UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000125
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, PREL, MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS; A/S SHANNON'S
STATEMENTS ON US-LATIN AMERICAN TIES; DAVOS WEF; LATIN AMERICA;
01/24/07; BUENOS AIRES
1. SUMMARY STATEMENT
Key international stories today include US President George W.
Bush's State of the Union Address; US Assistant Secretary for
Western Hemispheric Affairs Thomas Shannon's statements about ties
between the US and Latin America, and particularly Venezuela;
upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos; 2006 Latin America's
economic and political performance; and prevailing tensions between
South American central governments and regional powers.
2. OPINION PIECES
- "Bush asks for consensus on Iraq and an immigration reform from
Capitol Hill"
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin,"
comments (01/24) "In an attempt to save his two remaining years at
the White House, US President George W. Bush invited the Democratic
opposition to work jointly in the (global) war on terrorism. He
said 'The US must not fail in Iraq.'
"In his State-of-the-Union address..., Bush showed he intends to
approach the opposition when he made special mention of Nancy
Pelosi, the Democratic Leader of Congress, and he underscored that
she is the first woman to hold the nation's third high- office...
"In his attempt to convince Democrats, Bush proposed 'to establish a
bipartisan Council to share ideas on how to position the US before
every single challenge.'
"... Bush also asked for an immigration reform aimed at putting the
situation of millions of undocumented people on a regular track, as
Democrats want."
- "'The US must not fail in Iraq'"
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (01/24) "In his first
State-of-the-Union Address to a Congress controlled by Democrats, US
President George W. Bush defended the basics of his administration
triggering most resistance in the political sector and the US
society - the war in Iraq and his downright wish to send additional
troops to Baghdad.
"... The head of the White House proposed to agree on social
security and immigration reforms, tighten environmental protection
policies and, just like the past year, reduce energy dependence.
"The section of his address that sparked most controversy was his
view on Iraq and his plan to send another 21,500 soldiers to Baghdad
and neighboring areas in a new attempt to reduce sectarian violence
in the Arab country..."
- "Closer to dialogue with Chavez"
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (01/24) "Twelve hours before US
President George W. Bush voiced his view and governmental program
for 2007, his top-ranking officer for Latin America, Tom Shannon,
said that the region should not expect 'a major initiative' from the
White House, but, instead, 'further dialogue' and 'a year of
commitment.'
"Shannon, US Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, said
that the region has left behind most of its (presidential) elections
and now it is time for dialogue, even with possible antagonistic
leaders, such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
"Shannon commented that both he and US Department of State's number
three, Nicholas Burns, defined 2007 as 'the year of commitment'
between the White House and the region in order to improve
diplomatic ties and develop the hemisphere.
"... Shannon said that 2007 could bring some bilateral surprise in
terms of ties between Washington and Caracas. In his address at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies, he said that both
governments 'are closer to dialogue.'
"According to Shannon, 'from our point of view, we have been
available for this kind of conversation since long , but Caracas
has been reluctant so far, for a variety of reasons.' Shannon also
revealed that Chavez could also be interested in healing (bilateral)
ties."
- "Davos WEF - 'pre-heating engines' in the snow"
Ricardo Kirschbaum, leading "Clarin's" general editor on special
assignment in Davos, Switzerland, writes (01/24) "... Vanishing but
not yet dead, the impetus of the '90s remain; the WEF agenda has
been changing and what used to be a bad word now seems a to be a
finding.
"Globalization has neither brought welfare for all nor has market
economy spilled more equality and less poverty. Now, the debate is
over the amount of governmental action required to bring out the
most beneficial effect possible and balance inequalities in world
trade. However, those goals seem as remote as ever ."
- "Latin America's political outcome"
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an op-ed story by Rosendo Fraga,
political analyst and head of Centro de Estudios para la Nueva
Mayoria, who opines (01/24) "Latin America's economic growth is the
most positive aspect of its 2006 performance. According to the IDB,
Latin America's growth rate for 2006 stood at 4.5 percent, with no
external deficit, six-percent average inflation rate, and fiscal
balance; something that has not been seen over the last few decades.
"... In spite of its unquestionable economic success, Latin America
is the 'emerging' region with the lowest rate of growth and the
lowest social mobility... The World Bank reported that Latin America
is the region of the world having greater inequality and showing the
lowest rates of poverty reduction.
"... In summary, economic growth has been the most important and
unquestionable achievement of Latin America during 2006, basically
rooted in its high commodity prices, but it is the 'emerging' region
with the lowest levels of growth and social mobility with slightly
reduced poverty and indigence. Its low educational and scientific
performance seems to be the most important limitation on Latin
America's long-term sustainable growth. In the political arena, the
series of presidential elections in the region during 2006 showed a
shift to the center, with three prevailing lines - the populist
left, the Social-Democratic and the center-to-right wings."
3. EDITORIALS
- "The regions and the governments"
Leading "Clarin" editorializes (01/24) "The roots of the political
organizations of several South American countries are crumbling due
to prevailing tensions between regional powers and central
governments - Bolivia is the main example...
"One reason for such region-oriented tendencies is the crisis of
political systems and national political parties representing the
different social and geographic sectors...
"Another reason is the emergence of political leaders aiming at a
radical change of the political model and reformulation of the
country's political organization through Constituent Assemblies.
"This implies both a major challenge and a big risk. History shows
that national unity does not result from the addition of sectarian
interests and regional agreements but from the expression of a
broader consensus that would acknowledge and contain them both
within a common framework."
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires
WAYNE