AMBASSADOR DISCUSES ANTI-TERROR TRAINING,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000484 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR ASEC AR SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSES ANTI-TERROR TRAINING, COUNTERNARCOTICS AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS WITH INTERIOR MINISTER Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons 1.4(b)and(d) ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador took advantage of a March 2 meeting with Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez to present him with a copy of the 2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR),to discuss an upcoming Anti Terrorism Assistance Program (ATA) needs assessment visit and to ask him to assure security for the family of Argentina's recipient of the Secretary's International Women of Courage Award. SIPDIS ¶2. (SBU) Fernandez thanked the Ambassador for the INCSR copy and noted that his Ministry continued to move forward on better counternarcotics coordination efforts. He said that the Ministry was working on developing standard protocols and a single database for drug testing laboratories in order to better extract and manipulate useful data for narcotics investigations and trials. He also noted that the compilation of national drug seizure data and statistics would be handled by the Special Prosecutors Office for Serious Drug and Organized Crime (UFIDRO). UFIDRO falls under the General Prosecutor's Office but is financed by the Ministry of Interior. This task had previously been the responsibility of the Secretariat of Planning for the Prevention of Drug Addiction and Fight Against Narcotrafficking (SEDRONAR). ¶3. (C) The Ambassador and RSO briefed the Minister on the proposed May site visit and assessment of the ATA survey team. RSO noted that the first step in the process would be to conduct a self assessment of needs and capabilities of the Argentine security and law enforcement agencies and that the RSO would provide the translated self assessment survey to the four security agencies under the MoI, once the Embassy received the Minister's go ahead. Fernandez expressed his strong interest in the ATA Program but noted that because of the anti-terrorism aspect of the program that he wanted to coordinate with his colleagues at the Argentine intelligence service (SIDE). He asked that the Embassy also discuss background on ATA with SIDE. He promised to get back to the Embassy with a final response as soon as possible. ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador also asked Fernandez for support in dealing with threats to Susana Trimarco's granddaughter while Ms. Trimarco traveled to the U.S. to receive an International Woman of Courage Award from Secretary of State Rice. Fernandez called in one of his aides who was in contact with Ms. Trimarco and assured that steps were being taken to protect Mrs. Trimarco's granddaughter. Fernandez said he had high respect for Mrs. Trimarco's work to fight trafficking in persons. ¶5. (SBU) Ambassador also asked Minister Fernandez to have the head of airport police (PSA) quickly contact Embassy TSA representative about problems found by a TSA team at Eziza Airport. WAYNE