ARGENTINA WILL BE ACTIVE IN 2009 THIRD COMMITTEE; LIKELY

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001187 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIP AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA WILL BE ACTIVE IN 2009 THIRD COMMITTEE; LIKELY SUPPORTIVE ON SEVERAL U.S. PRIORITIES REFS: A) SECSTATE 108921 B) BUENOS AIRES 1039 ¶1. (SBU) Political Officer delivered Ref A demarche October 29 to Carolina Bustos of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Relations Office of International Organizations (DIOIN). Regarding country-specific resolutions, Bustos said that Argentine policy was also to oppose "no-action motions." She was interested in the U.S. position on the Defamation of Religions resolution, and noted that Argentina "had trouble" with the resolution, including its heavy focus on Islam. She noted that Argentina's conception of human rights was also rooted in a belief that individuals rather than groups were the holders of rights. ¶2. (SBU) Bustos said that the GOA was putting great emphasis on gender issues and would likely be very interested in the resolution co-sponsored by the United States, Mexico and Colombia on the elimination of discrimination against women. She appreciated U.S. efforts to address issues related to the GRULAC/EU-sponsored resolution on the Rights of the Child. ¶3. (SBU) Turning to Argentine priorities, Bustos said that Argentina would be developing a resolution with partners on trafficking-in-persons. She said it would endorse a regional plan emerging from an OAS-sponsored TIP conference earlier this year in Buenos Aires and that it would develop a focus on the "clients" and "users" of trafficked persons. ¶4. (SBU) Other Third Committee priorities for Argentina included building support for the Argentina-sponsored Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. (Note: Argentine Foreign Minister Taiana requested U.S. signature on this instrument in a diplomatic note dated September 10, 2009, per ref B). They were also considering a resolution endorsing the work of the Argentine civilian response mechanism, Cascos Blancos (White Helmets). MARTINEZ