ARGENTINE ECONOMY MINISTER: GOA LOOKING FOR U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BUENOS AIRES 001198 SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS TO TREASURY FOR NLEE/LTRAN/WLINDQUIST; SAO PAULO FOR WBLOCK E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2019 TAGS: ECON EFIN EIND EINV PINR PREL ETRD AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINE ECONOMY MINISTER: GOA LOOKING FOR U.S. SUPPORT REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 1161 (B) BUENOS AIRES 976 Classified By: Ambassador Vilma Martinez for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In the Ambassador's introductory call on Minister of Economy Boudou, the two discussed the status of the GoA's latest offer to the bond ""holdouts,"" discussions with the IMF and Paris Club, and U.S. investment in Argentina. Boudou was confident of a successful deal with the holdouts, although he stressed the need to isolate the ""vulture"" funds that opposed the deal. These will be followed by negotiations in 2010 with the IMF and Paris Club, eventually leading to Argentina's reaccess to international credit markets. Boudou also asked that Argentina be included in the itinerary of any visit by President Obama to South America. End Summary. BOND HOLDOUT DEAL COMING -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador, accompanied by DCM and ECouns, met November 3 with Minister of Economy Amado Boudou in her ongoing round of inaugural meetings with Cabinet ministers. As expected, Boudou used the meeting to focus on the new GoA initiative, announced by him two weeks ago, to launch a new offering to outstanding holders of the remaining USD 20 billion in Argentine debt from the 2005 debt swap, as the first step to Argentina's reentry into international credit markets (ref A). Boudou told the Ambassador that he was confident that an agreement will be completed ""within 100 days"" with holders of at least 70 percent (USD 13 billion) of the outstanding debt. The Ambassador responded that the USG supported Argentina's latest effort to settle with the bond holdouts and reaccess international credit markets. ¶3. (SBU) Boudou thanked the Ambassador and noted that he will begin a roadshow to promote the holdout offering shortly after his trip at the end of the week for a G-20 meeting in St. Andrews, Scotland. He said his plans include public and private sector meetings in the U.K., Germany, Italy, and the United States, where the bulk of the holdouts are concentrated. Boudou expressed concern regarding opposition to the Argentine offering from vulture fund holders of Argentine debt which he described as ""neither American nor Argentine."" He argued that they were offshore investors who �0A;keep their money in tax havens like the Cayman Islands and employ no one. Boudou said that it was important that these funds, which are represented by influential lobbyists, be isolated to ensure success. He noted that the required filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and similar regulators in other countries had begun and that the necessary authorizing legislation in the Argentine Congress would be voted on by the lower house this week and the Senate soon after. He characterized prospects for passage as virtually certain. FOLLOWED BY IMF AND PARIS CLUB -------------- ¶4. (SBU) DCM asked what GoA's plans were with respect to the IMF and Paris Club. Boudou replied that the GoA wants to move forward with both, beginning with the IMF in the first quarter of 2010 following an agreement with the bond holdouts. He noted that Argentina wanted to restart the 30-year relationship it had with the Fund before severing those ties in 2006. The question now was finding the political space to reengage. Boudou asked for U.S. help when the GoA is ready to move forward, particularly with the Paris Club negotiations. He said that he might seek to mention BUENOS AIR 00001198 002 OF 003 that point to Secretary Geithner in St. Andrews next week. FOREIGN INVESTMENT IS NEEDED -------------- ¶5. (U) Boudou told the Ambassador that Argentina is looking for not only international credit but, more importantly, foreign direct investment, and he sees the U.S. as playing a particularly important role. Citing General Motors, Ford, Kraft, and Wal Mart as examples of US companies with major investments in Argentina creating thousands of jobs, Boudou said that the GoA wanted to work with the USG on policies and programs that encourage more investment. He added that there was no contradiction in protecting both employment and investment. The Ambassador noted that there may be opportunities to foster greater state-to-state relationships such as between Buenos Aires Province and her home state of California with its diversified, technology-driven economy. REQUEST THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA VISIT ARGENTINA -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Boudou noted rumors of a possible visit to the region next year by President Obama. In the event the visit happens, Boudou argued that it was important that Argentina be included. He argued that Argentina is moving towards a more cooperative, market-oriented approach to international economic policy, and a visit could accelerate the momentum of that swing. He also asserted that a visit here to another important G-20 country would fit in well with President Obama's collaborative global vision. Comment: A Stealth Admirer of the United States -------------- --- ¶7. (SBU) Throughout the meeting Boudou described himself as unabashedly pro-American (and where he still prefers to take vacations),though he added that he had to be careful to downplay this publicly. So far, holdout deal notwithstanding, his familiarity with the United States manifests itself in the ease with which he relates to American interlocutors, but not in the economic policies that he has pursued for this populist government. ¶8. (SBU) With respect to the bond holdout deal, Boudou appeared confident he would get one, though his concern with the vulture funds as potential spoilers was manifest in the Ministry's press statement after the meeting that highlighted the need to isolate the ""so-called vulture funds."" It is also clear that he was carrying a message from the Kirchners in asking that the President include Argentina on any visit to South America. With four months under his belt thus far as Economy Minister under the Kirchners, Boudou appears to have won the confidence of the President and her husband in moving forward with an agreement with the bond holdouts, IMF, and Paris Club creditors, in that order, on the road to accession back to the international financial markets. Whether Boudou is eventually successful will depend, as he says, on the political space available to him in 2010. Bio Notes -------------- ¶9. (C) Boudou said that he likes to ski every season at Aspen and surf at San Diego-area beaches. He also described himself as a fan of the National Football League. Boudou spoke more English in the meeting than we've heard before (ref b); it seems to be serviceable, though he clearly is much more comfortable in Spanish. Boudou's political savvy BUENOS AIR 00001198 003 OF 003 was reflected by the only three photos that he keeps in his bookcase. One features President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) alone; another is of CFK and him; and in the third, Boudou gazes attentively at CFK's husband, ex-President and government strongman Nestor Kirchner. MARTINEZ