VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1364 1981350
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171350Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8657
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001364 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY FOR CLAY LOWERY 
TRESAURY FOR OTA (LMCDONALD, CCORREA) 
TREASURY FOR TFFS (HEFFERNAN, VANLINGEN), OFAC, FINCEN 
PASS NSC FOR JOSE CARDENAS, ROD HUNTER 
STATE FOR S/CT -- NOYES 
STATE FOR EB/ESC -- DAS SIMONS AND JEAN CLARK 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS - LEANNE CANNON 
STATE FOR INL/C/CP (PETERSON), INR/EC, S//CT (HILL), IO/PSC 
(SANDAGE) 
DHS FOR ICE -- D.THOMPSON 
JUSTICE FOR OIA AND AFMLS 
PARIS PASS US MISSION OECD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTFN EFIN PREL AR
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING OTA TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE FOR ARGENTINA 
 
REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 1183 
     ¶B. BUENOS AIRES 78 
 
¶1. (SBU) I am writing in support of a Treasury Office of 
Technical Assistance (OTA) initiative to offer direct 
technical assistance (TA) and training to the Government of 
Argentina (GoA) in the areas of anti-money laundering (AML) 
and counter terrorism finance (CTF). 
 
¶2. (SBU) I understand that Treasury and State legal counsel 
have determined that a Brooke waiver would not/not be 
required to extend such assistance since a provision of the 
Foreign Assistance Act exempts training/technical assistance 
not directed towards police forces.  In any case, the 
proposed technical assistance would empower the groups in the 
GoA that are most interested in maintaining close bilateral 
ties and complying with bilateral and international 
commitments. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The proposed assistance would strengthen 
U.S.-Argentine cooperation on law enforcement issues, and 
also help improve GoA efforts to counter money laundering and 
terrorism financing, including in the tri-border area, both 
high priorities for the U.S.  We will be providing separately 
my recommendations for options to reinvigorate the 3 plus 1 
mechanism. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The U.S. and Argentina have excellent and productive 
relations in the area of law enforcement cooperation, and 
many GoA officials, particularly in the 
regulatory bodies, wish to improve the GoA's ability to 
investigate and prosecute crimes related to money laundering 
and terrorism finance.  With the recent completion of the 
Argentine counter terrorism/counter terrorism finance law 
(Reftels) -- which came on the heels of major reforms of 
Argentine money laundering laws and regulations -- there is 
positive momentum and increasing support within the GoA on 
enforcement. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Argentine Central Bank President Martin Redrado 
personally asked me for TA in a meeting in May, during which 
he emphasized his interest in improving the Central Bank's 
ability to combat money laundering and terrorism finance in 
the financial sector.  The Central Bank's Banking Supervision 
department has since requested AML/CTF training in writing to 
the Department of Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance. 
We are also aware that other GoA regulatory agencies are 
interested in participating in AML/CTF training programs. 
These include the Public Prosecutor's office, the Comision 
Nacional de Valores (national stock commission -- equivalent 
to the U.S. SEC), and the Superintendencia de Seguros 
(national insurance regulator). 
 
¶6. (SBU) These regulatory agencies, including the Central 
Bank, all have special units dedicated to AML/CTF audits and 
investigations, and they are eager to improve their capacity 
to enforce the new laws.  Argentina's Financial Investigative 
Unit ("Unidad de Informacion Financiera") and Office of the 
National Coordinator for AML/CTF issues have also expressed 
interest in AML/CTF technical assistance and training. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The reformers in the GoA are focused on and 
concerned about the destructive impact of increasing 
trafficking of illegal drugs, guns, and people through 
Argentina, and are also cognizant of the need to combat 
terrorism, given the two terrorist attacks on Argentine soil 
in the 1990s.  These officials understand the importance of 
complying with international commitments and of cooperating 
with international law enforcement bodies, and the passage of 
the CTF law appears to have shifted the momentum in their 
favor.  Therefore, I strongly argue that we should act now 
and support the numerous government officials eager to 
increase bilateral and international cooperation and enhance 
their ability to combat attempts to launder illicit funds and 
the financing of terrorist groups. 
WAYNE