Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BUENOSAIRES855
2007-05-02 20:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S APRIL 30 MEETING

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER AR VZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0855/01 1222032
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 022032Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8021
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6136
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5999
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1222
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0215
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY MONTEVIDEO 6409
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0386
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0052
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DCRHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000855 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA FOR A/S THOMAS SHANNON
EMBASSY VILNIUS FOR THOMAS P. KELLY
EMBASSY GUATEMALA FOR ALEX FEATHERSTONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER AR VZ
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S APRIL 30 MEETING
WITH FOREIGN MINISTER TAIANA

REF: SECSTATE 52361

Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000855

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA FOR A/S THOMAS SHANNON
EMBASSY VILNIUS FOR THOMAS P. KELLY
EMBASSY GUATEMALA FOR ALEX FEATHERSTONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER AR VZ
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S APRIL 30 MEETING
WITH FOREIGN MINISTER TAIANA

REF: SECSTATE 52361

Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 30, Ambassador Wayne called on
Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana to discuss First Lady Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner's May 3 trip to Washington and other
issues. (Taiana had planned to join her, but it now appears
he will not.) The Ambassador highlighted the importance of
supporting press freedom in Venezuela and raised the RCTV
case; underscored USG concern over growing Venezuelan-Iranian
ties; noted FBI Special Agent in Charge, International
Operations Tom Fuentes's visit to Buenos Aires and asked
about next steps in the AMIA case; urged passage of
counterterrorism finance (CTF) legislation as the next step
in Argentina's efforts to combat terrorism; urged passage of
anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) legislation; encouraged
eventual Congressional approval of this week's UNITAS
exercise; and asked about the status of the MFA's translation
of the bilateral Civair accord. Taiana offered little to no
comment on most points, but did say that Argentine Ambassador
to the U.S. Jose Bordon had invited U/S Nick Burns and A/S
Tom Shannon to coffee on May 3 or 4 at his residence should
Taiana accompany the First Lady. He also stated that he
would meet with OAS Secretary General Insulza to discuss the
upcoming OAS General Assembly and Falklands/Malvinas if he
travels to DC. SEPTEL will cover Taiana's comments on his
and First Lady Cristina Kirchner's visit to Washington and
President Lula's visit to Buenos Aires. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On April 30, Ambassador Wayne and poloffs called on
Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana to discuss some key points that
might be raised with First Lady Senator Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner on her May 3-4 trip to Washington. (Taiana had
planned to accompany her.) The Ambassador highlighted the
importance of supporting press freedom in Venezuela and
raised the RCTV case; underscored USG concern over growing

Venezuelan-Iranian ties; noted FBI's Interpol representative
Tom Fuentes' visit to Buenos Aires and asked about next steps
in the AMIA terrorism case; urged passage of counterterrorism
finance legislation as the next step in Argentina's efforts
to combat terrorism; urge passage of anti-trafficking in
persons (TIP) legislation; encouraged eventual Congressional
approval of this week's UNITAS exercise; and asked about the
status of MFA translation of the Civair accord. Also in
attendance from the Foreign Ministry was U/S for Political
Affairs Vicente Espeche Gil.


3. (C) Taiana offered little to no comment on most points.
He noted the Ambassador's points on RCTV and Venezuela and
the likelihood that discussion at the American Jewish Council
dinner could include these points. Taiana said he was aware
of Fuentes's visit and that Espeche Gil had met with Fuentes
earlier in the day. Espeche Gil noted that Fuentes
recommended the GOA lobby moderate Islamic countries in the
run-up to the Interpol General Assembly in November. He
added that Fuentes suggested that traditional Muslim
solidarity on these issues is breaking down as more and more
Islamic countries realize that the majority of terrorist
victims are fellow Muslims.


4. (C) Taiana said that he was not familiar with the
anti-TIP legislation, but had an idea of several draft bills
being discussed in Congress. (Poloff briefed him on the
status of the legislation and the Ambassador underscored the
importance of passage of the legislation in the next two
months.) On UNITAS, Taiana said that he knew of the issue of
pending Congressional approval for the joint exercise and
that he had spoken with Minister of Defense Nilda Garre about
it and stated that he did not believe passage would be a
problem. Taiana said that he thought the Civair accord was
with the MFA's infrastructure office and that his office is
watching its progress closely.


5. (C) Taiana also mentioned that Argentine Ambassador to
the U.S. Jose Bordon was inviting U/S Nick Burns and A/S Tom

Shannon to coffee on May 3 or 4 at his residence for an
informal talk. Taiana said he hoped the meeting could be
arranged.


6. (C) Ambassador also informed Taiana that the USG will be
giving the GOA software and technical assistance to implement
a new control system to monitor the import and export of
strategic materials. The USG is also giving the GOA portable
detectors for radioactive material, the Ambassador added.
Taiana welcomed the news.


7. (C) COMMENT: MFA contacts have indicated that Taiana is
increasingly preoccupied with managing the Casa Rosada, which
may help explain why Taiana appeared only superficially aware
of some of the issues Ambassador Wayne raised. He was more
talkative about his trip to Mexico and President Kirchner's
meeting with Brazilian President Ignacio Lula da Silva
(SEPTEL),than most of the points raised in this meeting. WE
have just learned that Taiana will in the end not accompany
the First Lady to Washington. Taiana's chief of staff told
the Ambassador last week that Taiana might not travel because
he had been away from the office so much recently and the
First Lady's schedule in Washington was not very full.
Taiana, himself, commented to the Ambassador on the way out
of his officer that he was feeling quite tired from his
travels. END COMMENT.
WAYNE