ARGENTINA VERY UNLIKELY TO CONTRIBUTE TO OAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 001025 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2016 TAGS: AORC OAS PREL AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA VERY UNLIKELY TO CONTRIBUTE TO OAS GUYANA MISSION REF: STATE 65841 Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) POLOFF met May 5 with Minister Maria Ines Fernandez in the MFA's Office of International Organizations, to discuss reftel points. POLOFF said that Canada, the U.S., and Brazil had all contributed to the proposed OAS electoral mission for Guyana, but that the OAS was still short of the necessary funds to undertake the mission. He asked whether Argentina was prepared to make a contribution. ¶2. (C) Fernandez said that there were "very limited possibilities" for any GOA financial contribution to the OAS Guyana mission. She said that Argentina had contributed in-kind resources for OAS missions in Peru and Colombia. For instance during the first round of the Peruvian elections, the Chairman of the Lower House Committee on Foreign Affairs, plus an official from the Argentine Embassy in Peru, served as election observers. POLOFF asked if Argentina had an embassy in Guyana - Fernandez said no and mentioned no other possibilities for in-kind assistance. ¶3. (C) Fernandez later reiterated that the MFA had virtually no funds at its disposal to commit towards supporting OAS electoral missions anywhere. She speculated that this situation "may one day improve" but offered no tangible reasons for that belief. GUTIERREZ