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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
06LAPAZ1805	2006-06-30 20:20	2011-08-30 01:44	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	Embassy La Paz

VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #1805/01 1812020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 302020Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9835
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5976
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3294
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7143
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4400
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1683
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 1685
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3117
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 3897
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4314
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 8871
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LA PAZ 001805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND 
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH 
ENERGY FOR CDAY AND SLADISLAW 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV EPET BL
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA AND BOLIVIA SIGN IMMIGRATION AND GAS 
AGREEMENTS 
 
REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 1352 
 
     ¶B. LA PAZ 1782 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Bolivian and Argentine government 
officials signed seven agreements in Buenos Aires on June 29 
regarding several topics including immigration, natural gas 
prices, and the construction of a bridge connecting the two 
countries (reftels).  Argentina did not agree to legalize 
coca exports.  Argentina's agreement to pay significantly 
more for Bolivian gas exports, as well as its commitment to 
facilitate Bolivian immigration, is being used by the MAS to 
buoy its popularity prior to the July 2 constituent assembly 
elections.  End summary. 
 
Seven Agreements Signed 
----------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) Bolivian and Argentine government officials signed 
agreements in Buenos Aires on June 29 regarding immigration, 
natural gas prices, the construction of a bridge on the 
border between the two nations, the creation of a common 
missing children database, labor, and public investment.  The 
presidents of both nations announced the terms of the 
agreements at the inauguration of a new stadium filled with 
thousands of Bolivian immigrants (approximately 180,000 
Bolivians live in Argentina).  According to energy firm 
contacts who attended the event, President Kirchner announced 
that Argentina would improve conditions for Bolivian 
immigrants.  An Argentine Embassy contact in La Paz told us 
that Argentina has been applying the terms of the Mercosur 
Immigration Convention since 2004, which gives Bolivians the 
right to reside legally in Argentina.  However, because the 
procedures for acquiring legal residency permits were 
expensive and complicated, few Bolivian migrants took 
advantage of their rights under the convention.  He said that 
the GOA had agreed to make the process easier and cheaper, 
including offering services in more locations. 
 
Gas Price Agreement 
------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) Argentina, which currently pays USD 3.2 per million 
BTU of Bolivian natural gas, agreed to increase the price to 
USD 5 per million BTU beginning July 15 and ending December 
¶31.  Before the end of the year, representatives from both 
countries will design a price adjustment formula to be 
applied beginning January 1, 2007.  The agreement, which has 
a term of 20 years, establishes that Bolivia, which currently 
exports about 4.5 million cubic meters per day to Argentina, 
will eventually export up to 27.7 million cubic meters per 
day.  The existing pipeline has a capacity of around 7.7 
million cubic meters; therefore, the additional 20 million 
cubic meters will require the construction of an new pipeline 
to northwestern Argentina (GNEA).  Argentine and Bolivian 
state oil companies, Enarsa and YPFB, will analyze the 
possibility of conducting joint exploration.  Argentina also 
agreed to provide Bolivia with credit, reportedly for USD 350 
million, for the construction of a gas/liquid separation 
plant in the Bolivian Chaco. 
 
Gas Sales to Chile 
------------------ 
¶4. (SBU) The gas agreement included a clause stating that 
Bolivian gas could not be used to authorize additional 
exports from Argentina to third countries without both 
parties' agreement, which could potentially impact Argentine 
sales to Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay.  This clause was pushed 
by Bolivia to prevent Argentina from selling gas to Chile. 
(Note:  Bolivia would like Chile to provide access to the sea 
in exchange for Bolivian gas.  End note.)  However, a contact 
from the Argentine Embassy in La Paz told us that this clause 
was carefully drafted so as to not affect Argentina's future 
export possibilities.  He explained that Argentina exported 
its own gas to Chile, rather than gas imported from Bolivia, 
 
which would be logistically difficult to export to Chile due 
to pipeline configurations.  Bolivia could not forbid 
Argentina from exporting its own gas, he added. 
 
No Coca Exports 
--------------- 
¶5. (SBU) According to press reports, Bolivia currently 
illegally exports around 140 tons of coca (or USD 50 million 
dollars worth) annually to Argentina.  The Argentine Embassy 
told Econoff that Argentineans can legally chew coca, but can 
not legally grow or import it -- leading to significant 
contraband trade.  On June 29, President Morales proposed an 
agreement to legalize, monitor, and control the export of 
coca leaves to northern Argentina, which was not accepted by 
President Kirchner.  Morales did not make remarks about coca 
at the stadium inauguration, and the issue has received 
little press coverage in La Paz, although one Bolivian 
television station erroneously reported that coca will be 
exported legally to Argentina.  The MAS held a large rally in 
Cochabamba on the evening of June 29 to publicize the 
bilateral agreements and garner support in the run-up to the 
constituent assembly elections. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  Argentina's agreement to pay USD 5 per 
million BTU of gas has neighboring Brazil worried about its 
chances of negotiating a favorable price with the Bolivian 
government, as Bolivia is touting the new Argentine price as 
its base reference price and claiming that Brazil should pay 
USD 7.5 per million BTU.  The announcement of higher gas 
export prices and the negotiation of better treatment for 
thousands of Bolivian immigrants in Argentina three days 
before constituent assembly elections can only help the MAS 
on July 2.  End comment. 
GREENLEE

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Viewing cable 06LAPAZ1805, ARGENTINA AND BOLIVIA SIGN IMMIGRATION AND GAS