Cablegate: Media Reaction: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; Climate Change Summit;

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DE RUEHBU #1366/01 3491220
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O R 151219Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0199
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
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UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001366

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STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT;
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION; A/S VALENZUELA TO ARGENTINA; 12/15/09;
BUENOS AIRES

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: 12/8/09 - 12/14/09; CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT;
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION; A/S VALENZUELA TO ARGENTINA; 12/15/09;
BUENOS AIRES

1. SUMMARY

Most newspapers reported the massive world demonstrations against
climate change in 130 cities, with veiled criticism of the lack of
cooperation among developed countries to reach an agreement.
English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion piece
that stresses President Obama's "long-war" with the Pentagon
"recalcitrant elements" over issues like Afghanistan and Iraq.
Local papers also highlight that WHA A/S Secretary Arturo
Valenzuela, who will be in Argentina December 15 and 16, will only
meet with Cabinet Chief Fernandez, not President Cristina Kirchner,
because the Argentine government wants to show its dislike of the
U.S. policy in the region, particularly the U.S. military bases in
Colombia and US support for the outcome of Honduran elections. END
SUMMARY.

2. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

- "Obama's wars"

Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" carries an opinion
piece by Richard Rust (12/13), who opines, "Obama now has a war to
wrap up in Iraq - another that is entering a new, dangerous phase
in Afghanistan- and a third within his own Administration, where an
unknown number of high-level insurgents on his military payroll
share neither his vision nor his priorities. If recalcitrant
elements in the Pentagon, working with his political opponents and
outside interests try to undermine their Commander-in-Chief's
strategy, things will get very ugly. This third conflict is likely
to be Obama's 'Long War.'"

3. COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT

- "Massive world demonstration against climate change"

Centrist "Perfil" newspaper (12/13) carries an opinion piece by
Martin de Ambrosio who writes, "Hundreds of thousands of people
demonstrated yesterday all over the world against climate change as
a way of pressuring government representatives gathered in
Copenhagen to negotiate a protocol that will replace or add to the
1997 Protocol of Kyoto.

"Even though demonstrations took place mostly in developed
countries, similar demonstrations were made in 130 cities of Asian
and European countries. Except some small groups in the
Philippines, demonstrations in developing countries were not the
largest ones."

- "Europe congratulates the US although it asks the US to double
cuts on greenhouse gas emissions"

Leading "Clarin" carries an opinion piece by Gustavo Sierra, on
special assignment in Copenhagen, who comments (12/09) "Yesterday,
world environmentalists gathered in the hallways of the huge Bella
Center on the second day of the crucial Climate Change Summit could
not have been any happier. The Environmental Protection Agency had
announced that from now on, it labels those emissions as
'endangering the health,' which enables the President to make
amendments to legislation (curbing GHG emissions) without
Congressional approval.

"John Nordbo, from WWF international environmental NGO, said: Well,
now Obama has a Plan B, if conservative senators scrap the law, he
will be able to order (GHG) emissions cuts anyway.'

"This is not only a demand from environmentalists. Europe wants
Obama to commit further. In principle, Europe wants Obama to double
efforts and submit 30% GHG cuts, not just 17%."

4. A/S VALENZUELA VISIT TO LATIN AMERICA

- "Hillary makes a harsh warning to the region"

Alberto Armendariz, on special assignment in New York for
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (12/12), "Just 48 hours before
the Obama administration's Latin American envoy starts his tour in
Latin America, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched
yesterday a harsh warning to Latin American countries that have a
close relationship with Iran and warned they could suffer
retaliation from Washington.

"During a press conference, Assistant Secretary for the Western
Hemisphere Arturo Valenzuela did not give further details of his
upcoming regional tour but said, 'The purpose of my trip is not to
bring a series of specific topics; we want to discuss issues of
common interest, but the real purpose of my trip is listening.'"

- "President Kirchner makes clear her disappointment with Barack
Obama"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an opinion piece by Lucas
Colonna, who writes (12/13), "The arrival of Barack Obama's envoy
for Latin America, Arturo Valenzuela, the day after tomorrow will
exhibit how Argentina views its bilateral ties with the US these
days: in a wink of the official disagreement on the US policy on
the region, President Cristina Kirchner decided not to receive the
member of the Department of State, who will only visit the
government's house to meet with Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez.

"The ruling party's disappointment is based on two Washington
decisions. The first: the US military bases in Colombia... While
Argentina played a conciliatory role by organizing the Unasur
Bariloche emergency summit, the Argentine government understands
the decision as a veiled interference in regional security and a
threat to the autonomy of the South of the hemisphere.

"The second: the White House's support for Honduran elections.
Argentina does not recognize the elections because it believes they
legitimize in a way the coup d'etat and thinks Washington did less
than it could on the subject."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our

classified website at:

http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

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