VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #1708 2951654
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221654Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2311
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001708
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - MIDEAST: PROSPECTS FOR ARAB/ISRAELI
ENGAGEMENT
1. On October 20, conservative, influential, newspaper-of-record "El
Mercurio" (Sat. circ. 173,049) published the following editorial:
"US Diplomacy: Back to the Middle East." Quote:
2. "It is a surprise that the White House took so long to launch an
aggressive diplomacy to try to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli
conflicts.... The war in Iraq, the tension with Iran... and the
distancing with Turkey... have forced Bush to retake diplomatic
initiative in a conflict that many see as the fire that ignites the
anti-U.S. sentiment in the region (because of its indestructible
alliance with Israel).... But the possibility to sign a peace
treaty before the U.S. election in November 2008 is unlikely.
However, surely Bush is willing to do everything possible to become
the first president to finally sign it. After the fiasco in Iraq,
only an agreement that is perceived as just and that can be
implemented promptly will be able to change the image of the Bush
administration in the Middle East."
URBAN