VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0178/01 0471940
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 161940Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0530
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000178 
 
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 AR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM; 2/11-16/10; BUENOS 
AIRES 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1.   Argentine President Kirchner's invitation from President Obama 
to attend a nuclear summit in April received large, positive press 
coverage.  Newspapers also widely reported on Iran's 31st 
Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, with articles highlighting 
the Iranian government trying to suppress opponents and heavily 
controlling media access to the demonstrations.  End summary. 
 
 
 
PRESIDENT CRISTINA KIRCHNER 
 
ACCEPTS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INVITATION 
 
TO ATTEND NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT, 
 
NEW US SANCTIONS ON IRAN 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2.   Ranging from largest circulation Clarin to pro-government, 
business-financial Buenos Aires Economico, most 2/11 newspapers and 
TV stations extensively quoted President Obama's letter inviting 
President Cristina Kirchner to attend the April 12-13 Nuclear 
Security Summit.  Second largest newspaper La Nacion highlighted 
that the Argentine government expects to use the visit to hold a 
bilateral meeting between President Obama and President Cristina 
Kirchner. 
 
 
 
¶3.   Pro-government, left-of-center Pagina 12 (2/12) reported that 
the Argentine Foreign Ministry reported President Cristina Kirchner 
will attend the Nuclear Security Summit.  The article notes that 
attending leaders to the summit will likely discuss Iran's uranium 
enrichment policy and the diversification of energy sources 
promoted by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. 
 
  
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 231881 
 
 
 
http://www.telam.com.ar/vernota.php?tipo=N&id Pub=177218&id=340239&d 
is=1&sec=1 
 
  
http://www.ambito.com/noticia.asp?id=507339 
 
 
 
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-14 0138-2010-02-12.html 
 
 
 
¶4.   Ambito Financiero's weekly opinion column (2/15) labeled 
Argentine President Kirchner as the "star" of April's nuclear 
summit, and the only regional leader to participate in the summit. 
The column believes President Obama's invitation is a reward to 
Kirchner for being "faithful" to Obama's nuclear agenda against 
Iran.  This is in contrast to neighboring Brazil, whose public 
disagreement with the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program is "limiting 
its friendship with the U.S." 
 
 
 
¶5.   Clarin, La Nacion and conservative, business-financial Ambito 
Financiero (2/11) also reprinted international newswires on the 
U.S. Treasury Department's decision to slap new sanctions on 
several affiliates of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps over their 
alleged involvement in producing and spreading WMD.  Under the 
headline "Obama activates sanctions against Iran; Israel demands to 
'suffocate now,'" Ambito Financiero highlighted that Israel wants 
"suffocating economic sanctions (against Iran) now." 
 
  
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/11/elmun do/i-02137632.htm 
 
  
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 231774 
 
 
 
http://www.ambito.com/diario/noticia.asp?id=5 07396 
 
 
 
PROTESTING DURING THE REVOLUTION ANNIVERSARY 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.   Javier Martin, centrist Critica's correspondent in Tehran, 
reported (2/12) on large opposition attendance at President 
Ahmadinejad's speech on the 31st Anniversary of the Islamic 
Revolution, despite the "vast police showing" and "extremely hard" 
repression by the police.  Martin also commented on Iran's 
censorship of the press, as this celebration is the first time 
"three decades" that the press "could not report freely" on the 
event.  Finally, Martin quotes anonymous State Department sources 
as saying that Iran's announcement shows that its intentions are 
"everything but peaceful." 
 
  
http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota&nid=38382 
 
 
 
¶7.   Newswires about "police repression" appeared in Clarin, La 
Nacion, and Ambito Financiero on 2/12.  Clarin's newswire reported 
on the "still undetermined amount of injured and arrested" from the 
opposition's "clash several times with police," while La Nacion 
mentioned the White House's support of "universal human rights" 
with regards to the protests.  New York Times' columnist David 
Sanger's opinion article on President Obama's "three bets to dilute 
the conflict" with Iran also appeared in La Nacion. 
 
  
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/12/elmun do/i-02138523.htm 
 
  
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 232219 
 
  
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 232221 
 
 
 
¶8.   Ambito Financiero quoted State Department Spokesman Philip 
Crowley denouncing Iran's repression, which indicates a country 
"that fears its own people."  It also had a second newswire 
specifically reporting on Iranian and U.S. disagreements over 
whether Iran has the capability to enrich uranium to 80%. 
 
 
 
¶9.   On 2/16, Ambito Financiero also covered JCS Chairman Mullen's 
meeting with Israeli Defense Secretary Barak and Mullen's defense 
of diplomacy and sanctions against Iran.  The article highlighted 
U.S. support of Israel and the fact that a "military attack was 
still on the table," even though the U.S. wants to impose tougher 
sanctions first. 
 
 
 
 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website 
at: 
 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
MARTINEZ