VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2374 3541930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201930Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9949
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1643
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002374 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OFDP PREL CJAN SNAR KJUS ASEC KCOR VE AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA'S AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO THE U.S. TERMS 
BILATERAL RELATIONS "POLITICALLY...VERY BAD" 
 
REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 2360 (B) BUENOS AIRES 2359 AND 
 
     PREVIOUS (C) BUENOS AIRES 2270 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Argentine media broadcast remarks critical 
of the U.S. by the GOA's Ambassador-designate to Washington 
(ref C), Hector Timerman, who said "politically relations 
with the U.S. are very bad" because certain "sectors linked 
to DOJ and U.S. intelligence agencies" were troubled by 
Argentina's relationship with Venezuela.  He singled out 
former WHA A/S Roger Noriega as an "expert provocateur" bent 
on destabilizing Latin American countries.  Timerman, who is 
a journalist himself, told the Ambassador that the media 
coverage of his December 18 Senate confirmation hearing had 
focused exclusively on his off-the-cuff remarks rather than 
his prepared opening statement, in which he described 
cooperation with the United States as "excellent.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The GOA's Ambassador-designate to Washington (ref 
C), Hector Timerman, appeared before the Argentine Senate 
December 18 and said "politically, relations with the U.S. 
are very bad."  Timerman's comments were broadcast on 
television and radio and published in the leading newspapers. 
 He claimed certain "sectors" in Washington were troubled by 
Argentina's relationship with Venezuela and later told 
journalists those sectors were "linked to DOJ and U.S. 
intelligence agencies."  He said the same CIA that in the 
1960s poisoned Castro's beard in hopes of emasculating him 
was capable of other errors in judgment today.  According to 
Timerman, "Someone in Washington looked in the backyard and 
did not like what he saw," including the creation of 
Chavez-inspired Banco del Sur and Argentina's leadership in 
the region. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Timerman said it was up to the USG to make a 
"gesture" to improve relations.  To the press, he clarified 
that the appropriate gesture would be U.S. extradition of 
Antonini-Wilson, "the only person who can help solve this 
mess.  Timerman also referred to former WHA A/S Roger Noriega 
as an "expert provocateur who has participated in the 
destabilization of democratic regimes since the 1980s." 
 
¶4. (SBU) At the conclusion of Timerman's Senate hearing, 
opposition leader Sen. Gerardo Morales (UCR) said the GOA 
"has done nothing but block the clarification of the case 
involving Antonini-Wilson's suitcase with the $800,000." 
 
¶5. (SBU) With reference to Timerman's assignment to 
Washington, a prominent columnist in "Clarin," the largest 
circulation newspaper, claimed a U.S. official in Washington 
had told him the USG might let the GOA's request for 
Timerman's agrement "hibernate."  (The column, citing the 
same unnamed source, also claimed, however, that Washington 
was considering recalling Ambassador Wayne for 
"consultations." 
 
¶6. (SBU) In a December 19 conversation, Timerman (protect 
strictly) claimed that in his prepared opening statement he 
had listed several areas, such as joint efforts against 
terrorism, narco-trafficking and money laundering, where 
cooperation with the United States was "excellent."  (The 
Embassy has asked the MFA for the text of Timerman's prepared 
statement, since it did not get the media play that his other 
remarks did.)  Timerman said he was put on the spot by a 
question from a senator asking if relations with the U.S. 
were good, and that he felt obliged in this public 
confirmation hearing to coincide with President Kirchner's 
characterizations and those of former President Nestor 
Kirchner (reftels).  Timerman said he was trying to reflect 
the reality that, from a GOA perspective, relations now are 
politically very bad. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Timerman told the Ambassador he very much wanted to 
work to turn the "politically bad" state of relations around. 
 He said he owes much to the United States, where he lived 
during Argentina's last military dictatorship, and had been 
asked by Cristina Kirchner to serve as ambassador 
specifically to give new impetus to the relationship and to 
create new opportunities.  He was clearly troubled by the 
current state of affairs. 
WAYNE