Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES849
2009-07-21 22:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

ARGENTINA: NEW JUSTICE MINISTER PLEDGES TO

Tags:  PREL PGOV KTIP SNAR PTER EFIN KCRM MASS AR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0849/01 2022207
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 212207Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4105
RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000849 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2024
TAGS: PREL PGOV KTIP SNAR PTER EFIN KCRM MASS AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: NEW JUSTICE MINISTER PLEDGES TO
CONTINUE LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION

REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 0802

B. 2008 BUENOS AIRES 1173

Classified By: CDATom Kelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000849

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2024
TAGS: PREL PGOV KTIP SNAR PTER EFIN KCRM MASS AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: NEW JUSTICE MINISTER PLEDGES TO
CONTINUE LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION

REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 0802

B. 2008 BUENOS AIRES 1173

Classified By: CDATom Kelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 6.


2. (C) Summary. Argentina's newly-appointed Minister of
Justice Julio Cesar Alak pledged to continue bilateral law
enforcement cooperation in a productive courtesy call meeting
with CDA on July 21. During the meeting, the CDA briefed
Alak on the many training programs and equipment donations
the USG has provided to Argentina's internal security forces
under the Ministry of Justice's (MOJ) purview. He stressed
the USG's commitment to working in collaboration with the
Argentine government to fight terrorism and transnational
organized crime, including drug and human trafficking. An
amiable interlocutor with a professional demeanor, Alak
appeared genuinely interested in working with us and learning
more about post's law enforcement cooperation with the GOA.
He told the CDA that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
had tasked him to solicit UN or World Bank technical
assistance to develop a long-term public security strategy,
and asked if the USG could help identify appropriate contacts
within the UN or World Bank to approach. CDA agreed to do
so, and suggested that the FBI, through its LEGAT office, and
other USG law enforcement agencies could also provide
technical assistance to support this effort. End Summary.

Atmospherics
--------------


3. (C) CDA called on newly-appointed Minister of Justice
Julio Cesar Alak (ref A) on July 21 to review the vast array
of law enforcement cooperation programs USG agencies offer to
Argentina's internal security forces under the Ministry of
Justice's (MOJ) purview. Like his predecessor, Anibal
Fernandez, Alak met with the CDA and A/Polcouns alone,
although he did call in a staffer at one point to delegate

follow-up work and subsequently dismissed her. As the CDA
briefed Alak on USG programs, Alak took notes on his laptop
computer, saying "I am meeting the chiefs of the security
forces soon, and I want to tell them that continuing these
programs with the United States is a priority."

MOJ Receptive to Deepening Cooperation
--------------


4. (C) CDA began by noting the longstanding cooperation that
USG agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),
Military Group, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the
Transportation and Security Administration have had with MOJ
internal security agencies, including the Federal Police,
Border Patrol, Coast Guard, and the Airport Security Police.
He noted that DEA has worked closely with federal and
provincial police officials in border task forces established
in Misiones, Salta, and Jujuy. He informed Alak how DEA
software donations helped federal police develop an
organizational chart for the drug trafficking ring
responsible for the ephedrine-related triple murder in 2008
(ref B). He invited Alak to designate participants for a
variety of training programs offered in Argentina and abroad
aimed at developing law enforcement capacity to combat
terrorism, enhance border and aviation security, and fight
the trafficking in drugs, arms, and persons.


5. (SBU) Alak seemed very receptive to continuing
long-standing cooperation in these areas and more. He
expressed particular interest in anti-terrorism training,
saying that cooperation on this front is extremely important
as "Argentina has twice been a victim of terrorism in the
1990s." He also told CDA that President Cristina Fernandez
de Kirchner had tasked him to solicit UN or World Bank
assistance to develop a long-term public security strategy,
and asked if the USG could help identify appropriate contacts
within the UN or World Bank to approach. The CDA agreed to
do so, and suggested that the FBI, through its LEGAT office,
and other USG law enforcement agencies could also provide
technical assistance to support this effort. In closing, the
CDA wished Minister Alak success in his new position and
assured him that the U.S. government will continue to work
closely with the MOJ to deepen and expand bilateral law
enforcement cooperation.


Action Request
--------------


6. (U) Action Request: Post requests State Department and
Justice Department guidance on USG programs that offer
technical assistance to countries seeking to develop public
security strategies.

Bio Note
--------------


7. (C) Justice Minister Julio Alak is a traditional Peronist
party (PJ) leader who served as mayor of Buenos Aires
province's capital city La Plata for 16 years (1991-2007).
After losing his reelection bid in 2007, CFK appointed Alak
to the Board of Directors of Aerolineas Argentina (AA) and
eventually became General Manager. At AA, Alak oversaw the
(yet-to-be-completed) sale of the company from the
Spanish-owned Marsans Group to the Argentine government.
During the early to mid-1980s, Alak worked as a legal
counselor to the Municipality of Florencio Varela, a
traditional PJ bastion in Buenos Aires province. Alak worked
as a journalist for La Plata,s local paper "El Dia" to pay
for law school and later served as a correspondent for the
state-owned agency Telam in La Plata. A law professor, Alak
is currently on a leave of absence from the University of La
Plata, where he has taught administrative law. Press reports
depict Alak as a pragmatic leader and note his ability to
adapt to different federal administrations and ideologies,
which has reportedly helped him gain the trust of leaders as
different as former President Carlos Menem and Nestor
Kirchner. Alak was born circa 1958 in the Benito Juarez
district in Buenos Aires province. He received a law degree
from the University of La Plata and has been a member of the
Peronist party since entering politics. Alak is divorced,
has three children, and is a fan of the "Racing" soccer team
(which is also Nestor Kirchner's favorite club). As mayor of
La Plata, he traveled to La Plata's sister city of
Louisville, Kentucky, with 100 young soccer players.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) Alak struck us as a straight-shooter with whom we hope
to work well. He seemed favorably disposed to the United
States, recalling happy memories of time spent in La Plata's
sister city, Louisville, Kentucky when he was mayor; as well
as travel to the "beautiful city of Los Angeles" and Miami
with his (former) wife and daughters. An amiable
interlocutor with a professional demeanor, he appeared
genuinely interested in working with us and learning more
about post's law enforcement programs. He is still
assembling his team, and post intends to reach out to them to
maintain a fluid working relationship with this key Ministry.


KELLY