Cablegate: Media Reaction; October 19-23 International Opinion Pieces

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UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001169

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
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TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; OCTOBER 19-23 INTERNATIONAL OPINION PIECES
AND EDITORIALS; 10/28/09; BUENOS AIRES

1.SUMMARY STATEMENT

Leading international stories during last week were mostly related
to Argentina's new debt swap. Other topics were Russia's military
cooperation with Iran; Argentine peacekeeping troops in Haiti; and
upcoming Afghan elections.

Regarding Argentina's new debt swap to holdout bondholders, most
papers agree that the loss of domestic solidity is dictating the
Argentine government's quest for funds on global markets.
Daily-of-record "La Nacion," business-financial "Ambito Financiero"
(October 24/25) and other local dailies highlight the move as a
positive step, although they point out that restoring relations with
the IMF and Paris Club should be the next steps. However, some huge
problems loom, such as the dwindling budget surplus as well as the
inability of the INDEC national statistics bureau to supply reliable
data on the Argentine economy.

Russia-Iran. Daily-of-record "La Nacion" (10/20) carries an opinion
piece by political analyst Carlos Escude, who opines that "Russia's
military cooperation with Iran will continue, which implies that
Moscow will continue using Tehran to compel Washington to interrupt
policies that could jeopardize its own security. All this means that
the Iranian problem will not be solved peacefully without making
tradeoffs to Moscow."

As to the war in Afghanistan, English-language "Buenos Aires
Herald's" (10/20) contributor James Neilson points out that "Obama's
presidency is unlikely to be remembered for its success in
persuading the traditionally-minded to exchange their swords for
ploughshares. Instead, it would be blamed for having inadvertently
set off a series of conflagrations as bad as, or worse than, the
ones that combined to make the Second World War."

In reference to the Argentine peacekeeping troops stationed in
Haiti, October 23 "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by a professor of
Political Theory at University of Buenos Aires, Tomas Varnagy, who
opines that Argentine troops should stay in Haiti until goals have
been met. He believes this does not imply a militarized country or a
deteriorated relationship between civilians and military because
peacekeeping troops are under the UN umbrella, which responds to the
interests of the local inhabitants of the country.

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

MARTINEZ

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