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3641
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2184
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1151
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0545
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1852
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 5818
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4107
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1993
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001032 
 
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 25 
 
Headline Stories 
---------------- 
¶1.  World stock markets on the rise as a result of the bailout plan 
for Citigroup; Finance Minister Andres Velasco foresees that Chile 
will end with a fiscal surplus in 2009 despite the drop in copper 
prices. 
 
U.S.-related News 
----------------- 
¶2.  Chileans comment on Timothy Geithner.  Vittorio Corbo, former 
Central Banks President, economist Sebastian Edwards, Guillermo Le 
Fort (IMF), and Esteban Jadresic all met Tim Geithner at some point 
during their careers and concur on Geithner's expertise on 
macroeconomic policy, his experience in working with the public 
sector and governments, familiarity with powerful circles, and his 
practical approach to resolving problems, looking beyond traditional 
economic theory (El Mercurio, conservative, influential 
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 11/25). 
 
¶3.  Former Chilean Finance Minister Eduardo Aninat commented on 
Geithner:  "Unlike the Bush team, he knows how to work with 
governments and not just banks....  He is thoroughly familiar with 
macroeconomic policy, is an expert negotiator and a pragmatist (La 
Tercera, conservative, independent (circ. 101,000, 11/25). 
 
¶4.  The National Criminal DNA Archive began operating yesterday. 
The archive is based on the FBI's Combined DNA Index System, which 
was made available to Chile with the signature of a cooperation 
agreement between the Ministry of Justice and the U.S. federal 
agency.  The archive will store genetic data from criminals and 
victims for cross reference and evidence from the sites of crimes 
(El Mercurio, 11/25). 
 
¶5.  Bridgett Wagner of The Heritage Foundation was invited by 
conservative think tank Libertad y Desarrollo and the Union of Latin 
American Parties (UPLA) to speak on the U.S. election.  Wagner said 
Sarah Palin is the kind of change that the Republican Party needs. 
"She fought the establishment and corruption in the party, which 
requires great courage," said Wagner.  She said that this election 
shows that the GOP must learn that it must not diverge from its 
conservative policies and realize that "not all power is in 
Washington."  "It must learn to give power back to the states, 
communities, and families and show that it can properly manage 
American tax payers' money," she said. 
 
¶6.  Editorial entitled, "The President-elect's Appointments and 
Signals": 
 
"The promise of change that was central to the Senator's campaign... 
has generated wide expectation... and he has responded to that 
expectation in two ways....  First, he has emphasized... he signs of 
unity that were characteristic of his campaign.... The cordial 
meeting with his former Republican opponent and his visit to the 
White House with his wife were gestures to show public opinion... 
that his administration will not be belligerent, but rather 
conciliatory....  Second... his appointments... show that the 
president-elect is putting together a team of individuals who have a 
more centrist stance, and with executive and legislative 
experience....  There are, therefore, reasons to believe that the 
next White House tenant wants to form an inclusive team of highly 
capable individuals, whose views are more in the center than to any 
of the extremes (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ. 
101,000, 11/25). 
 
¶7.  Column by Ivan Auger:  "As a citizen of the world, the 
newly-elected U.S. President -- son of a white mother from the deep 
south and a Kenyan father, educated in Indonesia and Hawaii, and in 
Harvard Law School and a community activist in the ghettos of 
Chicago -- is perhaps the best individual to take the United States 
into today's multination and cosmopolitan world....  It is the only 
reasonable alternative in today's multi-polar world (El Mostrador, 
11/25). 
 
Cuba 
---- 
¶8.  Former DC party President Soledad Alvear recalled that she was 
invited to visit Cuba many times as Foreign Affairs Minister, adding 
that she would have gone had she been allowed to meet with the 
dissidents.  In this context, Alvear said that Bachelet should meet 
with the opposition in her trip to Cuba next February.  Foreign 
Minister Foxley confirmed Bachelet's trip, but said the final agenda 
is not ready yet.  Foxley said Chile hopes to be a good partner in 
Cuba's transition.  Reportedly, the DC will ask Bachelet to inform 
Raul Castro of the party's position regarding human rights in Cuba 
(La Nacion, government-owned, editorially independent, circ. 4,200, 
11/25). 
 
¶9.  Idania Ramos, of the Cuban Friendship People's Institute, 
thanked the GOC and the Chilean Cuban Solidarity Movement for the 
aid provided to help the victims of recent hurricanes on the island. 
 Ramos also met with elected municipal authorities to discuss the 
Miracle Operation Project, during which Cuban physicians have 
already assisted 150 patients in Quillota (La Nacion, 11/25). 
 
Nuclear Energy 
-------------- 
¶10.  President Bachelet will visit Russia next year to discuss 
nuclear energy, defense and investment.  Russia has conducted a 
strong lobby in Chile and the region in recent years to promote the 
development of nuclear plants.  The problem the HydroAysen project 
faces in Chile provides a new argument to include nuclear energy in 
Chile's energy matrix.  Finland, France, and the United States have 
already expressed their interest in investing in nuclear plants in 
Chile, and Russia is not far behind.  Political scientist Guillermo 
Holzman said Bachelet's trip is consistent with Chile's multilateral 
foreign policy and its desire to open to Asia, where Russia plays an 
important role as member of APEC (El Mostrador, on-line news agency, 
11/25). 
 
SIMONS