VZCZCXYZ0017
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSO #0837 2141014
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021014Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5526
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 6597
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7317
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2523
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000837
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD
DEPT PASS USTR
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: MIDDLE EAST: ISRAELI BOMBINGS IN QANA; DOHA
ROUND, USTR SCHWAB IN BRAZIL; SAO PAULO
1. "The Tragedy Everyone Feared"
The lead editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (8/1)
maintained: "A single attack against a building in Qana, where local
residents were looking for shelter, caused more casualties than all
the rockets launched against Israel since the beginning of this new
conflict between Israelis and Arabs. The weapons that killed 60
Lebanese, among which 37 children, hidden in a cellar, created for
Israel its third defeat in its attempt to eradicate Hizbollah from
the South of Lebanon. The first defeat is military.... With its
guerrilla tactics, Hizbollah has proven to be capable of resisting
longer than Israeli strategists supposed.... The second defeat is
political. Israel has succeeded in uniting around Hizbollah the
radical Shiite movement and all ethnic and religious factions in
Lebanon.... Hizbollah has now been hailed in the Islamic world as
the unquestionable champion of the Palestine cause.... Israel's
third defeat is naturally moral. Its indifference vis-`-vis the
Lebanese suffering destroyed the legitimacy that the Jewish state
had invoked to retaliate Hizbollah in the condition of attacked
nation. Not even the imperative of self defense justifies what many
are considering a war crime. But the US image has been - once again
- harmed even more than that of Israel. Washington's behavior has
been simply pathetic.... There will be no 'sustainable' ceasefire as
long as the world's superpower behaves exclusively as an
unconditional Israeli ally."
2. "Three Weeks Of Destruction, Panic And Death In Lebanon"
Business-oriented Valor Economico (8/1) editorialized: "For three
weeks Israel has spread panic, destruction and death in Lebanon, and
there is no evidence of a ceasefire in sight.... To reach a
'sustainable' peace agreement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
is pursuing through peaceful means what Israel looks for through
military means. Chances of both initiatives to be successful are
slight, if not nil.... The image in the Arab world that Israel
obtained from the US a green light to attack Lebanon has been
consolidated and, as result of this, the actions of the Shiite
terrorist group gained a political and popular support it did not
enjoy in the beginning of the crisis.... The tragedy in Qana, where
more than 50 civilians died, undermined significantly the chances of
further negotiations. There is no chance for peace without an
immediate ceasefire.... It has become obvious that Bush's goal of
sweeping by militry means both Hamas and Hizbollah from the
politcal and military map of the region is a blind alley in which
defenseless civilian Lebanese are cornered. The Bush administration
chose the unilateral way of confrontation without previous
consultations or negotiation.... The US will hardly change its
strategy now, but an immediate ceasefire is plausible and has become
urgent due to humanitarian reasons."
3. "Risks Of A World Without Doha"
Center-right O Estado de S. Paulo commented (8/1) "Those who
believe in the reactivation of the Dha Round do not have time to
lose.... It will be ecessary to conclude the task before July 2007,
hen the US President's negotiating mandate expires... If the
opportunity is lost, no one can predict when the president will
obtain another congressional authorization, or when the global
discussion on trade can be resumed. USTR Susan Schwab met in Rio de
Janeiro with Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and found, as it was
expected, good will for another attempt. The GOB has only one
really important objective in its agenda: the success of global
negotiations.... Brazil may try to convince India to agree with
opening its larger market to agricultural imports.... Amorim and
Schwab reaffirmed in Rio their commitment to work for an ambitious
agreement."
4. "To Gain Markets"
Steel industry tycoon Benjamin Steinbruch remarked in liberal,
largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (8/1): "The
Doha Round negotiations failed exactly because the rich nations,
especially those of the European Union and the US, resisted the idea
of drastically reducing their subsidies.... It is deplorable that
the negotiations have failed. World Bank studies estimate that the
world economy could gain USD 260 billion annually as a result of
cuts in subsidies and tariffs.... For Brazil, a global agreement
would be a good solution, although there were significant risks
involved. A cut in import tariffs as the Americans and Europeans
wanted could cause an invasion of industrialized products,
especially from China."
McMullen