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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 - AUGUST 31 
 
UNASUR 
------ 
¶1. The UNASUR summit was aired live and showed us a disorganized and 
seven-hour debate that concluded with upset presidents and a final 
declaration that made no reference to the U.S.-Colombia agreement. 
The declaration, however, states that "foreign military forces 
cannot threaten the sovereignty and integrity of South American 
countries or the region's peace and security."  Brazilian Lula da 
Silva succeeded in persuading Hugo Chavez to control himself. Rafael 
Correa and other heads of state proposed calling a meeting with 
President Obama to explain the scope of the agreement with Colombia. 
President Lula and other presidents endorsed the proposal, but Uribe 
objected to it (Conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, El 
Mercurio, 8/29). 
 
¶2.  At UNASUR, Hugo Chavez read the "White Book," a document 
presumably written by the Pentagon outlining the "strategic" use of 
bases in South America to "dominate oil" in the region. Peruvian 
President Alan Garcia ironically remarked to Chavez, "Why would they 
(the U.S.) want to control South America's oil, when you sell it all 
to them?" Garcia then said it had been a joke (El Mercurio, 8/29). 
 
¶3.  The Pentagon explained that the "White Paper" is a research 
paper from the "Air Force University." The Department of State said 
it was an "evaluation of alternative global transportation for 
emergencies and humanitarian aid" and not "a strategic or policy 
plan" (El Mercurio, 8/29). 
 
¶4.  At UNASUR, Hugo Chavez asked his Colombian counterpart to 
present the U.S.-Colombia agreement in question to rule out 
concerns. He also presented a paper allegedly drafted by the 
Pentagon on the use of "expeditionary bases" in the region.  In 
response to that presentation, President Rafael Correa proposed 
calling an urgent UNASUR meeting with President Obama to explain the 
use of the military bases. President Uribe explained that the 
document read by Chavez had been downloaded from the Internet and 
was not a USG official document. Lula agreed with the idea of 
meeting with Obama, but to "explain the scope of the U.S. role in 
Latin America." This proposal was perceived as a means to decompress 
the summit.  Lula reiterated that while Brazil "respects" the 
U.S.-Colombia agreement, he wants Uribe to provide legal guarantee 
that it will not affect the region's stability. The summit's final 
statement instructs UNASUR defense and foreign affairs ministers to 
design a security strategy and states that "the presence of foreign 
military forces cannot threaten the sovereignty and integrity of any 
South American nation" (La Tercera, 8/29). 
 
¶5. Interview with Brazilian Minister Secretary General to the 
Presidency Luiz Dulci on the U.S.-Colombia agreement:  "The issue of 
the U.S military bases in the continent... is complex, because it 
differs significantly from U.S. commercial or industrial presence or 
investment. This (the agreement) surprised us. We expected a more 
creative and cooperative attitude from the United States on issues 
of defense with the region.... President Lula spoke very candidly to 
President Obama on how this disrupts a process that has been 
predominantly positive in all other aspects.... Although we believe 
that Obama's intentions are the best possible, the installment of 
U.S. bases in the region creates tension.... We don't want that 
tension to crystallize and turn into an irreversible conflict" (La 
Tercera 8/29) 
 
¶6. Peruvian President Alan Garcia said he has no objection to the 
Colombia-U.S. agreement "if the military presence is limited to 
Colombia." However, he urged Colombia to provide "explicit 
guarantees against any threat" and to assure that the contract 
applies only to Colombia. Garcia also laughed at Chavez's remarks 
that the U.S. goal is to control South America's oil, since 
Venezuela is the one that sells all the oil to the United States. 
(Afternoon, conservative, La Segunda, 8/28) 
 
¶7.  At UNASUR, President Bachelet called for "transparency" of 
military agreements in the region and to create a climate of "trust" 
(Government-owned, La Nacion, 8/30) 
 
¶8.  There was one landmark at UNASUR:  This was first time that 
South American countries debated the military presence of foreign 
powers in the region. Lula da Silva did not conceal his concern over 
the installation of U.S. bases or the interest of foreign powers for 
resources in the Amazon (La Nacion, 8/30). 
 
¶9. Lula proposed inviting President Obama to UNASUR to discuss the 
role of the United States in the region. This was not an improvised 
invitation. Last week Lula invited Obama by telephone, but did not 
get an answer. The U.S. President sent Deputy Assistant Secretary 
Christopher McMullen to tour the region (La Nacion, 8/31). 
 
U.S.-Related News 
----------------- 
¶10.  Senator Edward Kennedy visited Chile in January 1986, amid 
heightened opposition to the military regime. The military regime, 
through its communications bureau DINACOS, organized a campaign to 
ensure that Kennedy found a hostile environment.  At the airport 
demonstrators battered the car transporting Kennedy, who had to be 
flown out on helicopter. The campaign shows the importance that the 
GOC assigned to Kennedy, who returned to the United States a 
political hero (Column by Ascanio Cavallo, La Tercera, 8/30). 
 
¶11.  President Bachelet wrote President Obama a letter of condolence 
for Senator Kennedy's passing away. "An exceptional American leader 
whom we admire," wrote Bachelet. She wrote a more personal letter to 
the Senator's widow (La Tercera, 8/29). 
 
¶12.  The assist director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the 
Native American, Maggie Bertin, will arrive to Santiago to arrange 
an exhibit in Washington on the Mapuche culture (El Mercurio, 8/30). 
 
 
Local Politics 
--------------- 
¶13.  The National Electoral Service reported that 100,000 new people 
have registered to vote since March. The registration deadline is 
September 13 (La Tercera, 8/3). 
 
¶14.  The Executive Office is satisfied with the results of the 
recently implemented Transparency Law (Access to Information Law). 
9,017 requests for information have been submitted with 275 state 
entities and 82.4 percent of them have been answered (El Mercurio, 
8/30). 
 
Indigenous Conflict 
------------------ 
¶15.  Figures show that since 1994, the indigenous Mapuche 
communities that have received the largest amount of land from the 
government through direct purchase are the most radical communities. 
The government has handed Mapuche communities in Ercilla, Victoria, 
and Traiguen 4,000 to 8,000 hectares each. Meanwhile, the more 
peaceful communities of Pucon and Villarica have not received any 
land through this mechanism.  The reason, says Olivia Ygor, from 
think tank "Libertad y Desarrollo," is that these communities have 
realized that violence yields them results (El Mercurio, 8/30). 
 
SIMONS