THE SECRETARY'S APRIL 7 MEETING WITH ARGENTINE FM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000401


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2029
TAGS: PREL ECON AR
SUBJECT: THE SECRETARY'S APRIL 7 MEETING WITH ARGENTINE FM
TAIANA

REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 0226 (B) BUENOS AIRES 0158 (C)
BUENOS AIRES 0375 (D) BUENOS AIRES 0335 (E)
BUENOS AIRES 0350


Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C) Your April 7 meeting with Argentine FM Jorge Taiana is
an opportunity to encourage his continued support in keeping
the overall tone of relations positive, even in the face of
occasional disagreements. As populist and liberal democratic
models vie in South America, Argentina is a swing state, with
a foot in both camps. A top objective has been to keep
Argentina out of the populist camp. It possesses talent,
resources, and potential influence in the region. We have
found engagement is the best way to persuade Argentina to act
as a responsible partner. Argentina consistently registers
the highest levels of anti-Americanism in the hemisphere.
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) and her
husband have used anti-U.S. rhetoric to boost ratings at home
and have displayed a thin skin to perceived criticism and a
tendency to sense conspiracy where none exists. We have
sought to reach out directly to the Argentine public and
media to present a positive view of the United States while
working with Taiana and others to establish a firm foundation
for bilateral cooperation with the GOA. With President
Obama's approval rating in Argentina far higher than that of
most local politicians, Argentines from CFK on down are
scrambling to be seen as our friends. This sea-change in
attitudes offers the USG an opportunity to improve
substantially the bilateral relationship with Argentina and
to reduce anti-American sentiment among the public.


2. (C) Taiana is a skilled diplomat who has navigated the
treacherous waters of Peronist politics as Foreign Minister
since 2005 to both CFK and her predecessor (and husband)
Nestor Kirchner. He supports stronger bilateral ties and has
worked to improve cooperation in areas perceived as important
to us, supporting democracy and human rights, UN peacekeeping
missions, non-proliferation, counterterrorism, and
counternarcotics, as well as to maneuver through moments when
CFK and her husband have been upset with perceived U.S.
missteps. The president, her husband, and Taiana share a
leftist worldview forged in the struggle against the last
Argentine military dictatorship, but Taiana for years lived
in Washington. Prone to conspiracy theories, the Kirchners
often view events through a nationalist, statist prism, and
voice suspicions of many aspects of U.S. policy. While
criticizing certain U.S. targets (especially the Bush
Administration, Wall Street, the 'Washington Consensus' and
excessive U.S. deregulation, which they blame for the hard
times befalling Argentina),CFK has also repeatedly indicated
a desire for closer bilateral relations with the Obama
administration. (She was also an early supporter of
then-candidate Clinton.) Your meeting with Taiana can
establish a solid basis for a bilateral work agenda whose
substance can get us through any ups and downs.


3. (C) Despite rocky patches in our bilateral relationship
(such as the "suitcase scandal," during which CFK overreacted
to perceived USG allegations of illicit campaign financing
from Venezuela),Argentina cooperates in regional security,
counter-terrorism, drug interdiction, nonproliferation, and
U.N. peacekeeping missions. Argentina was awarded Major
Non-NATO Ally status during the Clinton Administration. The
GOA is often a cooperative partner in multilateral fora,
including in democracy and human rights. Argentina is a
transshipment and destination point for narcotics and
precursor chemicals, and GOA law enforcement agencies
cooperate closely with their USG counterparts. Argentina was
a victim of international terrorist attacks in the 1990s and
is a cooperative partner in countering terrorism. Although
political and working-level relations between the GOA and USG
are positive, GOA officials react very negatively to
perceived affronts to their sovereignty, often winning public
support for these reactions.


4. (C) The GOA's extreme sensitivity to any public
criticism poses a problem for the USG, which releases a
number of Congressionally mandated reports about Argentina
and other foreign countries on a broad range of issues. (The
April 1 release of our perennial Investment Climate
Statement, which covers the foreign investment climate here,
for example, generated concern within the GOA despite its
extremely understated tone. We are working to assuage their
unease through private conversations and publicly putting the
report in its proper context.)

Bilateral Engagement
--------------


5. (C) The GOA is very pleased and encouraged by recent
contacts: G-20 collaboration in London and earlier, CFK's
March 27 meeting with Vice President Biden in Chile, and the
letters and phone calls from President Obama. (Argentine
media on April 3 gave prominent coverage to President Obama's
letter of condolence on the death of former president Raul
Alfonsin, a key figure in Argentina's 1983 return to
democracy and an emblematic human rights leader.) We expect
FM Taiana will be prepared to engage with you on the need to
build on positive momentum in the bilateral relationship, as
well as G-20 follow-up and preparations for the Summit of the
Americas.


6. (C) In July 2008, we reactivated the "Special Process of
Regular High-Level Bilateral Consultations" that had been
established in 1998 by Secretary Albright and then-FM Guido
Di Tella. Using that framework to draw attention to our
commitment to explore new areas of cooperation, we met here
and signed agreements for cooperation in alternative energy,
nanotechnology, national parks, and cultural exchanges. WHA
A/S Shannon met in February with Vice Foreign Minister
Taccetti to discuss a follow-on meeting in Washington for
later this year. Your meeting would be a good opportunity to
obtain an agreement to continue with these useful
consultations.

G-20 Follow-up
--------------


7. (C) The MFA said Taiana will be interested in getting your
views on G-20 follow-up. The MFA is particularly eager to
fend off criticism that the G-20 is exclusively focused on
financial and economic problems by highlighting G-20 efforts
to boost social inclusiveness.

Summit of the Americas (SOA)
--------------


8. (C) FM Taiana and other MFA officials have repeatedly told
us they want to work with the U.S. to make the SOA a success.
At the April 17-19 SOA, the GOA hopes President Obama will
share his vision for how the region can work together to make
progress on shared goals. In that connection, MFA sources
stressed to us that "any positive gesture by the USG to any
country in the region will have a multiplying effect." They
stressed that they were encouraged by President Obama's
efforts to reach out to Iran, and that similar gestures of
openness in this region would be well-received.

Malvinas/Falklands
--------------


9. (C) In their ongoing campaign seeking recognition of
Argentine claims to sovereignty over the Malvinas/Falkland
Islands, the GOA is seeking to put this issue on the agenda
for the SOA. The United States recognizes de facto UK
administration of the islands but takes no position regarding
the sovereignty claims of either party. We do not believe it
is an appropriate issue for leaders to address at the SOA,
but the GOA is likely to press the issue. April 2 was the
27th anniversary of the Argentine invasion of the islands.
CFK, in London for the G-20 Summit, delivered a speech
reiterating Argentina's "inalienable" claim to sovereignty
and asking that relevant UN resolutions calling for
negotiations be implemented. A couple of days earlier, at a
summit meeting in Doha of Arab and South American leaders,
she had managed to obtain support in that summit declaration
for the Argentine position. A working-level MFA official
confided that Taiana may seek to use this meeting to enlist
your support for GOA efforts to add this issue to the SOA
agenda.

Other Issues
--------------


10. (C) As you may see in your briefing papers, we are
looking to Taiana to be helpful in finding a mutually
acceptable solution to the Minister of Defense's request for
our Military Group to move out of its office space in the
Argentine Ministry of Defense headquarters (ref C). Another
issue you should be aware of, even if it is not yet ready to
be aired with Taiana, is that there is concern in Argentina
that a GOA proposal for new broadcast legislation (refs D and
E) may, if it is approved as currently drafted, have
detrimental implications for freedom of expression in
Argentina.


WAYNE