VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1764/01 3651752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301752Z DEC 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2802
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2374

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001764 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OREP ECON AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE FM TAIANA MEETS CODEL MEEKS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and introduction:  Argentine FM Jorge Taiana 
 received in his office Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Ruben 
 Hinojosa (D-TX), and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) December 18.  The codel 
 conveyed a strong U.S. desire for dialogue and strengthened 
 bilateral relations with Argentina.  Taiana expressed confidence 
 that Kirchner policies had put an end to Argentina's boom-and-bust 
 cycles, but worried that the global financial crisis would undo much 
 of what had been achieved under the Kirchners.  He said he hoped the 
 incoming Obama administration would show commitment to dialogue and 
 suggested ending the Cuba embargo to augur new relations with the 
 region.  The Ambassador and polcouns (notetaker) accompanied the 
 codel.  End summary. 
  
 A Call for Dialogue 
 ------------------- 
  
 ¶2. (U) Taiana welcomed the codel, stressing his appreciation of 
 their call on the Argentine Congress as the GOA considered it very 
 important to promote parliamentary exchange and dialogue. 
  
 ¶3. (SBU) Rep. Meeks said the codel had excellent meetings in 
 Argentina, including the meeting with Congress and with Cabinet 
 Chief Sergio Massa (septels).  He predicted there would be an 
 increase in congressional travel to Argentina because of the growing 
 recognition of Argentina's importance.  He said the incoming 
 administration of President-elect Obama will want to engage with the 
 GOA.  The designee for Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Rodham 
 Clinton, knew Argentina and President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 
 (CFK).  As evidence of U.S. congressional interest in Argentina and 
 the region, Meeks named several caucuses committed to finding ways 
 to work together for the benefit of the hemisphere.  Meeks 
 introduced the other codel members and noted the codel was 
 bipartisan. 
  
 ¶4. (SBU) Rep. Hinojosa said he was looking to see how the bilateral 
 dialogue could be strengthened.  Noting a Latin perception that the 
 USG had recently been neglecting the region, with the possible 
 exception of Colombia, he predicted there would be a positive change 
 with the Obama administration.  He said the new administration 
 wanted to work with the region toward win-win situations, and that 
 Argentina would be key to success.  As chairman of the Subcommittee 
 on Higher Education, Rep. Hinojosa said he wanted to stress the 
 importance of education, anticipating for this area ""the biggest 
 legislative proposal since the G.I. bill,"" authorizing a sizable 
 increase for student loans in the midst of the current credit 
 crunch.  He said he had challenged local Amcham members the day 
 before to increase their sponsorship of programs like Youth 
 Ambassadors. 
  
 ¶5. (SBU) Rep. Ryan said the tough times ahead were breeding 
 political anxieties that made it imperative to establish personal 
 relationships across borders, which was why the codel appreciated 
 the warm reception it had received from Argentines.  He spoke of 
 Argentina's talented human resource pool, its enormous potential, 
 and its role as hemispheric linchpin, and he asked Taiana about the 
 December 16-17 summit meetings in Brazil. 
  
 Argentina's Situation 
 --------------------- 
  
 ¶6. (SBU) Taiana acknowledged that Argentina had been, politically 
 and economically, on a downward trajectory for the last 60 years. 
 It had just celebrated 25 years since the return to democracy, 
 marking Argentina's longest spell of uninterrupted democratic rule, 
 a signal achievement.  In the management of the economy, there was 
 no longer a fundamental clash over ideologies.  The Kirchner 
 administration, ""supposedly populist,"" had sought to capitalize on 
 favorable circumstances, such as high commodity prices, with prudent 
 policies leading to its twin surplus (fiscal and trade).  Argentina 
 had long had a history of boom-and-bust cycles, but ""this time, we 
 will prove that things have changed,"" said Taiana.  He pointed out 
 that Argentina and Brazil (unlike, he claimed, Mexico, Chile, 
 Colombia, and Peru), compete with the United States on agricultural 
 products.  He claimed that Argentina sold to the United States only 
 seven percent of its exports, approximately the same as to Chile. 
  
 Regional Relations 
 ------------------ 
  
 ¶7. (SBU) Taiana said he thought the U.S. agenda in recent years had 
 been narrowly limited to security issues, including 
 counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics, without a more global 
 vision.  The financial crisis requires a paradigm shift from all of 
 us, he maintained.  The Good Neighbor policy and the Alliance for 
 Progress were more comprehensive than what is needed today.  The 
 United States now had the opportunity to define a new regional 
 agenda.  Taiana wondered if the new administration would have enough 
 time to develop a vision in advance of the April 2009 Summit of the 
 Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.  He noted the runaway expectations 
 for the new Obama administration, and he expressed admiration for 
 openness and vitality of the American system evident in Obama's 
 election.  He averred the GOA's great desire for dialogue and 
 cooperation with the new administration, and hoped we could work 
 together on the Summit of the Americas.  ""Something for Cuba"" would 
 be a good sign, such as ending 50 years of ""blockade."" 
  
 ¶8. (SBU) In the region, the time was ripe for a new relationship 
 with the United States.  He noted there was ""ideological diversity"" 
 in Latin America, but there were no WMD, nor any religious or ethnic 
 problems.  There were weaknesses in democratic institutions, but 
 there was also pragmatism and goodwill for dialogue (even more with 
 the onset of the global financial crisis).  Taiana said the Obama 
 administration needed to convey commitment to dialogue and new 
 ideas.  Argentina had suffered many crises of its own making, but 
 this crisis was made in the First World, and Argentina did not want 
 to pay the price for the mistakes or neglect of other governments. 
  
 Importance of Dialogue 
 ---------------------- 
  
 ¶9. (SBU) Rep. Meeks said the lack of honest dialogue was a challenge 
 we still needed to overcome.  The world has changed, but we're still 
 dealing with the Cold War's ideological detritus throughout the 
 region.  Rep. Meeks noted the importance of sending clear signals to 
 avoid misunderstandings.  He noted that leaving the United States 
 and Canada out of the regional summits held in Brazil that week sent 
 a message, as did the appearance of currying close relations with 
 Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.  He noted that he had met several times 
 with Chavez for exchanges that were frank, and he hoped Argentina 
 could be engaged in an honest dialogue.  He said the GOA's treatment 
 of MetLife's and New York Life's demands for compensation (related 
 to GOA nationalization of private pension funds) would send signals 
 to Washington.  Rep. Meeks urged caution with the rhetoric.  ""Don't 
 back Obama into a corner.  We are all patriotic; no one wants to be 
 offended.""  He noted President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 
 enjoyed a positive relationship with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, 
 the designee for Secretary of State, and expressed hope that 
 together we could make full use of a window of opportunity to 
 improve relations.  Rep. Ryan added that we should not let political 
 rhetoric cloud the potential for progress in areas of real 
 cooperation.  Rep. Meeks said we should get past differences on 
 trade policy to make progress on our shared objective of lifting 
 people out of poverty. 
  
 Bio Note 
 -------- 
  
 ¶10. (U) Taiana closed the meeting by noting that he had to dash in 
 order to attend the mid-day swearing-in of his half-brother, Luis 
 Maria Bunge-Campos, as president of the Council of Magistrature, the 
 administrative and disciplinary board of Argentina's judicial 
 branch. 
  
 ¶11. (U) The codel did not have the opportunity to clear this 
 report. 
  
 WAYNE 

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