VZCZCXRO8357
PP RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHQU RUEHTM RUEHVC
DE RUEHBU #0343/01 0781536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181536Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0498
INFO RUCNMRC/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BUENOS AIRES 000343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR D (NEGROPONTE), WHA/PDA (BARNES), ECA (FARRELL), R (WELCH) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO OEXC SCUL AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: MORE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESOURCES NEEDED 
 
¶1. THIS CABLE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST: SEE PARAGRAPH 11. 
 
¶2. SUMMARY: THE LEVEL OF ANTI-AMERICANISM IN ARGENTINA IS THE 
HIGHEST IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO REVERSE 
OUR NEGATIVE IMAGE. WE HAVE MADE THIS THE MISSION'S HIGHEST 
PRIORITY, AND WE BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUND A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS THROUGH 
YOUTH EXCHANGES AND ENGLISH TEACHING, AS WELL AS THROUGH INCREASED 
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MEDIA OUTREACH. TO MAXIMIZE SUCCESS, 
HOWEVER, WE NEED MORE, AND MORE CONSISTENTLY AVAILABLE, RESOURCES 
AND SEEK WASHINGTON SUPPORT IN OBTAINING THEM. END SUMMARY. 
 
ANTI-AMERICANISM IN ARGENTINA 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. THE LEVEL OF ANTI-AMERICANISM I ARGENTINA IS THE HIGHEST IN THE 
REGION. THE NEGATIVE IMAGE OF THE U.S. STEMS IN PART FROM THE 
PERCEPTION THAT AMERICA IS A SELF-INTERESTED SUPERPOWER THAT ACTS 
UNILATERALLY AND WITH A HEAVY, AT TIMES BELLIGERENT, HAND ON THE 
WORLD STAGE. OUR HIGH NEGATIVES BEAR IMPORTANT ANCILLARY COSTS. A 
NUMBER OF TOP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL LEADERS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE 
DISCOVERED THERE IS POLITICAL GOLD DOMESTICALLY IN PUBLICLY BASHING 
THE UNITED STATES FROM TIME TO TIME. THESE OUTBURSTS RESULT IN ANY 
MOMENTUM GAINED IN THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP GRINDING TO A HALT. 
JUST LAST DECEMBER AND JANUARY, THE MISSION ENDURED THE LATEST AND 
MOST DIFFICULT ITERATION OF THIS PATTERN. PERHAPS MORE TROUBLESOME 
IS THE FACT THAT OUR LOW APPROVAL RATINGS HAVE PERSISTED FOR SIX 
CONSECUTIVE YEARS. WE FEAR THAT ANTI-AMERICANISM IN ARGENTINA IS NOW 
BECOMING REFLEXIVE, A DEVELOPMENT THAT MAY, IF IT CONTINUES, BEGIN 
TO COLOR HOW ARGENTINES VIEW NOT JUST OUR POLICIES, BUT ALSO OUR 
CULTURE, VALUES, AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THEMSELVES.  NEEDLESS TO 
SAY, SUCH A DEVELOPMENT IN THE HEMISPHERE4S THIRD MOST POPULOUS 
SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR LONG-TERM U.S. 
INTERESTS IN THE REGION. 
 
INVESTING IN YOUTH TO COMBAT ANTI-AMERICANISM 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE CORROSIVE EFFECTS OF ANTI-AMERICANISM 
HERE, WE NEED TO PRESENT OUR NATION IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT - AS 
INTERESTED, ENGAGED, AND DEDICATED TO PROPOSING POLICIES AND FINDING 
SOLUTIONS THAT HELP AVERAGE CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG AND 
DISADVANTAGED, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES. IN SHORT, WE NEED 
TO PROMOTE LOCALLY THE UNITED STATES' SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM FOR THE 
AMERICAS. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO DO THIS THAN THROUGH TARGETED 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PROGRAMS THAT DEMONSTRATE OUR INVESTMENT IN YOUTH, 
THE NEXT GENERATION OF THIS COUNTRY'S LEADERS. IN ADDITION TO BEING 
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES FOR THE PARTICIPANTS THEMSELVES, MANY OF 
WHOM COME FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL, THESE 
PROGRAMS HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS TOOLS. THEY GENERATE 
FOR THE POST AND FOR OUR COUNTRY A STEADY STREAM OF POSITIVE PRESS 
COVERAGE, AS WE ROUTINELY PUBLICIZE OUR PROGRAMS THROUGH PRESS 
CONFERENCES AND PRESS RELEASES. 
 
¶5. EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES HAS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS COMMITTED 
SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO YOUTH PROGRAMMING. WE HAVE EITHER CREATED, 
OR PARTICIPATED IN FOR THE FIRST TIME, EIGHT NEW PROGRAMS DESIGNED 
TO OFFER ARGENTINE YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S., 
STUDY ENGLISH, ATTEND SEMINARS, OR RECEIVE TRAINING OR EDUCATIONAL 
MATERIALS. IN FY 2007, POST WAS ABLE TO SEND JUST OVER 100 ARGENTINE 
YOUTH TO THE U.S. ON A VARIETY OF EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. THIS REPRESENTS 
A 39% INCREASE OVER FY 2006. OUR MOST IMPORTANT SUCH PROGRAM IS THE 
YOUTH AMBASSADOR (YA) PROGRAM, WHICH WE JUST CONDUCTED FOR THE 
SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR. 
 
INVESTMENT IN ENGLISH LEARNING PROGRAMS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. AS A COROLLARY TO OUR YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, POST HAS ALSO 
INVESTED CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES IN PROMOTING ENGLISH LEARNING. WE 
SEE YOUTH EXCHANGES AND ENGLISH LEARNING AS LINKED BECAUSE WE HOPE, 
THROUGH TARGETED ENGLISH PROGRAMS, TO EXPAND THE POOL OF BILINGUAL 
STUDENTS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. 
OUR TWO MOST SUCCESSFUL SUCH PROGRAMS ARE THE TEACHER AMBASSADOR 
PROGRAM AND THE SARMIENTO-MANN ENGLISH LEARNING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. 
UNDER THE TEACHER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 
SECONDARY SCHOOL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A TWO 
WEEK STUDY PROGRAM AT THE TEXAS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CONSORTIUM 
IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FOSTER A BETTER 
UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNITED STATES; PROMOTE INCORPORATION OF 
U.S.-CONTENT TEACHING MATERIALS INTO THE TEACHERS' PEDAGOGY; AND TO 
ESTABLISH ONGOING RELATIONSHIPSBETWEEN ENGLISH TEACHERS IN 
ARGENTINA AND THE UNITED STATES. THE SARMIENTO-MANN 
MICRO-SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PERMITS STUDENTS WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL 
MEANS TO STUDY ENGLISH AT BINATIONAL CENTERS (BNCS) THROUGHOUT THE 
COUNTRY. LAST YEAR, THE EMBASSY FUNDED 60 SUCH SCHOLARSHIPS AT 
VARIOUS BNCS. 
 
COMMUNITY OUTREACH 
------------------ 
 
¶7. THE EMBASSY'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE HAS ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW 
 
BUENOS AIR 00000343  002 OF 003 
 
 
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP) DESIGNED, LIKE THE YOUTH EXCHANGE AND 
ENGLISH LEARNING PROGRAMS, TO PRESENT THE U.S. IN A MORE POSITIVE 
LIGHT. CAP BRINGS THE AMBASSADOR AND OTHER EMBASSY OFFICERS TO 
SCHOOLS, ORPHANAGES, COMMUNITY LIBRARIES, DRUG TREATMENT CENTERS, 
HOMES FOR AT RISK WOMEN AND YOUTH, AND OTHER SUCH INSTITUTIONS IN 
THE BARRIOS OF BUENOS AIRES TO DONATE BOOKS, COMPUTERS, SCHOOL 
SUPPLIES AND OTHER NEEDED MATERIALS. THE GOAL IS TO DEEPEN OUR 
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY WITH YOUTH FROM 
DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS. THE AMBASSADOR HAS ALSO INCLUDED A BOOK 
DONATION OR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY EVENT ON EVERY VISIT HE HAS MADE 
TO THE PROVINCES. 
 
PRESS OUTREACH 
-------------- 
 
¶8. THE EMBASSY HAS BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE, AND VERY SUCCESSFUL, IN 
PUBLICIZING PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE IN ARGENTINA 
THINK ABOUT AMERICA. WE HAVE TRIPLED PRESS PLACEMENTS SINCE 2005, 
AND WE HAVE SEEN A CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN POSITIVE EDITORIAL 
COMMENT ON ISSUES INVOLVING THE U.S. MAINTAINING THIS POSITIVE PRESS 
MOMENTUM IS A MISSION PRIORITY. 
 
NEEDED: MORE FUNDING 
-------------------- 
 
¶9. POST HAS BEEN FORTUNATE OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS TO HAVE BEEN 
ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT ITS OWN FUNDING ON THESE PROGRAMS WITH FINANCIAL 
SUPPORT FROM WASHINGTON, PARTICULARLY FROM WHA/PDA, FOR WHICH WE ARE 
VERY GRATEFUL. WE BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT WE NEED MORE AND MORE 
CONSISTENTLY AVAILABLE FUNDING IF WE ARE GOING TO REVERSE OUR 
NEGATIVE IMAGE HERE. OUR EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
BENEFIT OF THESE PROGRAMS FAR EXCEEDS THE RELATIVELY SMALL FINANCIAL 
INVESTMENT THEY REQUIRE, SO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE ARE LOOKING FOR 
IS NOT GREAT. WE ESTIMATE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE TOTAL COST OF 
SENDING 5 KIDS ON THE YA PROGRAM IN 2007 WAS LESS THAN $40,000. IN 
2008, WE ARE SENDING 12 YOUTH AMBASSADORS, TEN FINANCED BY 
WASHINGTON AND TWO BY THE POST. IN BOTH CASES, WASHINGTON FUNDING 
FOR THE YA PROGRAM, HOWEVER, CAME ABOUT IN AN AD HOC FASHION. IF WE 
ARE GOING TO "BRAND" THIS PROGRAM IN ARGENTINA IN THE SAME 
SUCCESSFUL WAY BRAZIL HAS DONE, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE MORE 
CONSISTENTLY AVAILABLE FUNDING GOING FORWARD. AS THIS IS BEING 
WRITTEN, POST HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING, FOR EXAMPLE, WHETHER ARGENTINA 
WILL BE ON THE LIST TO RECEIVE MONEY FOR A 2009 YA PROGRAM. WE 
REQUEST WASHINGTON CONSIDER "ADOPTING" THE PROGRAM FOR THIS POST AND 
FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE, EITHER BY HOUSING IT IN ECA OR SEEKING 
COMBINED R AND WHA/PDA RESOURCES TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF FUNDING. 
 
POST BUDGET SQUEEZE 
------------------- 
 
¶10. THE COST OF 60 SARMIENTO-MANN SCHOLARSHIPS IN 2007 WAS 
APPROXIMATELY $20,000 IN ARGENTINA. WE PLAN TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF 
SCHOLARSHIPS THIS YEAR TO 120 AND REQUESTED WASHINGTON FUNDING TO 
HELP US DO SO. WE WERE ADVISED, HOWEVER, THAT ECA HAS NO FUNDS 
BUDGETED FOR MICRO-SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WHA IN 2007, FUNDS FOR ONLY 4 
WHA POSTS IN 2008, AND THAT ADDITIONAL POSTS WILL COME ON LINE IN 
¶2009. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO FUND THIS PROGRAM, 
CENTRAL TO OUR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY MISSION HERE, ENTIRELY FROM THE 
POST'S BUDGET. SIMILARLY, WE REQUESTED WASHINGTON ASSISTANCE TO HELP 
FUND A REGIONAL TEACHER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IN JANUARY. WE WERE 
ADVISED THAT NO MONEY WAS AVAILABLE, SO ARGENTINA AND CHILE BORE ALL 
THE COSTS OURSELVES. THE MORE PROGRAMS WE TRY TO "BRAND" USING POST 
FUNDING ONLY, HOWEVER, THE LESS FLEXIBILITY WE END UP HAVING IN 
MANAGING OUR REMAINING LIMITED RESOURCES. THIS IS EVEN MORE THE CASE 
AS WE FACE INFLATION WIDELY ESTIMATED AT NEARLY 20% OVER THE LAST 
YEAR, INCREASING OUR COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY. 
 
PROGRAMMATIC AREAS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. IN OUR RECENTLY SUBMITTED MISSION STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FY 2010, 
POST IDENTIFIED THE REVERSAL OF THIS COUNTRY'S DEEPLY INGRAINED 
ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT AS OUR TOP PRIORITY AND IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC 
PROGRAMMATIC AREAS WHERE WE NEED SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING (OUR REQUEST 
WAS FOR US550,000) TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE. WE HAVE LISTED THESE 
PROGRAMS BELOW IN PRIORITY ORDER AND REQUEST WASHINGTON ASSISTANCE 
IN ALLOCATING THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR US TO IMPLEMENT 
THEM: 
 
A) 12 YOUTH AMBASSADORS: $75,000 
B) 20 TEACHER AMBASSADORS: $50,000 
C) ENGLISH TEACHING FELLOW TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL ENGLISH CURRICULUM, 
AT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION'S REQUEST: $15,000 
D) ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTS (YOUNG U.S. STUDENTS WHO TEACH 
ENGLISH AT LOCAL TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES): $20,000 
E) EIGHT S&T SPECIALISTS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, FROM ARGENTINE 
UNIVERSITIES TO THE U.S. FOR EXCHANGE, AT MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & 
TECHNOLOGY REQUEST: $40,000 
F) COMMUNITY ACTION DONATIONS: $40,000 
G) SPORTS --10 HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER EXCHANGE: $40,000 
H) U.S. STUDIES SEMINARS IN ARGENTINA, ONE SEMINAR FOR EACH TYPE OF 
 
BUENOS AIR 00000343  003 OF 003 
 
 
AUDIENCE (JOURNALISTS, TEACHERS, YOUNG LEADERS, PROFESSIONALS): 
$100,000 
I) REPORTING TOURS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR JOURNALISTS: $40,000 
J) SCIENCE CAMP (10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS): $50,000 
K) MUSIC EXCHANGE (10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS): $40,000 
L) DANCE EXCHANGE (10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS): $40,000 
M) ENGLISH CLASSES FOR JOURNALISTS (FOUR CLASSES PER YEAR): $5,000 
 
¶12. COMMENT: POST UNDERSTANDS THAT WE ARE IN A TIGHT BUDGET 
ENVIRONMENT, BUT URGES WASHINGTON TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT THAT A 
MODEST INFUSION OF FUNDS CAN HAVE IN A COUNTRY LIKE ARGENTINA. 
PROGRAMS THAT REACH OUT TO THE YOUNG AND THE UNDERSERVED CAN HAVE A 
DRAMATIC IMPACT HERE, NOT JUST ON THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED BUT ON A 
WIDER AUDIENCE WHO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE MEDIA. WE HAVE 
WORKED HARD TO BE A LEADER IN CREATING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, SEVERAL 
OF THEM REGIONAL IN NATURE, THAT PROMOTE THE VISION OF THE 
ADMINISTRATION'S POSITIVE MESSAGE TO THE REGION. ADDITIONAL 
RESOURCES WOULD ALLOW US TO EXPAND THE REACH OF THAT MESSAGE AND IN 
THE PROCESS CHIP AWAY AT AN UNHEALTHY, PERSISTENT, AND PERVASIVE 
ANTI-AMERICANISM IN THE COUNTRY. END COMMENT. 
 
¶13. TO SEE MORE BUENOS AIRES REPORTING, VISIT OUR CLASSIFIED WEBSITE 
AT: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SQOV.GOV/P/WHA/BUENOSAIRES 
 
WAYNE