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