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SUBJECT:  CHILE MEDIA REPORT -- JUNE 8 
 
Leading Stories 
---------------- 
¶1.  A 56-year old man died from AH1N1, marking Chile's second 
casualty.  He suffered from an array of heart and respiratory 
conditions due to his obesity.  Chile now leads South America for 
AH1N1-related deaths. 
 
U.S.-Related News 
----------------- 
¶2.  Interview with Deputy Assistant Secretary Walter Bastian:  "The 
FTA with Chile is the most successful of the United States."  "The 
Obama administration has made it clear that this is not the time for 
protectionism, but rather a time to promote foreign trade," said 
Bastian, who was in Chile leading a business delegation.  "We are 
working on several fronts ... trying to get the ratification of the 
free trade agreements with Colombian and Panama.  In order to 
achieve this, it is crucial that we are able to show that our 
agreement with Chile has been successful for Chileans and North 
Americans.  It seems to me that of all the agreements we have, the 
most successful thus far is Chile's" (Diario Financiero, business 
and financial, circ. 30,000, 6/8). 
 
Obama Speech in Cairo 
--------------------- 
¶3.  International commentator Libardo Buitrago's column entitled, 
"Obama -- The Enthusiasm for Peace":  "President Obama's foreign 
policy rests on two pillars:  Dialogue and negotiations.  And in his 
visit to the Middle East, he put these into practice....  He spoke 
directly to Arabs and Muslims of a new relationship based on 
trust... and talked about a new beginning in relations between the 
two worlds....  If Obama earns the trust of the Muslim world his 
task of confronting radical groups will become much easier, and in 
this regard the White House's new diplomacy has a lot to gain.... 
One of Obama's goals is to contribute to the resolution of the 
conflict between Israelis and Palestinians....  He left a 
conciliatory and direct message....  Obama has no formula on where 
the solution lies... and expects Arabs and Israelis themselves to 
converge and reach their own conclusion to create the two states" 
(Diario Financiero, 6/8). 
 
¶4.  Weekly round-up column, "The United States and Islam: A New 
Beginning?"  Obama knows that his government has a chance to change 
the situation in the Middle East....  His own life experience... 
puts him closer to Islamic audiences than any other president.  His 
public commitment not to abandon Israel, his closest regional ally, 
puts him in a position of authority to criticize Palestinians and 
Israelis alike....  In Egypt he delivered the speech he had promised 
during his campaign....  Obama wanted to clearly show that he is not 
George W. Bush and that his foreign policy made a 180 degree turn. 
He also played an important card, of looking at the Muslim world 
straight in the face ... to offer a new beginning in relations.... 
He spoke about religion, tolerance... and democracy, stemming from 
the roots of Islam rather than from the western world.  His goal 
seems very ambitious.  We will now have to wait and see what he can 
achieve in the next months" (El Mercurio, conservative, influential 
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 6/8). 
 
¶5.  Public opinion still idolizes him, but the time has come for 
President Obama to begin fulfilling his main campaign promise and 
not just those he has been forced to fulfill because of the crisis 
(El Mercurio, 6/7). 
 
OAS-Cuba 
-------- 
¶6.  Human Rights Watch Director for the Americas, Jose Miguel 
Vivanco, said the clause in the OAS resolution that forces Cuba to 
promote democracy and defend human rights before rejoining the 
organization was the only element that stopped the resolution from 
turning into a "catastrophe."  He said that the clause was the only 
obstacle to legitimatizing other totalitarian governments in the 
region (El Mercurio, 6/7). 
 
¶7.  Interview with OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza:  "Now 
the ball is on the bilateral field, which is Cuba and the United 
States....  If you ask me if it (the United States) changed its 
position, the answer is yes.  But I see that as a merit and not as a 
defeat, because President Obama had said that he wants to listen to 
Latin America and Secretary Clinton did (La Tercera, conservative, 
independent, circ. 101,000, 6/6). 
 
¶8.  Interview with Jose Miguel Insulza:  "I promoted (eliminating 
the 1962 resolution) because I thought it necessary for the OAS.... 
Democracy develops best with inclusion rather that exclusion....  I 
believe that to have a dialogue with Cuba, the OAS had to 
unilaterally eliminate the 1962 resolution.  The idea caught on 
fast, especially with President Obama, who said he wants to listen 
to Latin America....  Revoking the 1962 resolution was symbolic in 
nature, because the organization was a tool of the Cold War" (La 
Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 6/5). 
 
¶9.  Letter to the editor by PRSD Congressman Carlos Jarpa: "Barack 
Obama has implemented an important foreign policy change, especially 
with regard to Latin America.  This shows an effort to adapt to what 
21st diplomacy should be, where respect, dialogue, and equality 
should be the fundamental characteristics.  Let's hope that Cuba 
realizes the extent of these efforts and rejoins the OAS, as a first 
step to overcome the embargo (La Tercera, 6/8). 
 
IPR 
---- 
¶10.  The Santiago Appeals Courts ruled against a well-known plastic 
surgeon for using pirated software in his clinic.  The court's 
resolution has encouraged the software industry to begin suing an 
array of companies for use of pirated software, and to start 
monitoring more closely distributors of software material, including 
department stores (El Mercurio, 6/8). 
 
Peru-Bolivia 
------------ 
¶11.  Journalist Ascanio Cavallo notes that Peru's claim over 
maritime borders with Chile at The Hague has caused Lima problems 
with three of its five neighbors, including Bolivia.  And though 
Peru might not lose anything in territorial terms, the tension 
caused between Lima and La Paz could have serious consequences after 
Alan Garcia leaves office (La Tercera, 6/7). 
 
Nuclear Energy 
-------------- 
¶12.  The mining sector has begun lobbying the government to 
development nuclear plants.  The sector has already approached 
presidential candidates Sebastian Pinera and Eduardo Frei, who in 
general terms are in favor of this form of energy generation.  The 
main reason for the lobby is the high cost of electricity, which 
mining companies say is the highest in Latin America.  Most mining 
companies are located in northern Chile where water is scarce, hence 
the urgency to have alternative energy sources.  One such 
alternative are desalinization plants, but these also operate on 
electricity (Tercera, 6/7). 
 
Indigenous affairs 
------------------ 
¶13.  The GOC is working on a draft project known as the Indigenous 
Code.  Its implementation would make Chile the first of those who 
have signed the 169 Convention and established a certification to 
invest in indigenous territories (El Mercurio, 6/7). 
 
Narcotics 
--------- 
¶14.  The records kept by the Comptrollers' Office show that in 
December 2008, 5,333 attorneys were working on narcotics-related 
cases defending traffickers; in 2007 there were only 1,409.  The 
attorneys on that list are banned from holding public office (La 
Segunda, 6/5). 
SIMONS