VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1194 3081839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041839Z NOV 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4567
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0112
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0316

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001194 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/HR FOR PAUL KRUCHOWSKI 
IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON 
NEA/IPA JEFFREY GIAUQUE 
USUN FOR ELLEN GERMAIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER KPAL IS AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA DEMARCHED ON GOLDSTONE REPORT 
 
REF: SECSTATE 112828 
 
¶1. (U) Poloff discussed on November 3 the reftel points 
regarding the Goldstone Report and the November 4 
consideration by the UN General Assembly of a resolution on 
the topic with Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
officials from the General Directorate on Human Rights. 
Argentine officials Eduardo Acevedo Diaz (Minister), Silvia 
Cao (Counselor) and Gustavo Rutilo (Secretary) were well 
versed on the issue and came to the meeting with the draft 
Arab Group resolution distributed in New York that morning. 
They appreciated receipt of the U.S. perspectives and 
committed to sharing with the Foreign Minister's office, 
noting that a decision on the vote had not yet been made. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Argentines described the resolution as more 
"moderate" than had been expected, noting that the proposed 
action items, particularly the request for a three-month 
follow-up on investigations from both Israel and Hamas, was 
in their view more evenhanded that other aspects of the 
report had been.  They agreed that the short time available 
to consider all of the implications and potential precedents 
in the draft resolution was too limited and might require 
another cautious explanatory statement from Argentina, as it 
had done in Geneva, if it voted in favor.  The Argentines 
voiced appreciation for U.S. engagement on the peace process 
 
and underscored their strong support for a two-state 
solution.  Also crucial, from their perspective, was that 
impunity over human rights violations not be permitted. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The GOA officials took on board U.S. perspectives on 
the expanding Israeli investigations of incidents during the 
fighting, the principle of complementarity in international 
judicial mechanisms, and the reality that violence against 
civilians by rocket attacks was a serious issue both at the 
time of the conflict and now as an impediment to effective 
investigations.  They heard with interest additional U.S. 
concerns, including the precedents of referral to the UNSC, 
referral to the Fourth Geneva Convention, and of establishing 
time limits for judicial processes. 
MARTINEZ