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STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT:  CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 5 
 
Leading Stories 
--------------- 
¶1.  Former government official Patricio Rojas testified in the 
framework of a long-lasting investigation regarding the autopsy of 
former President Frei (father of the current candidate) in 1982. 
The recent stabbing of a teacher by a student has prompted reports 
on violence against teachers. 
 
U.S.-Related News 
----------------- 
¶2.  El Mercurio interview with Ambassador Hector Morales, U.S. 
Representative to the OAS, headlined, "White House Policy toward 
Cuba is Under Review." 
On Cuba's possibly rejoining the OAS, Ambassador Morales said:  "We 
all want Cuba to join the Inter-American system in the not too 
distant future.  However there are certain democratic principles 
that are in the OAS and Inter-American Democratic charters that the 
34 countries have accepted.  We hope that Cuba will someday also 
decide to accept them.  I believe we all want that day to come." 
Asked about the Obama administration's stance on the embargo, 
Morales said, "What I can tell you is that this policy (to Cuba) is 
under review." 
 
¶3.  Morales was also asked whether UNSAUR and similar organizations 
could undermine U.S. influence in the region and about his opinion 
on Chavez' eventual use of these organizations to promote his views: 
 "They (the organizations) are valuable because there is a need to 
find collective solutions.  In that regard, I don't see it as a 
decrease, for example, of the role of the OAS....  At this moment 
it's important we all work together.  We must support the 
multilateral organizations that we have, and that is why I believe 
the President and the Secretary of State have been talking so 
extensively about multilateral policies" (El Mercurio, conservative, 
influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 3/5). 
 
¶4.  Captioned photograph of Secretary Clinton and Chilean Ambassador 
to the United States Mariano Fernandez:  The first diplomatic 
encounter between the GOC and the new U.S. administration occurred 
during the presentation of accredited ambassadors in Washington, 
during which Secretary Clinton greeted the Chilean Ambassador (La 
Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 3/4). 
 
¶5.  Editorial: "Buy American is the one of the most dangerous 
slogans we've heard in international trade in the past years.... 
The clause not only affects... U.S. access to raw material in other 
parts of the world; The greater damage is that... the international 
system would be watching its most important player activate an 
openly protectionist policy....  The temptation to promote domestic 
employment and loans by limiting foreign trade could start a 
dangerous spiral that could revoke the enormous progress achieved 
thanks to commercial openness....  It also undermines fair trade 
just when it is needed most" (America Economia monthly magazine, 
2/21). 
 
Chile-Peru 
---------- 
¶6.  President Bachelet defended the Chile-Peru FTA that came into 
effect this month saying the accord benefits both countries.  The 
nationalist opposition in Peru is trying to annul the treaty (Diario 
Financiero, business and financial, circ. 30,000, 3/5). 
 
Local 
----- 
¶7.  The State Defense Council filed a suit against the managers of 
the Council of the Americas for illegal appropriation of funds.  The 
council is responsible for administrating funds from international 
organizations for the government to fight AIDS (El Mercurio, 3/5) 
 
¶8.  Minister for the Environment Ana Lya Uriarte said Chile will 
join the "Global Blackout" programmed for March 28 at 8:30 pm. 
Uriarte said La Moneda Presidential Palace and the Entel 
communications tower will be among the buildings that will turn off 
all their lights (La Segunda, 3/4). 
 
¶9. The Sunday Times listed opposition presidential candidate 
Sebastian Pinera as the 46th ranked "green millionaire."  Pinera 
owns the 120,000 hectare Tantauco Park in southern Chile (Las 
Ultimas Noticias, leading-circulation, popular, circ. 140,000, 3/5). 
 
 
Cuba 
---- 
¶10.  Editorial: "It is a symptom that several of the removed 
(officers) this week... were replaced by individuals who represent 
the 'old school'....  The recently sworn-in U.S. President suggested 
in his campaign a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba.  Although for 
now... it does not seem possible that the commercial embargo will be 
lifted, it is possible that there will be a gradual softening of its 
terms....  Given the current international crisis, the possibility 
that the commercial restricts could be lifted is highly important 
for both Castros and the idea of a dialogue seems attractive.  But 
given this weeks' events, it is very unlikely... that anyone in the 
regime is willing to move toward anything similar to a genuine 
political openness" (La Segunda, 3/4). 
 
¶11.  The recent cabinet changes in Cuba are a response to signals 
sent by the Obama administration, which has already outlined a new 
strategy by promising to lift restrictions to travel to the island, 
said former chief of staff of the Castro regime Alcibiades Hidalgo. 
Some analysts say the cabinet change is a way for Raul Castro to 
shield himself from an eventual change in relations with the United 
States, since the new officers are historical figures of the Cuban 
Communist Party and armed forces (La Tercera, 3/5). 
 
Haiti 
----- 
¶11.  Editorial:  "Chile's reasons to participate in the peace 
mission in Haiti are as valid today as they were five years ago, and 
have to do with the way in which Chile's sees its role in the world 
and the responsibility that this entails....  (However) it is not 
desirable for the mission to extend with no clear horizon or for it 
to conclude without the appropriate assessment of its performance" 
(La Tercera, 3/4). 
 
SIMONS