Cablegate: Media Reaction President Bush to the Eu; Us Anti-Missile

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1391/01 1731911
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221911Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4975
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001391

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 PRESIDENT BUSH TO THE EU; US ANTI-MISSILE
DEFENSE SYSTEM; US ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION REPORT;
BOLIVIAN SECOND WAVE OF RE-NATIONALIZATIONS; MORALES EXPORTING COCA
LEAF TO ARGENTINA; URIBE; US ECONOMY 06/21/06; BUENOS AIRES

1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's leading international stories include US President Bush's
trip to the EU; the US activating its anti-missile defense system in
an escalation of tension with North Korea; a report from the US
Energy Information Administration stating that Brazil, Colombia and
Argentina will emerge as new sources of energy during the next two
decades; Bolivian President Evo Morales confirming another wave of
nationalizations and his plan to export coca leaf to the Northern
area of Argentina; the implications of Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe's re-election; and the status of the US economy.

2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Bush's trip to the EU is focused on Iran"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (06/219 "US President George W.
Bush arrived in Vienna to participate in the annual summit between
the US and the EU. President Bush will seek to strengthen ties with
the bloc after the tension unleashed over the war in Iraq, and to
reinforce a common front to put a brake on Iran's nuclear
ambitions.

"Bush's visit will take place amid increasing European criticism of
the US way of carrying out the war on terror and particularly of its
treatment of detainees in prisons like that of Guantanamo, which the
EU has termed an 'anomaly.'"

- "The US activates its anti-missile system"

Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (06/21) "The US military top
brass activated for the first time its questioned anti-missile
defense system vis-`-vis the North Korean threat to test a long
range missile in the next few days, which could reach any place in
Europe, Asia, Alaska, Hawaii and several points on the West coast of
the US.

"The Pentagon avoided providing information on whether it will
attempt to shoot down the missile from one of the three countries
making up the 'axis of evil' (the others are Iraq and Iran)... but
members of the administration said it would 'unlikely' happen if the
test is being developed over the Pacific Ocean.

"Nevertheless, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that
the test of the missile will be considered 'an act of provocation'
by the US and that it would demonstrate the lack of interest of
Pyongyang's communist regime to negotiate with the international
community."

- "Washington sees us as another energy supplier"

Conservative "La Prensa" reports (06/21) "According to a USG agency,
the Energy Information Administration, Latin America will witness
the emergence of Brazil, Colombia and Argentina as new sources of
energy in the next two decades, while Mexico and Venezuela will
reinforce their current status of big oil producers.

"According to an EIA's forecast for 2030, the US believes that
Brazil and Colombia will become its new sources of oil in addition
to Mexico and Venezuela."

- "Evo confirms another wave of re-nationalizations"

Conservative "La Prensa" reports (06/21) "The Bolivian Government
reiterated yesterday that it will purchase the required shares to
regain control of the once national companies of hydrocarbons,
electricity, transport and telecommunications, which were tied to
private capital ten years ago. The Government added that talking
about re-nationalization is 'twisting' things.

"During a press conference with foreign correspondents, Bolivian
Planning Minister Carlos Villegas said 'What it's all about is that
we are in the process of purchasing the necessary shares for the
State to have 50% plus one of the shares of capitalized companies in
order to manage them.'"

- "Bolivia confirms its plan to export coca leaf to Argentina"

Business-financial, center-right "InfoBae" reports (06/21)
"According to Bolivian Social Defense Vice-Minister Felipe Caceres,
Bolivia wants to legalize its export of coca leaf to the Northern
section of Argentina as part of its new strategy to revalue coca
leaf.

"The Bolivian authorities also want to export the product to Europe,
but for this to happen, 'coca should be decriminalized on an
international level.'

"Caceres also said that this issue will be discussed during the
meeting between Bolivian President Morales and Argentine President
Kirchner on June 29 in Buenos Aires."

- "The Uribe exception"

Business-financial "El Cronista" carries an opinion piece by Carlos
Fara, political analyst, head of Fara y Asociados, who opines
(06/21) "Alvaro Uribe's victory in Colombian presidential elections
is an exception to the rule. In a region dominated by the
center-to-left, the re-election of a right-wing leader is an
exception that is interesting to analyze.

"... Toward the end of the election campaign, Uribe took note that,
according to opinion surveys, a couple of economic issues were still
pending, which overrode security issues. On the other hand, a
turning point can be perceived regarding the war (84% of the people
prefer to negotiate with the FARC and only struggle against those
not accepting a negotiation).

"For now, Uribe is ideologically isolated in Latin America. However,
this has not prevented him from accepting Chavez's praising
statements, thereby demonstrating that international relations are
neither rightist nor leftist."

- "Da Vinci capitalism"

Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion
piece by Steven Wheeler, who runs a truck manufacturing company in
Argentina (06/21) "... Call it Da Vinci code conspiracy theory if
you like but world markets are run by extreme capitalists...
Governments and central banks are controlled by lawyers and bankers
who come from and are controlled by big businesses. Economy
ministries are controlled by the IMF, World Bank and economists
indoctrinated at Harvard...

"The US economy went down in 1991 and 2001 but Alan 'Houdini'
Greenspan kept printing money to keep it afloat. He and Treasury
Secretary John Snow have just abandoned the sinking ship and with

SIPDIS
property prices declining, the inevitable great US financial crash
is probably about to happen.

"But don't worry, the same people as always will stay in control -
they have already moved their money to China and India because the
US was only a transient figure head."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website
at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

GUTIERREZ

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