VZCZCXYZ0035
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #1266 1801523
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291523Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8548
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001266
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; ACNUR REPORT; US IMMIGRATION REFORM;
MERCOSUR; 06/29/07
1. SUMMARY STATEMENT
Today's leading international stories include the UN High
Commissioner's Report "2006 World Tendencies Report;" the status of
the US immigration reform bill; and what Mercosur needs to operate
efficiently.
2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS
- "More refugees due to wars"
Leading "Clarin" editorializes (06/29) "According to the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees, the number of refugees all over the world
increased last year, particularly due to the disaster sparked by the
war in Iraq.
"The UNHCR '2006 World Tendencies' report reveals that there are
almost 10 million refugees, the highest number during the last five
years...
"The main reasons for this massive uprooting are: persecutions,
humanitarian catastrophes, and conflicts in countries that are
engaged in civil war. Just the war in Iraq has created one and a
half million new refugees.
"... The military intervention of foreign powers has done nothing
but take the problem to unprecedented levels."
- "Bush suffers a tough legislative blow"
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (06/29) "President George W.
Bush's plan to turn the overhaul of the outdated US immigration
system into the greatest achievement of his second term in office
collapsed yesterday when it was rejected by a decisive coalition of
Republican and Democratic senators that asked for stricter
guidelines as an inevitable step to make progress on it.
"The immigration reform has indefinitely been put off. No one in
this city believes it could be tackled before the November 2008
elections, that is to say, until a new president takes over.
"The failure of the draft bill promoted by (US President) Bush and
Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy will keep nearly 12 million
undocumented immigrants in the shadows of illegality...
"Bush said that 'illegal immigration is one of the US people's main
concerns, and the failure of Capitol Hill to deal with it is
disappointing.' For the first time, Bush seemed to resign himself to
failure on this front.
"... The blow had a strong impact on the White House that had turned
the overhaul of the US immigration legislation into its most
precious domestic goal now that the war in Iraq is depriving it of
oxygen every passing day. However, the immigration reform bill ended
up being one more step for Bush in his role of 'lame duck'..."
- "A bloc to be preserved"
Nestor Restivo, columnist for leading "Clarin," comments (06/29)
"Commercially, the heart of Mercosur is a string of cities from Sao
Paulo and Rio at one extreme to Santigo de Chile, on the other,
passing thorugh Southern Brazil, Asuncion, Montevideo, Buenos Aires,
Rosario, Cordoba and other cities, in addition to their rural belts
and ports.
"Nonetheless, if one seeks to add energy wealth, a key asset in
current global economy..., the presence of Venezuela, as well as
Bolivia, is crucial. Everything else is rhetoric and pure politics
from everyone, those who favor it and those who oppose it.
"Chavez should accept that Mercosur works through consensus and that
it should be preserved. The other leaders should include a social
agenda and establish stronger guidelines if they want something else
other than bureaucracy and business or, even worse, a bloc that some
day could be surrounded by angry demonstrators at every single
summit."
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires
WAYNE