ARGENTINA'S RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR BRIEFINGS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 001282 SIPDIS ISN FOR D. MAHLEY AND P. DURHAM E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2018 TAGS: KSCA PARM PREL ETTC AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA'S RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR BRIEFINGS ON SPACE LAUNCH VEHICLE (SLV) PROGRAM REF: SECSTATE 94059 Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Pursuant to reftel, ESTCouns and ESTOff met with Executive Director of the Argentine National Commission on Aerospace Activities (CONAE) Dr. Conrado Varotto and CONAE Secretary General Felix Menicocci on 10 September 2008, to firm up plans for bilateral discussions on the status of the Argentine space launch vehicle (SLV) program. The meeting took place in Varotto's Buenos Aires offices and resulted in full agreement by both parties to move forward with all U.S. requests. ¶2. (C) ESTCouns suggested that the first event, a one-time ""state of play"" briefing by Government of Argentina (GOA) officials to U.S. entities, occur in the January-February 2009 time frame. The first briefing would be followed by an expert level meeting in Buenos Aires in the May-July 2009 timeframe, with subsequent expert-level meetings occurring approximately every six months alternately in Washington D.C. and Buenos Aires. Varotto agreed to the suggested dates and schedule of meetings. ESTCouns emphasized that the bilateral meetings would be in addition to the GOA informing their Hague Code of Conduct (HCOC) partner countries of the status of their SLV program. Varotto acknowledged that the bilateral meetings would supplement the GOA's regular presentations to HCOC or Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) countries. ¶3. (C) The meeting concluded with statements of a shared commitment to full cooperation and transparency. Varotto stressed the close working relationship between CONAE and the Embassy, and restated his request that the USG consider CONAE as the lead GOA agency for all matters related to the SLV program. He reiterated that CONAE's leadership acts with the MFA's authority at the highest level. ESTCouns acknowledged that this is what he had been told by the MFA's Directorate for International Security and Nuclear Affairs (DIGAN) but noted that he would continue to keep DIGAN apraised of developments as a courtesy. WAYNE