ARGENTINA: STAFFDEL MEETING WITH MFA ON AMIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002805 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, DAS DUDDY, DMCCARTHY WHA/BSC FOR BARNES, FRIEDMAN, MOSS NEA/IR FOR HWOOSTER S/CT FOR VIRGINIA PALMER AND ARNOLD SIERRA NSC FOR JUAN ZARATE AND JOSE CARDENAS FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR FBI SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: STAFFDEL MEETING WITH MFA ON AMIA, TRI-BORDER; LATEST AMIA DEVELOPMENTS REF: BUENOS AIRES 2749 Classified By: DCM Michael Matera for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On December 19 DCM, Emboffs, and visiting Staffdel members met with Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Cappagli to discuss the recent Interpol response to the AMIA case and tri-border issues. Staffdel members underlined the importance of responding to INTERPOL Secretary General Nobel's invitation to meet with him in Lyon on December 22 to discuss the case and not to leave the field open to Iran. Cappagli said that Argentina would be asking for the meeting to be held on another date, perhaps in January 2007. Cappagli said the GoA was surprised that the red notices requested for the AMIA case were not approved and still does not know the purpose or the details of the proposed December 22 meeting at Interpol Lyon. Cappagli told DCM privately after the meeting that Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez would be meeting on the evening of December 19 to discuss the wording of the GoA's response to SG Nobel. (Buenos Aires INTERPOL chief told Legatt on December 20 that Argentina would not attend the meeting and that they were seeking an alternative date.) Staffdel met earlier that day with AMIA prosecutors and expressed strong U.S. support for the case. Cappagli said that the GoA is satisfied with the progress in the tri-border region and believes it is moving in the right direction with regard to cooperation and intelligence sharing. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On December 19 DCM, Legatt, poloff, and visiting HIRC Staff Director Mark Walker, HIRC Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere staffer Brian Wanko, and HIRC Investigative Counsel John Mackey met with Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Cappagli to discuss the recent Interpol response to the AMIA case. Cappagli was accompanied by Ambassador Guillermo Gonzalez, MFA acting Director of Counterterrorism Gustavo Urrutia, and MFA North Americas Deputy Director Jose Ureta. Staffdel members underlined the importance of responding to INTERPOL Secretary General Nobel's invitation to meet with him in Lyon on December 22 to discuss the case and not to leave the field open to Iran. Mackey also praised the GoA for its tenacity in pursuing justice in the AMIA case, expressed the strong Congressional intrest in the case as well as his own impressions that the recently released prosecutors' report was much stronger and more convincing than the earlier report of Judge Galeano. Cappagli said that Argentina would be asking for the meeting to be held on another date, perhaps in January 2007. ¶3. (C) Cappagli said the GoA was surprised that the red notices requested for the AMIA case were not approved and still does not know the purpose or the details of the proposed December 22 meeting at Interpol Lyon. Cappagli cautioned against using the word postponement when asking for the meeting's date to be changed to avoid implying that Interpol has any judicial power over the case. He said the GoA is upset at the precedent that has been set by SG Nobel's request for a meeting. ¶4. (C) Cappagli told DCM privately after the meeting that Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez would be meeting on the evening of December 19 to discuss the specific wording of the GoA's response to SG Nobel, although Cappagli did not know if this response would be oral or written. He said the message would come from the Interior Ministry. ¶5. (C) Cappagli and Urrutia commented briefly on the progress in the tri-border region of Argentina. Both said the GoA is pleased with the positive progress that has been made in recent years. Urrutia said he believes they are moving in the right direction and that the border controls between Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina are increasing. Mackey noted the Staffdel had just visited the tri-border region and was impressed with the progress that had been made, though much remains to be done. ¶6. (C) Staffdel, accompanied by Emboffs, also met December 19 with AMIA prosecutors Alberto Nisman and Marcelo Martinez Burgos to discuss the AMIA case. Nisman briefed Staffdel on details of the case and the indictments. Mackey expressed strong U.S. support and interest in the case. He urged the prosecutors and the GoA to be proactive in their dealings with Interpol. ¶7. (C) On December 20, Alejandro DiNizo, chief of INTERPOL Buenos Aires advised Embassy Legatt that earlier in the morning INTERPOL Buenos Aires sent a message to INTERPOL Lyon advising that Argentina would not attend the meeting convoked by SG Noble for December 22. DiNizo advised that alternate dates were being discussed with Lyon. WAYNE