VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0445 1051959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151959Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3549
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0342
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0018
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0061
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 0096
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 0019
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000445 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL FOR ILAB CHARITA CASTRO AND LEYLA STROTKAMP 
DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR MARK MITTELHAUSER 
G/TIP FOR STEVE STEINER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB KTIP PHUM EAGR EINV ETRD SOCI AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: MFA CONCERNED ABOUT DOL-FUNDED RESEARCH 
OF FORCED LABOR IN GARMET INDUSTRY 
 
REF: A) BUENOS AIRES 405 B) BUENOS AIRES 426 
 
¶1. (SBU)  MFA North America Director Antonio Trombetta 
expressed concern to CDA April 14 about the DOL's intention 
to include Argentina in a multi-country study on the 
incidence of forced and child labor.  (Note:  DOL informed 
the GOA in January that Argentina was one of the eight 
countries to be studied by NGO Verite in a three-year, $1.25 
million research project funded by DOL regarding the 
incidence of forced labor.  We hadn't heard any reaction 
besides a few working-level harrumphs until now.  In 
Argentina's case, the research is to focus on the garment 
industry.  Trombetta said that the likely outcry in Argentina 
over its inclusion with seven much poorer countries 
(Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, the Dominican Republic, 
Indonesia, Liberia, and the Philippines) could set off a 
firestorm of negative reaction here, threatening to undermine 
the improving bilateral relationship between the USG and the 
GOA. 
¶2.  (SBU) Trombetta said that the MFA was working hard to 
contain official anger at Argentina's inclusion in the study, 
but found it hard to understand why Argentina "is being 
singled out" for inclusion in this study given the country's 
longstanding commitment to labor rights and strong labor 
unions.  He acknowledged sporadic incidences of forced/child 
labor in Argentina, especially among immigrant communities of 
Paraguayan, Peruvian, and Bolivian immigrants.  "You have the 
same problems in your own country," he said.  Argentina, he 
continued, needs help in addressing the effects of 
uncontrolled immigration from impoverished neighbors, not 
opprobrium.  Trombetta also stated that the GOA categorically 
denied that the incidence of the problem in Argentina was in 
any way comparable to that level existing in the other 
countries under consideration.  The USG could expect an 
aggressive challenge from the GOA if the study proceeded on 
the grounds that Argentina had significant levels of forced 
labor. 
¶3.  (SBU) CDA replied that the issue of forced  labor was an 
important one to our government, which could not be expected 
to ignore the problem beyond our borders.  He advised that 
the best way for the GOA to make Argentina's case on this 
issue was through active cooperation and information exchange 
with the NGO conducting the research as well as the Embassy 
and Washington agencies, including DOL, providing full 
transparency on the situation in Argentina.  Trombetta 
responded that the GOA "rejects unilateral taskings from 
third parties," using familiar language from Foreign Minister 
Taiana's recent letter to the Ambassador protesting the most 
recent Investment Climate Statement on Argentina (Ref a).  He 
agreed, though, that informal information exchange on the 
issue would be useful. 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  We will continue to encourage the GOA to 
cooperate with the DOL-funded researchers.  At the same time, 
we note that Trombetta's comments reinforce our call in Ref b 
for a coordinated USG strategy that recognizes the 
transborder problems (i.e., immigration from poorer bordering 
countries) that sustain these practices, as well as the 
efforts governments are making to end them; and offers 
cooperation and assistance programs to willing governments. 
Otherwise, we will contravene the administration's stated 
intention of working with other nations in the hemisphere as 
respectful partners to address problems of social injustice, 
and risk provoking a fierce nationalist reaction here and 
elsewhere to U.S. "interference." 
KELLY