VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0160/01 0411651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 101650Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0502
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL HA AR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: UNASUR MEETING ON HAITI; 2/10/10; BUENOS 
AIRES 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1.   Argentine press picked up wire reports on the special UNASUR 
meeting in Quito.  Most highlighted that South American leaders 
pledged 300 million dollars in international aid for Haiti and 
called for the cancellation of its foreign debt.  One article 
focused on Argentina's decision to send 150 more Blue Helmets to 
Haiti and reported Bolivian VP Garcia Linera's criticism of the 
U.S. military presence.  End summary. 
 
 
 
SOUTH AMERICAN 
 
HELP FOR HAITI 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.   Local papers printed wire service stories focusing on the 
South American leaders' purpose of supporting Haiti "in the context 
of the most absolute respect for its territorial sovereignty," 
according the Unasur final resolution on Haiti.  State-owned Telam 
wire service agency reported that at the end of the Unasur meeting, 
Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana expressed Argentina's 
commitment to helping Haiti, stressing again that Haitian 
authorities should lead reconstruction efforts with the cooperation 
of the international community.  Centrist Critica newspaper 
underscored, "South America seeks to provide support that will not 
jeopardize the territorial sovereignty of the Haitian government." 
 
 
 
http://www.telam.com.ar/vernota.php?tipo=N&id Pub=177106&id=340094&d 
is=1&sec=1 
 
http://www.laprensa.com.ar/354071-Argentina-i mpulsa-un-mayor-compro 
miso-internacional-con-Haiti.note.aspx 
 
http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota 
 
&nid=38285 
 
 
 
300 MILLION DOLLARS 
 
FOR HAITI 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.   Most stories highlighted that South American leaders pledged 
300 million dollars in international aid for Haiti, of which 200 
million would come out of an Inter-American Development Bank loan 
while individual governments would raise another $100 million. 
Articles also report that the South American leaders attending the 
Unasur summit called for the cancellation of Haiti's foreign debt. 
Critica reports that "the first objective of the 100 million 
dollars assigned is building houses for homeless." 
 
 
 
¶3.   Under the headline "Unasur gives 300 million dollars to 
Haiti," conservative, small circulation newspaper La Prensa adds 
that "Ecuador's President Rafael Correa criticized the immediate 
and massive help of developed countries because it is not always 
the most efficient one due to the distortions it creates." 
 
http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota 
 
&nid=38285 
 
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-13 9981-2010-02-10.html 
 
 
 
150 ADDITIONAL ARGENTINE 
 
BLUE HELMETS TO HAITI, 
 
 
OBJECTIONS TO THE U.S. 
 
MILITARY PRESENCE 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶4.   One article in conservative, business-financial Ambito 
Financiero focused on Argentina's decision to send 150 more Blue 
Helmets to Haiti.  Edgardo Aguilera, columnist of the paper, wrote 
"While FM Taiana confirmed Argentina's commitment to providing 
humanitarian aid to Haiti, he did not mention that he would 
increase to 150 the number of Argentine Blue Helmets," and "Due to 
the 60% plus military budget cut, the government had to put 
together equipment from several regiments to give to the military." 
The article adds that during the Unasur summit, Bolivian VP Alvaro 
Garcia Linera proposed to have a critical attitude of the 
"unnecessary, abusive and dangerous" increasing U.S. military 
presence. 
 
http://www.ambito.com/diario/noticia.asp?id=5 07162 
 
 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
 
classified website at: 
 
  
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
MARTINEZ