Cablegate: Media Reaction; Argentine-Venezuelan Relationship;

VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1535/01 2201347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081347Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8848
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001535

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; ARGENTINE-VENEZUELAN RELATIONSHIP;
MEXICO-MERCOSUR TIES; 08/07/07

1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's key international stories are related to the bilateral
relationship between Argentina and Venezuela; and Brazilian
President Lula reinforcing an alliance between Mexico and Brazil.

2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS

- "Two presidents, among jokes and praising speeches"

Guido Braslavsky, political columnist of leading "Clarin," writes
(08/07) "The privileged relationship of mutual fascination between
the governments of Argentina and Venezuela was patent in yesterday's
speeches, which were full of praise and thank-you statements from
both sides. Beyond the political understanding between Nestor
Kirchner and Hugo Chavez, the two of them also showed the positive
rapport between them.

"The Venezuelan leader had already made explicit his support for
Senator Cristina Fernndez's bid for the Argentine presidency. He
made clear that he was not concerned about allegations that he is
getting involved in the domestic affairs of another country.
Audacity is one of his features and perhaps this is why it was not
surprising that he reiterated his support for Cristina's bid at the
Casa Rosada..."

- "(Argentina's) ties to Venezuela"

Conservative "La Prensa" editorializes (08/07) "Following President
Kirchner's recent trip to Mexico, the visit of the Venezuelan
president to Argentina was marked by the search of new economic
deals aimed at solving our energy crisis and funding Argentine
securities in the international market. However, the visit of Chavez
also raised different reactions from several sectors.

"... Some time ago, the Venezuelan president underscored that energy
cooperation amounts to 1.6 billion dollars per year, which surpasses
aid from the USG... According to the Center for International
Policy, an American NGO, the amount is similar to US anti-drug and
development assistance for Latin America this year. Venezuela's
increasing influence in the region has generated friction in
political and economic circles, in which Argentina has frequently
intended to mediate, although the results have not always been
favorable.

"... The Argentine Government should listen to the expressions of
concern from some sectors of the local Jewish community due to
Caracas' rapprochement and Venezuela's prioritizing its ties to Iran
in the region, which has also been disapproved of by the US and
other countries of the region.

"Under no circumstances, do energy and financial deals justify
support for this stance, and, in this regard, we should stress the
recent acknowledgement made by US legislators and international
institutions vis-`-vis the Argentine Judiciary's ratification of the
international warrant for former Iranian government officials due to
their alleged involvement in the AMIA bombing case. An explicit
acknowledgement of those issues would also be a sign of common sense
and pragmatism."

- "Lula also approaches Mexico to Mercosur"

Gerardo Albarrn de Alba, Mexico-based correspondent for
left-of-center "Pagina 12," writes (08/07) "Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in Mexico with the purpose of
reinforcing negotiations towards an alliance between the two
countries, which started when Felipe Calderon made his first
international trip as president-elect last October and gave a wink
to the rest of Latin America.

"Meetings between Lula and Calderon continued in Georgetown, in the
Rio Group meeting, and during the G8 meetings in Berlin. Mexico's
attitude of looking again to the South (which was abandoned by the
latest PRI administrations and by Fox because they focused their
foreign policy on the US and the NAFTA) seemed to gain impetus with
the visits of the Brazilian president and Argentine President Nestor
Kirchner (who was accompanied by presidential candidate Cristina
Fernndez de Kirchner).

"... Yesterday, Lula invited Mexico to look to the South and join
Mercosur, just like Kirchner did last week as part of an integration
process that should be considered the strongest in Latin America,
for which (Latin American) leaders should take advantage of the
current 'huge and extraordinary opportunities.' Kirchner called on
businessmen from both countries not to be afraid of becoming
transnational corporations."

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

WAYNE

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