Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES67
2009-01-21 20:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:
CANADIAN AMBASSADOR ON ARGENTINE SUMMITRY, NUCLEAR
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBU #0067 0212021 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 212021Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0581 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2897 INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000067
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN KSUM PREL CA AR
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR ON ARGENTINE SUMMITRY, NUCLEAR
ENERGY AND MINING POLICIES
Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000067
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN KSUM PREL CA AR
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR ON ARGENTINE SUMMITRY, NUCLEAR
ENERGY AND MINING POLICIES
Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons (B) and (D).
1. (SBU) A January 14 discussion between Ambassador Wayne and
Canadian Ambassador Tim Martin covered Argentina's poor
preparation for regional summits and the G-20, as well as
Canada's nuclear energy and mining agenda with Argentina.
2. (SBU) Brazil's regional agenda and the Summit of the
Americas: Martin said that he had gone to the Argentine
MFA's assistant secretary for Latin America, Agustin Colombo,
to express concern that Canada was not included in the summit
Brazil was hosting for all countries in the hemisphere except
the U.S. and Canada. Colombo told him that Argentina did not
really have an idea of what the summit was intended to do
except highlight Brazil's leadership ambitions. After the
summit, Colombo told Martin that during the summit in Brazil,
the GoA had sent him to a last-minute meeting where Lula and
Calderon basically told those assembled what they planned to
announce a follow-on summit in Mexico. Martin said that he
had tried to engage the Argentines on the April Summit of the
Americas but found them not very interested. Ambassador
Wayne said that he had found the same thing when we had tried
to engage them. Both ambassadors agreed to work together to
try to move the Argentines in a positive direction as the
summit approaches and as they both receive guidance from
capitols.
3. (C) G-20: Martin said that his deputy minister who had
been at the Washington G-20 meeting characterized Argentina's
participation as a blown opportunity. Ambassador Wayne said
that U.S. officials had told him that President Fernandez de
Kirchner had spoken twice as long as other leaders and that
her message had been very distinct from the other leaders,
with a rhetorical and Argentine-centric bent. Martin said
that unfortunately Fernandez de Kirchner has a tendency to
give speeches that sound off on her views about the inequity
of the world. In the case of the G-20, this did not reflect
the practical, serious work of Central Bank Governor Redrado
or her Finance Secretary. Her ""sherpa"", Ambassador Timerman,
had also not been up to the substantive task. Ambassador
agreed that Redrado especially had tried to take the
opportunity for Argentina to contribute to this important
process. Both ambassadors agreed to work together, perhaps
along with other BA-based G-20 ambassadors, to encourage
Argentina to play a more constructive role in the April G-20
meeting and in the working groups.
4. (SBU) Nuclear Cooperation: Canada is working hard to
increase peaceful nuclear cooperation with Argentina. The
Canadians are going to carry out a major rehab of the Embalse
nuclear energy plant in Cordoba which should total about
US$800 million. They are helping Argentina finish its Atucha
II nuclear energy plant which has been under construction for
years. And, they are competing to build a new nuclear plant
about which they hope the Argentines will reach a decision in
the next year.
5. (SBU) Mining Going OK: Martin said major Canadian mining
companies are standing with their commitments to invest in
Argentina despite the flare-up a year ago when the GoA
surprised them with new export taxes. Since the tax
announcement, the GoA, led by the Secretary of Mining, has
worked quietly with Canadian companies to find ways to work
around the new federal regulations. One of Canada's largest
investments, Barick Gold's Pascua-Lama project in San Juan
province, is still on hold however, because it straddles the
Chile-Argentine border: the Canadian company does not want to
proceed unless the two governments have agreed in writing on
taxes.
6. (SBU) The Canadian embassy and mining companies also
continue to work with provincial governments on environmental
issues. In a number of cases, provincial legislatures have
banned the use of chemicals in mining (e.g. the use of
arsenic in leaching gold from lower grade ore),which Martin
said are widely and safely used elsewhere. Finally, a number
of smaller Canadian firms are packing up, basically because
they can't get financing in these difficult times to continue
their exploratory work.
WAYNE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN KSUM PREL CA AR
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR ON ARGENTINE SUMMITRY, NUCLEAR
ENERGY AND MINING POLICIES
Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons (B) and (D).
1. (SBU) A January 14 discussion between Ambassador Wayne and
Canadian Ambassador Tim Martin covered Argentina's poor
preparation for regional summits and the G-20, as well as
Canada's nuclear energy and mining agenda with Argentina.
2. (SBU) Brazil's regional agenda and the Summit of the
Americas: Martin said that he had gone to the Argentine
MFA's assistant secretary for Latin America, Agustin Colombo,
to express concern that Canada was not included in the summit
Brazil was hosting for all countries in the hemisphere except
the U.S. and Canada. Colombo told him that Argentina did not
really have an idea of what the summit was intended to do
except highlight Brazil's leadership ambitions. After the
summit, Colombo told Martin that during the summit in Brazil,
the GoA had sent him to a last-minute meeting where Lula and
Calderon basically told those assembled what they planned to
announce a follow-on summit in Mexico. Martin said that he
had tried to engage the Argentines on the April Summit of the
Americas but found them not very interested. Ambassador
Wayne said that he had found the same thing when we had tried
to engage them. Both ambassadors agreed to work together to
try to move the Argentines in a positive direction as the
summit approaches and as they both receive guidance from
capitols.
3. (C) G-20: Martin said that his deputy minister who had
been at the Washington G-20 meeting characterized Argentina's
participation as a blown opportunity. Ambassador Wayne said
that U.S. officials had told him that President Fernandez de
Kirchner had spoken twice as long as other leaders and that
her message had been very distinct from the other leaders,
with a rhetorical and Argentine-centric bent. Martin said
that unfortunately Fernandez de Kirchner has a tendency to
give speeches that sound off on her views about the inequity
of the world. In the case of the G-20, this did not reflect
the practical, serious work of Central Bank Governor Redrado
or her Finance Secretary. Her ""sherpa"", Ambassador Timerman,
had also not been up to the substantive task. Ambassador
agreed that Redrado especially had tried to take the
opportunity for Argentina to contribute to this important
process. Both ambassadors agreed to work together, perhaps
along with other BA-based G-20 ambassadors, to encourage
Argentina to play a more constructive role in the April G-20
meeting and in the working groups.
4. (SBU) Nuclear Cooperation: Canada is working hard to
increase peaceful nuclear cooperation with Argentina. The
Canadians are going to carry out a major rehab of the Embalse
nuclear energy plant in Cordoba which should total about
US$800 million. They are helping Argentina finish its Atucha
II nuclear energy plant which has been under construction for
years. And, they are competing to build a new nuclear plant
about which they hope the Argentines will reach a decision in
the next year.
5. (SBU) Mining Going OK: Martin said major Canadian mining
companies are standing with their commitments to invest in
Argentina despite the flare-up a year ago when the GoA
surprised them with new export taxes. Since the tax
announcement, the GoA, led by the Secretary of Mining, has
worked quietly with Canadian companies to find ways to work
around the new federal regulations. One of Canada's largest
investments, Barick Gold's Pascua-Lama project in San Juan
province, is still on hold however, because it straddles the
Chile-Argentine border: the Canadian company does not want to
proceed unless the two governments have agreed in writing on
taxes.
6. (SBU) The Canadian embassy and mining companies also
continue to work with provincial governments on environmental
issues. In a number of cases, provincial legislatures have
banned the use of chemicals in mining (e.g. the use of
arsenic in leaching gold from lower grade ore),which Martin
said are widely and safely used elsewhere. Finally, a number
of smaller Canadian firms are packing up, basically because
they can't get financing in these difficult times to continue
their exploratory work.
WAYNE