VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0244/01 0581621
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271621Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0337
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1060

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000244 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL OREP ECON IR AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP MEETS WITH 
CODEL ENGEL 
 
REF:  (A) BUENOS AIRES 0225 (B) BUENOS AIRES 0226 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and introduction: Codel Engel had a warm 
and productive meeting with Argentine Vice President (and 
Senate President) Cobos and other congressional leaders. 
They discussed Iran, energy, Argentina's economic recovery, 
the environment, and the positive feelings following their 
meeting with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 
(CFK).  The codel conveyed concern about Iranian activities 
in Bolivia, congratulated Cobos on the country's economic 
recovery, looked forward to cooperation on energy and the 
environment, and highlighted the close connection formed 
during the previous day's meeting with the President. 
Argentine representatives reaffirmed their commitment to 
fighting terrorism, their position on Iran, and also noted 
the past five years of economic growth, and encouraged 
codel members to depart with this picture of a revived 
country.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) VP Julio Cobos, Senate Leader of the Victory Front 
(FPV) bloc Miguel Pichetto, and Sen. Horacio Lores, and 
President of the Chamber of Deputies Eduardo Fellner and 
Deputy Agustin Rossi met in a Senate office building on 
February 25 with Rep. Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House 
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Rep. Jerry Weller, 
Rep. Gene Green, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, and Rep. Virginia 
Foxx. 
 
Positive Meeting with the President 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Senate President Cobos welcomed the codel, 
commenting that the visit had raised great interest within 
the GOA and Argentine Congress.  He looked forward to 
exchanging views on bilateral relations, common interests, 
and international policy, and asked about the previous 
day's meeting with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 
(CFK). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Rep. Engel said the codel's meeting with the 
president was a frank and substantive conversation that 
brought to light many similarities and resulted in a 
personal connection.  He hoped that the visit would pave a 
new road for closer relations, as the United States and 
Argentina share much in common -- being large, diverse, and 
composed of people from all over the world -- and are 
natural allies and friends. 
 
Presence of Iran 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Rep. Weller stated that the codel was united in a 
bipartisan desire to improve relations, and expressed his 
gratitude for the GOA's partnership on counter-narcotics, 
terrorism, and Haiti.  He expressed concern about Bolivia 
permitting the building of an Iranian television station to 
broadcast propaganda. 
 
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Rep. Foxx said she was pleased to learn that the 
Argentine Constitution was modeled after the US 
Constitution.  She congratulated Argentina's Congress on 
its daily work for the people of the country, and 
encouraged the legislature to pass the TIP legislation 
currently under consideration.  Rep. Foxx said the issue 
was of great interest to the U.S. Congress. 
 
Argentina's support in the war on terror 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Sen. Pichetto recalled a previous codel two years 
ago led by Sen. John McCain, which resulted in a rich 
exchange of ideas related to international trade and human 
rights.  He voiced the Legislature's interest in deepening 
relations with the U.S. Congress and sharing information 
between Congressional committees on topics such as 
narcotics, TIP, and terrorism.  Ambassador Wayne and 
Argentine Ambassador Timerman would play key roles in 
building this relationship.  Regarding support for the war 
on terror, Pichetto reminded the codel of recent 
legislation passed by the Argentine Congress criminalizing 
terrorism and the money laundering that funds it.  He also 
reiterated the point made by former President Kirchner in 
his speech at the United Nations last year criticizing Iran 
for its failure to cooperate in the investigation of the 
1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, and reminded everyone 
that Argentina's president did not go to Venezuela when 
President Ahmadinejad visited. 
 
Argentina's economic recovery 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Deputy Rossi discussed the country's turbulent 
recent past.  Five years ago, he recounted, a president 
stepped down before the end of his term, 60% of people 
lived below the poverty line, and 24% were unemployed. 
From that institutional and social crisis, Argentina was 
able to rebuild to its current state, creating over 3.4 
million jobs in four-and-a-half years and lowering poverty 
levels.  The GOA rebuilt the institution of the presidency, 
developed an independent Supreme Court, and ensured that 
Congress would vote on laws following its convictions 
rather than external influences.  He stated that the 
current situation reflects the hard work of government, 
businesses, and the public, and that the Legislature wanted 
to unite with other countries who want to work for a more 
equal world. 
 
Energy 
------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) Rep. Green congratulated the GOA on the country's 
economic growth and affirmed the cooperation that already 
exists between the two countries.  He discussed his 
experience watching Texas diversify to satisfy its energy 
needs and noted that reasonably priced energy was critical 
for driving future economic growth.  With that in mind, he 
looked forward to cooperating with Argentina on energy 
matters. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Sen. Lores said he was a member of the Energy 
Committee in the Argentine Senate, and came from a province 
(Neuquen) that produced 50% of the gas, 20% of the oil, and 
15% of the hydroelectric power in the country.  He said he 
was not a member of the majority, but supports the 
legislative changes it is making and is optimistic about 
the future given the strong recovery of the past five 
years. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Rep. Hinchey also congratulated the GOA 
representatives on the country's social and economic 
improvements and voiced his concerns with respect to 
energy.  He commented that the United States has far less 
oil in reserves than what it uses on a daily basis, and 
believed that Argentina faced a similar situation.  For 
this reason, and also because of environmental concerns, he 
stressed the importance of renewable energy sources, 
particularly solar energy.  He said his district 
established a Solar Energy Consortium bringing together 
universities and private companies.  He thought the United 
States and Argentina could learn much from one another and 
establish similar partnerships. 
 
Building ties between the U.S. and Argentina 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Rep. Engel reminded the GOA representatives that 
a presidential election would soon take place in the United 
States, and that, regardless of the person/party elected, 
there would be policy changes.  He stated his intent to 
discuss Latin American policy with whomever was in office. 
At the same time, there was much that could be done by both 
legislatures to facilitate deepening relations.  Rep. Engel 
also affirmed that points of disagreement between 
administrations, such as Argentina's financial and energy 
relationship with Chavez, did not preclude a closer 
relationship between the USG and Argentina. 
 
¶13. (SBU) VP Cobos agreed that strengthening U.S. - 
Argentine relations was extremely important, and said the 
country was also working to strengthen regional relations 
through MERCOSUR.  The issues raised in the meeting, such 
as energy, the environment, etc., go beyond the borders of 
the two countries.  Argentina is making concerted efforts 
to promote energy projects to meet the growing demand of 
industry and raise standards of living.  The GOA is 
instituting a rational energy use plan, supplementing it 
with alternatives, including biodiesel, wind, and solar. 
He hoped future U.S. administrations will also work to 
strengthen bilateral relations, looking deeper at Latin 
America so that a cooperative effort can be made to address 
domestic and global issues. 
 
¶14. (U) Codel Engel cleared this cable. 
 
KELLY