ARGENTINA: CODEL Thompson Advances Bilateral Homeland

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000658
C O R R E C T E D COPY - TEXT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP PREL PGOV PTER SNAR AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: CODEL Thompson Advances Bilateral Homeland
Security Cooperation

REF: Buenos Aires 0597


1. (U) Summary: The May 28-30 visit of CODEL Bennie Thompson to
Argentina helped to advance bilateral cooperation on port and other
infrastructure security issues, as well as positively demonstrate
broad USG interest in bilateral cooperation with Argentina.
Representatives Thompson (Chairman, Homeland Security Committee),
Harman, Cuellar, Clarke, Carney and Richardson were able to combine
internal briefings at the Embassy, including presentations by DHS
agencies ICE and TSA, with important interaction with key
counterparts, including Argentina Customs Director Silvina
Tirabassi, the country's largest container port Exolgan (site of
CBP's CSI operation),and a call on Minister of Justice, Security,
and Human Rights Anibal Fernandez. Press for the visit was
positive. End Summary.


2. (SBU) CODEL Thompson's May 28-30 visit to Argentina was focused
on the operations of DHS agencies Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE),Transportation Security Administration (TSA),and
Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Representatives Bennie
Thompson, Jane Harman, Henry Cuellar, Yvette Clarke, Christopher
Carney, and Laura Richardson were briefed on the full range of
Embassy operations related to counter-terrorism and security issues
and were given specific briefs by ICE and TSA, including on the
Trade Transparency Unit (TTU) supported in country by ICE.


3. (U) The CODEL was able to observe the operations of the CBP's
Container Security Initiative (CSI),at Argentina's largest
container port, the private Exolgan port, just south of the city.
Port officials briefed on the container screening program, port
capacity, and physical security issues, including new biometric
identification procedures for staff at the port. ICE Attache
office, which administratively oversees CBP in country, led the
brief at the port.

Briefing by Customs Director Silvina Tirabassi
-------------- -


4. (SBU) Argentine Custom's Director Silvina Tirabassi provided a
detailed lunchtime presentation to the Members of Congress on her
agency's robust collaboration in training and investigations with
ICE. Ministry of Foreign Relations officials were also included in
the lunch. Tirabassi described in particular the value to Argentina
of its placement of an officer at the Port of Miami, the challenges
faced by Argentina in drug and bulk cash smuggling, and the
continuing opportunities to expand bilateral collaboration. Members
of Congress inquired about the Customs Service's progress in
implementing container screening activities and its successes
against bulk cash smuggling and other challenges. Tirabassi
highlighted an agreement to work with ICE to screen targeted
containers transiting Argentina for Paraguay.


5. (U) Tirabassi emphasized several times that her authority to
tighten Argentine customs requirements and enforce a strong policy
against drug trafficking came directly from President Cristina de
Kirchner. She pointed to statistics showing 50 percent increases in
seizures of IPR violated goods over last year and other significant
narcotics seizures. Tirabassi described as successful Argentina's
effort to shut down large-scale illicit ephedrine imports, which had
been a major problem in 2008.

Meeting with Minister of Justice Fernandez
--------------


6. (U) Ambassador accompanied CODEL to a positive late afternoon
meeting with Minister of Justice, Security, and Human Rights Anibal
Fernandez. Fernandez, who had returned early from a trip to
Paraguay to attend the meeting, thanked the departing Ambassador for
his active cooperation on counter-terrorism and counter-drug issues
and emphasized that Argentina was a fully committed partner to the
U.S. in this effort. He insisted that Argentina was not an
"anti-U.S." country and that the American visitors could display
their U.S. citizenship in Argentina without fear of reprisal.


7. (SBU) In response to questions from the Members of Congress,
Fernandez described efforts of his Ministry to implement biometric
screening procedures. To date, biometric screening is done only at
the main Ministry headquarters, he said, but he hoped to expand this
technology to other installations and also for use throughout the
country at border crossings. He said the biometric system had
largely been home grown and that he had assembled a team of top IT
talent to help design the program. He described past efforts to
improve the quality of national identity documents and to enhance
the country's name check database.


8. (U) Fernandez described the significant challenges faced by
Argentina in controlling its long land borders, which at 9370
kilometers are almost three times as long as the U.S.-Mexico border.
Security Cooperation

He said that the development of high technology devices was
essential given the sheer impossibility of physically securing such
long borders and so many official crossings.

Press
--------------


9. (U) Chairman Thompson's pull-aside interview at the port with
wire-service Telam produced a positive piece on U.S. views of port
security in Argentina. The piece described the importance of
collaboration on container security to robust trade between the two
countries. In addition, pro-government "Pagina/12" wrote a short
column with a photo of the Codel's meeting with Minister of Justice
Fernandez.

Comment: Bilateral Ties Bolstered by CODEL
--------------


10. (U) CODEL Thompson's brief visit to Argentina paid dividends for
our bilateral relationship. The Congressmen's positive reaction to
Tirabassi and Fernandez's efforts to collaborate with the U.S.
Government and specifically with DHS agencies in country gives
valued recognition in one of the areas of the bilateral relationship
where our cooperation is at its strongest. It also served to
underscore our continuing interest in GOA action to address threats
like narcotics trafficking, contraband, bulk cash smuggling, and
transportation security.


11. (U) This cable was cleared with Chairman Thompson.

WAYNE