MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner tops public opinion ratings.

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner in office since last May 25 has a positive image among 90,3% of the population according to a poll published this Sunday in the Buenos Aires press. The opinion poll also indicates that his strong standing has reduced his negative image to a mere 1,8% of interviews.

The Equis opinion poll, contracted by the government, is taken every fifteen days and is geared to assess the response of the Argentine population to the latest decisions.

The poll this time showed that the greatest concern of metropolitan Buenos Aires that includes the capital Buenos Aires, and populated areas of the province of Buenos Aires, is insecurity, areas where crime and delinquency are rampant, and police trust extremely low. In the capital Buenos Aires concern about crime stands at 69,2% and in the province, 62,9%.

Regarding the socio-economic situation of Argentine homes, 65,6% consider it negative, 26,5% acceptable and 7,5% positive.

In spite of these readings 8 out of 10 people interviewed are confident the situation will improve while for the other two things will remain unchanged or worsen.

As to President Kirchner's intention to pass a bill that will enable the government to send to prison big tax evaders and eluders, 91,2% of those interviewed support the initiative and 83,6% also want jailed the professionals who help commit tax frauds.

Regarding the possibility of extraditing Argentine military officers supposedly involved in human rights violations and requested by other countries, 64% support the initiative, 27,2% were against it and the rest indifferent.

A more specific announcement on the issue is expected this week when President Kirchner meets with the top officers of the Armed Forces for the traditional annual dinner of July 9th, Argentina's Independence Day.

However the possibility of sending Argentine troops or police forces to help with United Nations peace keeping operations, (as recently suggested and Afghanistan was specifically named), 70,5% of those interviewed rejected the proposal and 22,9% supported it.