VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0054/01 0201611
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201610Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0560
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000054 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT: Santiago Media Report January 20 
 
Incoming Administration 
 
¶1.            President-elect Sebastian Pi????era appointed his close 
advisor, Rodrigo Hinzpeter, to manage the establishment of the 
incoming administration.  Among Hinzpeter's first duties are to 
designate delegates at the Foreign Ministry's Protocol Office and 
the Presidency's Administration Office. Yesterday, Pi????era received 
the U.S. State Department's letter of congratulations in which the 
U.S. Administration conveyed its determination to continue 
strengthening bilateral ties.  (Conservative, newspaper-of-record 
El Mercurio 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶2.            "U.S. Sends Congratulations." "We congratulate 
President Elect Sebastian Pi????era on his election and the Chilean 
people for an exemplary election process," said State Department 
spokesperson Phillip J. Crowley in a statement.  (Conservative, 
independent La Tercera, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶3.            "Obama Administration Congratulates the 
President-elect." "We look forward to working with the 
President-elect," said State Department spokesperson Philip 
Crowley.  (Financial, business-oriented Estrategia, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶4.            In a phone conversation, U.S. Ambassador to Chile 
Paul Simons congratulated President-elect Sebastian Pi????era on his 
election in the runoff.  Simons wished him "success at his work as 
President" and conveyed Washington's deep interest in "continuing 
to work enthusiastically with his administration to maintain 
strengthening their close relations on bilateral, regional and 
global issues."  Ambassador Simons also saluted Christian 
Democratic Senator Eduardo Frei and underscored his "great 
dedication to public service and to the country's welfare." (Online 
daily Emol.com 1/20) 
 
 
 
Haiti 
 
¶5.            Local dailies continued to provide extensive coverage 
on Haiti, focusing primarily on the deployment of additional U.S. 
troops and the controversy raised by the alleged expedited adoption 
of Haitian children: 
 
 
 
¶6.            "U.S. Troops Deploy in Haiti and Begin Aid 
Distribution." While approximately 10 U.S. helicopters loaded with 
troops landed on the presidential palace lawns in the northeastern 
area of Haiti's capital city, a C-17 dropped 14,000 rations of 
prepared food and 15,000 liters of water.  American forces control 
the airport area in Port au Prince and maintain a strong presence 
in the seaport area.  Chile's Minors Service (SENAME) has received 
30 queries about adopting Haitian children.  Yesterday, 53 Haitian 
orphans - who were in the advanced stages of the adoption process - 
arrived in the United States. (La Tercera, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶7.            "Controversy Hikes over Expedite Adoptions of Haitian 
Children." Countries such as the United States and the Netherlands 
have accelerated the processes.  Chile opposes to "express" 
procedures.  "We are not in favor of massive or 'express' adoption 
procedures under any circumstance, even beyond the dramatic 
situation that is taking place in Haiti," noted Eugenio San Martin, 
SENAME Director, in allusion to the U.S. and Dutch measures to 
speed up the adoption processes of Haitian children.  "While we 
remain focused on family reunification in Haiti, authorizing the 
use of humanitarian parole for orphans who are eligible for 
adoption in the United States will allow them to receive the care 
they need here," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary 
Janet Napolitano.  She underscored that adoption authorization will 
 
be granted only to children who met the criteria before the 
earthquake. (El Mercurio, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶8.            Thousands of Haitians are trying to flee Port au 
Prince in search for food and water.  Rescue workers distribute 
over 250,000 rations per day, half of which are delivered by the 
United States in accordance to the U.N. Food Program. (El Mercurio 
1/20) 
 
 
 
¶9.            Dozens of U.S. troops landed on the Presidential 
Palace lawn in Haiti taking control of the area.  The United States 
has clarified that its forces will not patrol the streets and their 
deployment should provide Haitians with "the confidence that the 
hospitals will remain open to all citizens." (El Mercurio, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶10.          "Chileans Want to Adopt Haitian Orphans."  UNICEF's 
office in Santiago has received 20 requests, while NGO America 
Solidaria another seven.  Other petitions have been submitted to 
Chile's Foreign Ministry and institutions such as SENAME, but the 
road doesn't seem expedited.  The United States announced that it 
will accelerate adoption processes on behalf of Haitian orphans. 
However this will apply to cases already underway.  Secretary Janet 
Napolitano pointed out that the U.S. priority is "family 
reunification in Haiti."  Thus, she clarified that the United 
States would not open its doors to all orphans.  (Conservative, 
afternoon daily La Segunda 1/19) 
 
 
 
Economy and Trade 
 
¶11.          The Heritage Foundation 2010 Economic Index showed 
that Chile dropped two places since last year.  Chile's economic 
freedom score is 77.2, making its economy the 10th freest in the 
¶2010. (La Tercera, 1/20) 
 
 
 
¶12.          Chile's exports to China doubled shipments to the 
United States in 2009. 23.8 percent of Chilean exports were bound 
to China last year, mainly of copper and cellulose.  For the third 
year in a row, China displaced the United States as primary 
destination of domestic shipments, a trend that will continue, 
according to experts. (La Tercera, 1/20) 
 
 
 
Obama Administration Anniversary 
 
¶13.          Editorial:  "Barack Obama's Hard Learning Experience 
in Office."  "When assessing Barack Obama's first year in office, 
the balance shows achievements in addition to promises yet to be 
fulfilled.  He has faced a hard task, therefore a combination of 
accomplishments and challenges should not surprise . . .  On the 
international scope . . .   in a short period of time, the U.S. 
President has changed the negative perception held by the 
international community during the past Administration . . .  In 
Latin America, . . .  Obama's respectful and cordial tone shown at 
the 2009 Summit of the Americas was welcomed, but it has not meant 
higher U.S. attention toward the region, although its intervention 
in the Honduras crisis and its rejection to reincorporating Cuba in 
the OAS with no conditions were accurate . . .  The general balance 
shows a government which, in spite of being more active and 
possible of major changes, still does not fulfill the expectations 
it created,  something that time could play against it."  (La 
Tercera, 1/20) 
SIMONS