Cablegate: Saddam Hussein; Cuba and China; Israel; Merkel; Crimes

VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2842/01 3631645
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291645Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6882
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002842

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: SADDAM HUSSEIN; CUBA AND CHINA; ISRAEL; MERKEL; CRIMES
AGAINST HUMANITY; 12/28/06

1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Key international stories today include the upcoming execution of
Saddam Hussein; Cuba looking to the 'Chinese model;' the US
Department of State criticizing Israel's plans to establish a new
settlement in the West Bank; a new declassification of USG
documents; Angela Merkel taking over the presidency of the G8 and
the EU; and Argentine Federal Judge Norberto Oyarbide's ruling to
consider the barbarities of the rightwing terrorist organization
Triple A as crimes against humanity and its connection with the 1994
attack against the AMIA Jewish community center.

All local papers report that the FBI was due to join the
investigation into the murder of Nora Dalmasso in Rio Cuarto,
Cordoba, highlighting that samples of semen will be taken to the US
Embassy in Buenos Aires for DNA testing, and that Washington said
that the FBI would charge no fee for the tests aimed at identifying
the killer.

2. OPINION PIECES

- "A milestone"

Marcelo Cantelmi, international editor of leading "Clarin," comments
(12/28) "The life sentence against Saddam is certainly a milestone,
as the US has haughtily voiced, but a milestone within the series of
mistakes that Washington continues to make in Iraq.

"Saddam's barbarian style is not under debate... We in the region
have had clear examples of the same kind of dictators - Saddam was a
mixture of Pinochet, Videla and Stroessner, who were staunch allies
of the US when in power. It could be said that Iraqi justice made
the decision, although it is right to doubt the independent nature
of such power.

"We should recall that (Saddam's) life sentence, which has now been
confirmed, was announced two days before legislative elections in
the US, which were crucial for George Bush. Hussein's death was
presented as a symbol of justice administration. The sign was not
enough to twist the will of exhausted voters, but will certainly
have a frightening effect on Iraq and the Islamic world. The beast
will turn from tyrant into martyr, another milestone in the
swamp.'"

- "Cuba looks to China"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an opinion piece by Alberto
Benegas Lynch junior, writer, stating (12/28) "... The group rooted
in power in Cuba is discussing whether it is advisable or not to
follow the 'Chinese model.'

"... Opinions on how China's history will end are controversial in
view of prevailing tensions and limitations on basic freedoms like
freedom of speech: however, it is interesting to emphasize Lao-Tse's
tradition dating back to six hundred years BC.

"In an essay on the importance of civil freedoms in China, the
founder of Taoism advised political leaders that 'whenever taxes are
too high, there is hunger; when the government interferes too much,
the people are disheartened. We should trust people and leave them
alone.'

"... The whole socialist and state-driven approach tramples on
individual freedoms through the maniacal regulation of legal
activities.

"... Unfortunately, for the time being, Cuba does not follow the
steps of countries like Ireland, but instead looks to China as an
example, but, of course, in that case, Castro II together with his
followers and henchmen would be jobless as well as the group of
bloodsuckers, despicable pseudo-intellectuals and all those who
benefit from unlimited powers."

- "The US criticizes the Israeli plan to establish new settlements
in the West Bank"

Leading "Clarin" report (12/28) "The US criticized Israel's plans to
establish a new settlement in the West Bank. Yesterday, the US
Department of State pointed out that this plan is a violation of
Israel's commitments to support peace negotiations promoted by the
US, the UN, Russia and the EU, which are known as the 'road map.'

"Gonzalo R. Gallegos, spokesman of the US Department of State, said
'The US is asking Israel to abide by its 'road map' commitments.'
'Israel should avoid taking steps that could be seen as expressions
of decisions taken in fact before the outcome of future
negotiations.'"

- "Historical documents are declassified"

Business-financial, center-right "InfoBae" (12/28) "Millions of
papers from 25-year-old documents will be declassified on December
31. New information is expected to be released about cases related
to US intervention in Latin America.

"In this way, the documents expected to be made public are related
to the 'Iran-Contra scandal,' which threatened the stability of the
then US President Ronald Reagan; the 'dirty war in Mexico,'
following the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre; and 'Cuba's participation in
Central America."

"Information will be made public about the way in which former US
President James Carter handled the 1979 downfall of Anastasio Somoza
in Nicaragua, paving the way for ten years of power by the Frente
Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional, whose main representative Daniel
Ortega will return to office as president in January."

- "Moscow, a challenge in Merkel's future"

Luisa Corradini, on special assignment for daily-of-record "La
Nacion," writes (12/28) "On January 1, when Germany takes over the
rotating presidencies of the G8 and EU, Angela Merkel will learn
that she will have to make superhuman efforts coupled with little
room to operate. The conservative FM will have to take initiatives
related to climate, energy (a reason for friction with Russia) and
education. But, above all, she knows that she will have to meet the
expectations of 487 millions Europeans who believe that she will
rescue the block from the stagnation in which it remains since May
2005...

"... First of all, Merkel will tackle the thorny issue of energy
security. Germany will present the EU the basics of a strategy that
will cement a European energy market focused on renewable energy
sources, energy efficiency, transparency and price security.
However, when Europeans talk about energy, they make special
reference to Russia. The issue has become the focus of tensions
between the Kremlin and the rest of Europe, including Moscow's
former satellite republics. Merkel is determined to underscore the
currently eroded respect for human rights, the murder of opponents,
and mainly the use of energy as a political weapon since Vladimir
Putin took office.

"Among other claims, Poland and other EU countries want Merkel to
put pressure on Putin to make him ratify the European Energy Chart,
thus giving foreign companies access to Russian pipelines in order
to send gas and oil to Europe. So far, the Kremlin has refused to
adhere. Both the EU and Putin know that the war for pipelines will
be the next point of confrontation between Russia and Europe."

3. EDITORIALS

- "What is a crime against humanity"

An editorial in daily-of-record "La Nacion" reads (12/28) "Federal
Judge Norberto Oyarbide's ruling to consider the crimes committed by
the organization Triple A... crimes against humanity (which means no
statute of limitation) sheds some light into some of our gloomy
history by demonstrating that State terrorism started before the
March 1976 military coup.

"... However, it is regretful that no judge has defined so far the
manifold crimes carried out by the Ejercito Revolucionario del
Pueblo (ERP) and Montoneros as crimes against humanity.

"... When the Supreme Court of Justice did not authorize the
extradition of ETA terrorist Lariz Iriondo (on the basis that
terrorist actions carried out without State intervention should not
be deemed crimes against humanity), it set the precedent that
serious crimes like those committed against the Israeli Embassy or
the AMIA headquarters would not be considered crimes against
humanity unless the intervention of some State agent is proved."

- "An Arbitrary Adjudication"

Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" editorializes
(12/28) "Federal Judge Norberto Oyarbide's ruling to define the
barbarities of the rightwing terrorist organization Triple A as
crimes against humanity can be viewed both positively and negatively
- positively as an admission of shared civilian responsibility for
state terrorism but also negatively as a flagrant case of double
standards. The Kirchner administration has been so one-sided in
blaming the military for all the evils of the 1976-83 junta
dictatorship while turning a blind eye to both their terrorist
opponents and civilian allies that it is almost refreshing to see

not only somebody else being blamed for once but even
fellow-Peronists... Yet the double standards continue because the
condemnation applies only to the rightwing Triple A and not to their
leftist Montonero opponents - indeed so great has been government
reluctance to condemn any political violence other than junta
atrocities as terrorism... that it refuses to define the 1992 and
1994 attacks on Jewish targets as crimes against humanity.

"... Since Argentine courts under this government have issued
warrants for Iranian ex-officials who were in power at the time of
the AMIA Jewish community center blast in 1994, why not call the
AMIA attack state terrorism?"

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

WAYNE

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