VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0658/01 1552052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 042052Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3832
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000658 
C O R R E C T E D  COPY - TEXT 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP PREL PGOV PTER SNAR AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: CODEL Thompson Advances Bilateral Homeland 
Security Cooperation 
 
REF: Buenos Aires 0597 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The May 28-30 visit of CODEL Bennie Thompson to 
Argentina helped to advance bilateral cooperation on port and other 
infrastructure security issues, as well as positively demonstrate 
broad USG interest in bilateral cooperation with Argentina. 
Representatives Thompson (Chairman, Homeland Security Committee), 
Harman, Cuellar, Clarke, Carney and Richardson were able to combine 
internal briefings at the Embassy, including presentations by DHS 
agencies ICE and TSA, with important interaction with key 
counterparts, including Argentina Customs Director Silvina 
Tirabassi, the country's largest container port Exolgan (site of 
CBP's CSI operation), and a call on Minister of Justice, Security, 
and Human Rights Anibal Fernandez.  Press for the visit was 
positive.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) CODEL Thompson's May 28-30 visit to Argentina was focused 
on the operations of DHS agencies Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement (ICE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and 
Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  Representatives Bennie 
Thompson, Jane Harman, Henry Cuellar, Yvette Clarke, Christopher 
Carney, and Laura Richardson were briefed on the full range of 
Embassy operations related to counter-terrorism and security issues 
and were given specific briefs by ICE and TSA, including on the 
Trade Transparency Unit (TTU) supported in country by ICE. 
 
¶3. (U) The CODEL was able to observe the operations of the CBP's 
Container Security Initiative (CSI), at Argentina's largest 
container port, the private Exolgan port, just south of the city. 
Port officials briefed on the container screening program, port 
capacity, and physical security issues, including new biometric 
identification procedures for staff at the port.  ICE Attache 
office, which administratively oversees CBP in country, led the 
brief at the port. 
 
Briefing by Customs Director Silvina Tirabassi 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Argentine Custom's Director Silvina Tirabassi provided a 
detailed lunchtime presentation to the Members of Congress on her 
agency's robust collaboration in training and investigations with 
ICE.  Ministry of Foreign Relations officials were also included in 
the lunch.  Tirabassi described in particular the value to Argentina 
of its placement of an officer at the Port of Miami, the challenges 
faced by Argentina in drug and bulk cash smuggling, and the 
continuing opportunities to expand bilateral collaboration.  Members 
of Congress inquired about the Customs Service's progress in 
implementing container screening activities and its successes 
against bulk cash smuggling and other challenges.  Tirabassi 
highlighted an agreement to work with ICE to screen targeted 
containers transiting Argentina for Paraguay. 
 
¶5.  (U) Tirabassi emphasized several times that her authority to 
tighten Argentine customs requirements and enforce a strong policy 
against drug trafficking came directly from President Cristina de 
Kirchner.  She pointed to statistics showing 50 percent increases in 
seizures of IPR violated goods over last year and other significant 
narcotics seizures.  Tirabassi described as successful Argentina's 
effort to shut down large-scale illicit ephedrine imports, which had 
been a major problem in 2008. 
 
Meeting with Minister of Justice Fernandez 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) Ambassador accompanied CODEL to a positive late afternoon 
meeting with Minister of Justice, Security, and Human Rights Anibal 
Fernandez.  Fernandez, who had returned early from a trip to 
Paraguay to attend the meeting, thanked the departing Ambassador for 
his active cooperation on counter-terrorism and counter-drug issues 
and emphasized that Argentina was a fully committed partner to the 
U.S. in this effort.  He insisted that Argentina was not an 
"anti-U.S." country and that the American visitors could display 
their U.S. citizenship in Argentina without fear of reprisal. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In response to questions from the Members of Congress, 
Fernandez described efforts of his Ministry to implement biometric 
screening procedures.  To date, biometric screening is done only at 
the main Ministry headquarters, he said, but he hoped to expand this 
technology to other installations and also for use throughout the 
country at border crossings.  He said the biometric system had 
largely been home grown and that he had assembled a team of top IT 
talent to help design the program.  He described past efforts to 
improve the quality of national identity documents and to enhance 
the country's name check database. 
 
¶8. (U) Fernandez described the significant challenges faced by 
Argentina in controlling its long land borders, which at 9370 
kilometers are almost three times as long as the U.S.-Mexico border. 
Security Cooperation 
 
 He said that the development of high technology devices was 
essential given the sheer impossibility of physically securing such 
long borders and so many official crossings. 
 
Press 
----- 
 
¶9. (U) Chairman Thompson's pull-aside interview at the port with 
wire-service Telam produced a positive piece on U.S. views of port 
security in Argentina.  The piece described the importance of 
collaboration on container security to robust trade between the two 
countries.  In addition, pro-government "Pagina/12" wrote a short 
column with a photo of the Codel's meeting with Minister of Justice 
Fernandez. 
 
Comment: Bilateral Ties Bolstered by CODEL 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶10. (U) CODEL Thompson's brief visit to Argentina paid dividends for 
our bilateral relationship.  The Congressmen's positive reaction to 
Tirabassi and Fernandez's efforts to collaborate with the U.S. 
Government and specifically with DHS agencies in country gives 
valued recognition in one of the areas of the bilateral relationship 
where our cooperation is at its strongest.  It also served to 
underscore our continuing interest in GOA action to address threats 
like narcotics trafficking, contraband, bulk cash smuggling, and 
transportation security. 
 
¶11. (U) This cable was cleared with Chairman Thompson. 
 
WAYNE