VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0254/01 0691325
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101325Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3184
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000254 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO ECON AR
SUBJECT: Ambassador Visits Argentina's Chief Coastal City with Press 
in Tow 
 
Ref: Buenos Aires 213 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) During his February 26-27 visit to the resort city of Mar 
del Plata, the Ambassador met with the acting mayor, toured a 
renovated historical hotel, visited a coast guard base in 
Argentina's largest fishing port, and delivered an address on the 
new administration's agenda to an influential NGO.  Press coverage 
was positive and extensive, in part because it occurred at the 
height of the local furor over CIA Director Panetta's comments 
regarding Argentina.  The visit was featured on the front page of 
the main local daily, led newscasts on the local TV station, and was 
cited in the Buenos Aires press.  End Summary. 
 
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Ambassador Speech to Influential Locals 
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¶2. (SBU) During a February 26-27 trip to Mar del Plata, a major 
coastal resort city in Buenos Aires province, Ambassador delivered a 
speech on the challenges facing the Obama administration to a group 
of about 50 influential local politicians, businesspeople, media 
representatives, academics, and civil society members.  The event, 
which originated the decision to travel to Mar del Plata, was hosted 
by the local chapter of the Fundacion Universitaria Rio de la Plata 
(FURP).  FURP is a national organization which has collaborated 
frequently with Post by working together on various projects to 
strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between Argentina and 
the United States and to provide young leaders with an accurate 
knowledge of U.S. social, political, and economic institutions. 
 
¶3. (SBU) A question-and-answer session followed the speech.  Some 
questions focused on the upcoming G-20 meeting in London on April 2, 
including national Congressman and former Mar del Plata mayor Daniel 
Katz asking if the agenda would include discussion of debt 
forgiveness for developing countries.  Ambassador responded that the 
role of multilateral development banks was one of the key topics on 
the agenda.  Daniel Chain, Buenos Aires Minister of Urban 
Development, asked about USG plans to address clean energy and 
climate change.  Ambassador cited the existing Hemispheric Energy 
Agenda, plans to expand that agenda, and mentioned he would meet 
with GoA Energy Secretary Cameron shortly, in part to discuss 
alternative energy cooperation.  A farmer asked if the USG might 
subsidize Argentine farmers; the Ambassador emphasized the need for 
cooperation in devising responses to the current crisis, and noted 
President Obama's comments two days before that he would endeavor to 
reduce U.S. agricultural subsidies.  Additional questions concerned 
the possible new directions of U.S. policy on Cuba, the effects of 
the U.S. bailout plan on Argentina, and Chinese investment in 
Africa.  FURP board member Hernan Vela (who works for Chain) closed 
the session by quoting from "The Audacity of Hope" by President 
Obama. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
City Issues, Coast Guard - and Intense Press Interest 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4. (U) Ambassador discussed city government issues with Acting Mayor 
(and head of the local city council) Marcelo Artime during a tour of 
the renovation project of the enormous and historical Hotel 
Provincial.  (Mayor Gustavo Pulti was out of town.)  Their host was 
Florencio Aldrey Iglesias, owner of the Provincial and a local mogul 
who owns another major hotel (the site of the 2005 Summit of the 
Americas), a casino, Mar del Plata's largest daily and local TV 
station, and a Buenos Aires daily.  Mar del Plata will host the 
Fifth Summit of Latin American Mayors from September 2-4 this year. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Ambassador, along with Naval Attache, visited Mar del 
Plata's Prefectura (Coast Guard equivalent) base February 27th, the 
147th anniversary of the base's founding.  Mar del Plata is a 
significant port, home base to a significant share of Argentina's 
one billion dollar-plus fishing industry and is Argentina's top 
summer vacation destination, receiving upwards of two million 
primarily domestic tourists in the January-February vacation high 
season. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Press coverage was positive and extensive -- in part, due 
to a controversy generated by the media misrepresentation of press 
conference references to Argentina by CIA Director Panetta on 
Argentina (Reftel), which helped place the visit on the front page 
of the leading local daily as well as in Buenos Aires press. 
Indeed, reporters followed the Ambassador around Mar del Plata on 
the 26th, seeking his comments.  The attention was so great that 
FURP, which had planned to allow two television stations to film the 
Ambassador's remarks, excluded cameras and reporters from the event 
 
(the media members who attended were owners and editors, not 
reporters).  A local activist called on local citizens to march on 
the hotel where the FURP event was held, though the only visible 
result was increased police presence.  The leading local daily and 
TV station both interviewed Ambassador on the 27th, and portions of 
the TV interview led newscasts at noon and on the evening news the 
same day, covering both the city visit and the GoA response to and 
USG follow-up on Panetta's comments. 
 
WAYNE