ARGENTINA: OECD NATIONAL CONTACT POINT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001718 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE EMBASSY PARIS PASS USOECD PAUL REID EEB/EPPD JONATHON MUDGE, BRIAN GUSS EEB/IFD/OIA WES SCHOLZ PASS NSC FOR MICHAEL SMART PASS FED BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR PATRICE ROBITAILLE PASS USTR FOR KATHERINE DUCKWORTH AND MARY SULLIVAN TREASURY FOR ROSELLEN ALBANO USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/OLAC/PEACHER US SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EINV ECON PREL PGOV OECD AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: OECD NATIONAL CONTACT POINT Ref: 06 Buenos Aires 1905 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On August 8, Argentina MFA official Ambassador Enrique Julio De La Torre briefed Economic Counselor and Investment Officer on recent GOA efforts involving its National Contact Point (NCP) office. The GoA's NCP seeks to raise awareness of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) non-binding Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. De La Torre and his staff updated EmbOffs on the GOA's recent NCP efforts, and requested Post support for Argentine-based NGOs involved with this effort. This GOA NCP effort appears part of a wider GOA multilateral re-engagement effort, and to demonstrate that Argentina is a responsible player on the world stage. End Summary. -------------- -------------- GOA indicates interest in renewed multilateral engagement -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Enrique De La Torre and his staff opened the meeting with the frank acknowledgment that after Argentina's 2001-02 economic crisis, it let its OECD relations deteriorate - "not paying dues, and not attending meetings." Recently, his office had "more activity," and was paying its bills. He said that in light of Chile and Brazil's activities and their apparent movement towards full membership, "Argentina should not be far behind them." He said that Argentina "has a crucial role in the new world, and so a wise country should have close relations with the OECD." ¶3. (U) De La Torre said that he was recently designated the head of a new MFA OECD unit, under the MFA's Economics Secretariat, and this is the designated NCP for the OECD. De La Torre indicated that, although the GOA has had a NCP for a few years, this new unit, and his own recent appointment, signaled a strengthened GOA interest in this process. De La Torre said that the United States should be aware of the "good news" involving the NCP's recent efforts, given that the "United States is the largest foreign investor in Argentina." He said that the NCP should be a place for "win-win solutions," and for the "assurance of foreign investors." -------------- NCP seeks U.S. help with Argentina-based NGOs -------------- ¶4. (U) Ambassador De La Torre said he was pleased with NCP's efforts in bringing together government, labor, business and NGOs. He said that representatives from the GOA (foreign affairs, labor, human rights, environment and investment development),business (the umbrella group Argentine Industrial Union),labor (Argentine Workers' Central) and NGOs had been meeting on a regular basis, and with good initial results. ¶5. (U) De La Torre also said that NCP and two Argentine NGOs were working with OECD Watch, which, according to its website, is the international network of NGOS promoting corporate accountability, informing the wider NGO community about policies and activities of the OECD's Investment Committee, and testing the effectiveness of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises process. De La Torre said that so far, two local NGOs were members of the OECD Watch-NCP process, FARN and SES. (Note: FARN stands for Foundation for the Environment and Natural Resources, or Fundacion Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, www.farn.org.ar; SES stands for the Foundation for Sustainability, Education and Solidarity, or Sustentabilidad, Educacion, Solidaridad, www.fundses.org.ar. End note.) ¶6. (U) Ambassador De La Torre specifically requested any assistance, resources or information that might assist these two Argentine NGOs work with the NCP and OECD Watch. Emboffs suggested he contact the American Chamber of Commerce, as well as several other local NGOs with whom we have relations. -------------- Recent GOA NCP facilitation involving U.S.-based Cargill -------------- ¶7. (U) Ambassador De La Torre briefed EmbOffs on what he said was a recent and successful example of his office's facilitation efforts, involving U.S.-based Cargill and the labor union UOMA. Such facilitation is a proscribed process in the OECD's NCP guidelines. According to De La Torre, these two parties used GOA's NCP's "good offices" to reach an agreement, via meetings and consultations dating from November 2006 to June 2007. EmbOff later verified this fact with Cargill in Argentina. -------------- Biographical Note -------------- ¶8. (U) De La Torre was previously Argentina's Ambassador to New Zealand, and also held senior posts at the GOA's United Nations mission in New York. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Argentina's Foreign Ministry last year sought USG support for its bid to have the OECD undertake an economic review of Argentina, and to be named as a observer nation candidate for full OECD membership (Reftel). The U.S. declined to support Argentina on either initiative. Now the GOA appears to see the NCP as a vehicle to demonstrate its willingness and ability to play a responsible role implementing OECD initiatives. Post will stay in contact with the GOA OECD/NCP Unit, and report as appropriate. WAYNE