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9735
DRAFTED BY: ARA/SC: JDFARRAR
APPROVED BY: ARA: RSGELBARD
ARA/SC: ADSENS
ARA/SC: DPLANTY
ARA/SC: AIPEREZ
42B14D 241929Z /38
P 241930Z JUN 92
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 201808

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR

TAGS: PREL PTER SNAR AR
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MINISTER OF INTERIOR MANZANO
REF: (A) 92 BUENOS AIR 4260
1.

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2. SUMMARY. INTERIOR MINISTER MANZANO MET JUNE 19 WITH

ARA PRINCIPAL DAS GELBARD TO URGE THAT WE RESPOND
POSITIVELY TO HIS PROPOSAL TO EXPAND COOPERATION AGAINST
TERRORISM, NARCOTICS, AND ORGANIZED CRIME. MANZANO SAID
THE GOA WOULD CARRY OUT ALL USG REQUESTS FOR APPREHENSION
OF CRIMINAL SUSPECTS. GELBARD SAID WE ARE INTERESTED IN
THE FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL AND WILL RESPOND AFTER CAREFUL
REVIEW. MANZANO SAID THE GOA INVESTIGATION OF THE ISRAELI
EMBASSY BOMBING POINTS TO H/ZBALLAH AND THAT RELATIONS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

REVIEW AUTHORITY: NORMAN M BOUTON
DATE/CASE ID: 16 DEC 2009 200906077

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WITH IRAN HAVE COOLED AS A RESULT.

ANZANO DESCRIBED THE
OUTLOOK FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AS UNCLEAR; GELBARD
UNDERSCORED THAT THE U.S. TAKES NO POSITION ON THIS
INTERNAL ARGENTINE ISSUE. END SUMMARY.
3. INTERIOR MINISTER JOSE LUIS MANZANO CALLED ON ARA
PRINCIPAL DAS ROBERT GELBARD JUNE 19 TO DISCUSS THE GOA'S
PROPOSAL TO EXPAND COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM,
NARCOTICS, AND ORGANIZED CRIME, AND TO RAISE OTHER
BILATERAL ISSUES. MANZANO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY DEPUTY
INTERIOR MINISTER ADELINA DE VIOLA, SENATOR EDUARDO VACA,
AND AMBASSADOR ORTIZ DE ROZAS; INCOMING ARA/SC DIRECTOR DON
PLANTY AND ARA/SC DESKOFF JONATHAN FARRAR ALSO
PARTICIPATED.

BILATERAL COOPERATION
4. MANZANO SAID THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT WOULD
EXPAND BILATERAL COOPERATION BEYOND OUR CURRENT MLAT
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(STILL AWAITING RATIFICATION IN THE U.S. SENATE) AND WAS
SIMILAR TO ONE ARGENTINA SIGNED RECENTLY WITH SPAIN.
MANZANO DESCRIBED THE U.S. AND ARGENTINA AS SHARING COMMON
INTERESTS IN COMBATTING TERRORISM, NARCOTICS, AND
ORGANIZED CRIME AND STATED THAT THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
WOULD LEAD TO GREATER BILATERAL COOPERATION, ESPECIALLY
BETWEEN POLICE FORCES. HE SAID ARGENTINA SEEKS TO
INCREASE TIES WITH WESTERN COUNTRIES, WHICH HAVE MORE
INFORMATION ON TERRORISM AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. GELBARD
RESPONDED THAT HE WAS INTRIGUED BY THE PROPOSAL AS THE
UNITED STATES AND ARGENTINA CLEARLY SHARE COMMON GOALS IN
ALL OF THE AREAS MENTIONED BY MANZANO. GELBARD SAID WE
WOULD EXAMINE THE PROPOSAL CLOSELY AND RESPOND SOON.
5. MANZANO DESCRIBED COOPERATION AMONG THE SOUTHERN CONE
GOVERNMENTS ON TERRORISM AND OTHER SECURITY ISSUES AS VERY
WEAK ALTHOUGH EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO STEP UP CONTACTS.
THE MERCOSUR COUNTRIES PLUS BOLIVIA AND CHILE ARE TO MEET
NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS COORDINATING IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
GELBARD RESPONDED THAT A U.S.-ARGENTINA MEETING TO DISCUSS
IMMIGRATION ISSUES MIGHT BE USEFUL; MANZANO AGREED.
GELBARD NOTED THE U.S. HAS SOME BILATERAL PROGRAMS FOR
TRAINING OF POLICE. BOLIVIA WAS ONE COUNTRY IN WHICH WE

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HAVE AN ACTIVE PROGRAM. GELBARD OFFERED TO SPEAK TO THE

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR ARGENTINA.
MANZANO WELCOMED THE SUGGESTION.
6. MANZANO SAID THE GOA IS SERIOUS ABOUT PURSUING
CRIMINAL SUSPECTS, EVEN WELL - CONNECTED ONES SUCH AS GAITH
PHARAON, MONZER AL - KASSAR, AND HUMBERTO GIL SUAREZ.
MANZANO SAID HE FILED CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST PHARAON
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DESPITE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRESSURE NOT TO DO SO. HE SAID
THAT PRESIDENT MENEM WANTS TO ASSURE THE U.S. THE GOA WILL
RESPOND QUICKLY TO USG REQUESTS TO APPREHEND SUSPECTS.
ISRAELI EMBASSY BOMBING

7. MANZANO SAID THE GOA'S INVESTIGATION POINTS TO

HIZBALLAH AS THE PERPETRATOR OF THE EMBASSY BOMBING. IT
APPEARS HIZBALLAH HAD SOME ASSISTANCE FROM LOCAL SOURCES
BUT THE EXTENT OF THAT ASSISTANCE IS UNCLEAR. THE GOA
BELIEVES HIZBALLAH WOULD NOT HAVE CARRIED OUT THE BOMBING
WITHOUT TACIT APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN.
ARGENTINE-IRANIAN RELATIONS HAD COOLED CONSIDERABLY AS A
RESULT ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIAL BILATERAL TRADE CONTINUES.
GELBARD CAUTIONED MANZANO TO BE CAREFUL IN DEALING WITH
IRAN. MANZANO SAID THAT HE WAS NOT PURSUING DISCUSSIONS
WITH IRAN ON AN AGREEMENT TO AVERT TERRORISM IN ARGENTINA.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

8. MANZANO SAID THE OUTLOOK FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM WAS

UNCLEAR. THE BUENOS AIRES PRESS HAD REPORTED THAT THE USG
OPPOSES AMENDING THE ARGENTINE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW
PRESIDENT MENEM TO RUN FOR RE - ELECTION. MANZANO SAID THAT
AMBASSADOR TODMAN SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE SEVERAL INTERVIEWS TO
THE LOCAL PRESS TO AFFIRM THAT THE UNITED STATES TAKES NO
POSITION ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND THAT THE USG VIEWS
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THIS AS STRICTLY AN INTERNAL ARGENTINE MATTER. GELBARD
UNDERSCORED EMPHATICALLY THAT THIS WAS THE U.S. VIEW.
COMMENT

9. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS SAID IT WILL PROVIDE ITS

VIEWS ON THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT DURING THE
COMING WEEK. WE HAVE CIRCULATED THE PROPOSAL TO OTHER
OFFICES HERE AT STATE AND WILL PROVIDE THE EMBASSY WITH A
FORMAL RESPONSE FOR MINISTER MANZANO.
BARER

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