DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SUPPORTING ARGENTINA'S REQUEST

S E C R E T RABAT 001676 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT AND NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017 TAGS: PTER ASEC KJUS PREL PGOV MO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SUPPORTING ARGENTINA'S REQUEST FOR INTERPOL APPROVAL OF RED NOTICES AGAINST IRANIAN OFFICIALS CHARGED IN AMIA BOMBING AT NOVEMBER 5-8 GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING REF: SECSTATE 147320 Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Poloff and A/LEGAT met on October 29 with Argentine Embassy Minister-Counselor Pablo Pineiro Aramburu at the Argentine Embassy to convey reftel points concerning the Government of Argentina,s (GOA) request for assistance in lobbying the GOM to support the INTERPOL Executive Committee decision to issue "Red Notices" to Iranian individuals. ¶2. (S) Aramburu said that the GOA had only heard positive signals on this issue coming out of the GOM, which the GOA had consulted with at an "above Minister of Interior-level." The GOA is sending a robust delegation to the upcoming INTERPOL General Assembly in Marrakech, Morocco (November 5-8) that will include Aramburu, the Argentine Ambassador to Morocco, the Argentine Chief of Police, and the lead prosecutor for the case against the Iranians. The GOA surmised that Iran's strategy toward blocking the issuance of the Red Notices was to play for time. Aramburu called Iran's tactic of publicly declaring that it was pursuing bilateral options with the GOA a falsehood. Another tactic that Iran may pursue will be to push for making the final vote on the Red Notices in the General Assembly by secret ballot, Aramburu speculated. ¶3. (S) Emboffs conveyed U.S. support for the GOA,s position but assessed that direct U.S. lobbying to the GOM, or other countries, on Argentina,s behalf, would play into Iranian propaganda and, therefore, be counterproductive. Emboffs advised Aramburu that should the GOA detect negative signals coming from the GOM on this issue that the U.S. would look at how we could be helpful. Aramburu accepted the message and advised that a similar message had recently been transmitted to the GOA from the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ***************************************** Riley