VZCZCXYZ0023
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #0875/01 1241534
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041534Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8049
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000875
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; CRISTINA'S ADDRESS TO THE AJC; ISLAM AND
TERRORISM; 05/04/07; BUENOS AIRES
1. SUMMARY STATEMENT
Today's major international stories include Argentine Senator
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's address to the American Jewish
Committee; and the connection between violent Islam and terrorist
attacks, in the opinion of a Spanish expert.
2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS
- "Cristina defends in Washington the AMIA case investigation"
Ana Baron, leading "Clarin's" Washington-based correspondent, penned
(05/04) "With much conviction and a very determined tone, Senator
Cristina Kirchner defended yesterday the importance of the AMIA
investigation and, without directly criticizing US President George
Bush, she urged to reinforce multilateralism and UN credibility for
the sake of a safer world and international peace.
"... If anyone expected her to use her address to send some kind of
signal to the US Department of State aimed at easing the tension
created by the anti-Bush rally led by Chavez (in Buenos Aires), then
that person was wrong. Senator Kirchner focused all her attention on
the defense of human rights and the example set by the Jewish people
who know how to keep memory alive to prevent the Holocaust from
happening again.
"... Cristina's message served to alleviate the prevailing concern
in the American Jewish community over Kirchner's ties to Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez, whom they consider a dangerous ally of Iran.
"Actually, the American Jewish Committee is one of the most
anti-Chavez lobbies in Washington. They are mostly concerned about
the way Iran uses Venezuela as a platform to reinforce its clout in
the region."
- "Strong promise to the Jewish Community"
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (05/04) "Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner came to reinforce her ties with the influential American
Jewish community and she managed to do it in only 18 minutes. She
reaffirmed her commitment to the AMIA case and against anti-Semitism
in and outside of Argentina, particularly in the Venezuela of Hugo
Chavez, and she defended the official policy on human rights.
"... (Cristina's) short stay also raised questions on whether she or
President Kirchner would run for president in October.
"... In order to avoid speculation about her candidacy (and also
about the 'success' of her trip), those who organized her trip to
Washington (Consul to New York Hector Timerman and Ambassador Jose
Bordon) did not coordinate sensitive meetings with members of
Congress or Bush's staff. Last night, Cristina Kirchner also sent
them a message - she urged the rebuilding of multilateralism as a
means to achieve international peace.
"... Last night, Cristina raised another sensitive issue for her
audience, regarding dealing with Argentina on the AMIA case. She
said 'We need to know the truth because along with memory, it will
make it possible to see that justice is done.'
"This is what the AJC, which has major ties to the Republican and
Democratic establishment in the country, wanted to hear. David
Harris, the head of the American Jewish Committee, had blamed Iran
and Hezbollah for the attack and praised Prosecutor Alberto Nisman
and the Kirchners for being 'the most determined leaders to
investigate the attacks.'"
- "According to an expert, the Tri-Border area is already
deactivated"
Business-financial "Ambito Financiero's" columnist Pablo Ibaez
penned (05/04) "... Gustavo de Aristegui, Partido Popular deputy,
who is seen as a future FM of a future PP government, is visiting
Buenos Aires. During a lecture, he delineated a framework that he
defines as a 'phenomenal' progress of Jihadism, and a complex
scenario for Argentina and Latin America.
"He said 'The risk is not posed by the Tri-Border area but by the
domestic recruiting' conducted by radical Islamism... According to
De Aristegui, the danger is no longer external but is engendered
inside the country.
"Regardless of whether his view is valid or not, his position is
based on the attacks occurred in the UK and Spain, which were
partially performed by militants living in each country.
"According to him, 'it is false to interpret that with a
government's decision not to send troops to Iraq or Afghanistan, its
country will be safe from any terrorist attack.'
"... In clear reference to Venezuelan Hugo Chavez, De Aristegui said
that 'it is paradoxical to see the extreme left wings' fascination
with ultra-conservative religious right wings.'
"De Aristegui believes that the anti-US feeling triggers a
rapprochement that he considers paradoxical and 'naove.' 'The
disoriented left wing considers its alliance with Islamism a
strategy (against imperialism) while Islamism believes it is a
tactic.'"
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires
WAYNE