VZCZCXRO2307
RR RUEHQU
DE RUEHBU #2134/01 3021828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291828Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9596
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0315
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0883
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUENOS AIRES 002134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO AR HA
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER ON BILATERAL 
RELATIONS, TRAINING AND PEACEKEEPING 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Ambassador discussed bilateral cooperation 
and training and Argentina's strong support for peacekeeping 
operations, particularly in Haiti, with new Vice Minister of 
Defense Alfredo Forti.  Forti explained that the MOD is 
carefully evaluating the bilateral agreement on professional 
military education exchange (due for renewal) to make sure it 
meets the MOD's and services' current needs.  He noted that 
the nine Latin American and Caribbean MINUSTAH-contributing 
countries had agreed to look at the creation of an 
association of peacekeeping training centers to better share 
experiences, best practices and, perhaps, form policy. 
Formation of the Argentine-Chilean joint peacekeeping force 
(Southern Cross) continues with the two countries dealing 
with interoperability challenges.  A joint group plans to 
visit UN PKO in November to better understand UN standards 
and requirements.  In a related matter, Argentina will be 
augmenting its commitment to Haiti, sending two Coast Guard 
(Prefectura Naval) patrol boats to Haiti as part of a 
six-nation maritime contingent assisting regional 
counternarcotics efforts.  End Summary. 
 
THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP 
-------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador and EmbOffs met with new Vice Minister of 
Defense (actual title is Secretary for Military Affairs) 
Alfredo Forti and the Ministry's Chief of Cabinet Raul Garre 
on October 23.  Ambassador commented on the vigorous state of 
bilateral relations, noting the recent visits of Argentine 
MOD delegations to Washington, D.C. of Argentine 
Undersecretaries Montenegro (Strategic Planning and Resource 
Management) and Bellagio (Education). Forti and Garre 
explained that the MOD was reviewing carefully all of its and 
the services training and education needs and agreements to 
try and bring them into line with the military's new doctrine 
and defense strategies, based on recent implementation of the 
1988 Military Law. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Forti explained that the MOD has outlined five broad 
areas of cooperation with the U.S.: strategic planning; 
defense resource management; reform of the professional 
military education system; science and technology  and 
training and development of civilian personnel within the MOD. 
 
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The 10-year U.S.-Argentine bilateral agreement with 
the MOD, covering exchange of military exchange students, 
expires this year.  Forti and Garre stressed their intention 
to renew the agreement but noted that they were looking 
carefully at the terms of reference and its scope and would 
likely be suggesting some amendments.  They explained that 
the situation is very different today and that there are new 
priorities not contemplated ten years ago.  For instance, 
there were only three military education institutes ten years 
ago; now there are five.  Education is limited to uniform 
personnel under the expiring agreement.  They wanted to look 
at the possibility of including civilian defense personnel. 
They also want to focus strongly on planning, management, 
budget and resource issues.  Garre stated that they want to 
look at military education issues and the possibility of the 
exchange of military health professionals.  Garre also said 
they were looking at the reciprocity of the agreement to 
ensure equal treatment, particularly regarding the status of 
exchange students in the respective countries. 
 
PEACEKEEPING AND SOUTHERN CROSS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) In response to Ambassador's recognition of and 
stated appreciation for Argentina's continued contribution to 
PKOs, particularly MINUSTAH, Forti explained that Argentina 
and Chile continue in their work to make the joint 
peacekeeping force (Southern Cross) operational.  They are 
working on the many interoperability challenges from 
equipment and technology to doctrine and strategy.  He said 
that a joint group will visit UN PKO offices in November to 
better familiarize themselves with UN standards and practices. 
 
¶6. (U) Forti commented on the political and cultural 
significance of Southern Cross.  He explained that 2008 marks 
the 30th anniversary of the Beagle Channel crisis, over which 
the two countries narrowly avoided going to war.  Forti said 
they hope to have Southern Cross fully operation and ready to 
deploy in time for this significant anniversary. 
 
BUENOS AIR 00002134  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) In another new development, Forti outlined for the 
Ambassador plans to create a Latin American and Caribbean 
association of peacekeeping training institutions.  He said 
that at the last meeting of the nine Latin American and 
Caribbean MINUSTAH troop-contributing countries, the MODs had 
agreed to support the Argentine/Chilean initiative to create 
the association to better share experiences, information and 
best practices.  Eventually, the association could help 
coordinate policy issues related to PKOs as well.  Such an 
association already exists in Africa, he explained.  He also 
noted that the U.S. and Canada would be invited to 
participate as observers. 
 
¶8. (U) Forti also commented briefly on the news that 
Argentina would be contributing two Prefectura Naval (Coast 
Guard) patrol boats to MINUSTAH.  While the legislature has 
to approve the commitment, Forti said the political decision 
had been made.  The idea of the two patrol boats is to join a 
12-boat "South American" squadron focused on interdicting the 
burgeoning drug trafficking. 
 
BIOGRAPHIC NOTES 
---------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Forti is an articulate and open interlocutor with an 
extensive professional background as a political consultant 
throughout Latin America.  Just prior to taking the position 
as Secretary for Military Affairs, Forti was Argentina's 
ambassador in Guatemala.  He has a Masters in Public 
Administration from Harvard's JFK School of Government and an 
undergraduate degree in International Relations from American 
University's school of International Service.  Forti, like 
many of his generation, is strongly affected by Argentina's 
"Dirty War."  In 1977, at the age of sixteen, he, his 
siblings and his mother, were pulled off an Aerolineas flight 
scheduled to fly to Venezuela where Forti's father was 
already in exile.  After one week in detention, the children 
were separated from their mother and dropped off in a Buenos 
Aires neighborhood.  They never saw their mother again. 
Accounts indicate she was taken to a clandestine detention 
center in Arenales, Tucuman, and apparently killed there. 
WAYNE