Cablegate: Argentina Expects to Join Consensus On Nuclear

VZCZCXYZ0015
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1136 2261246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131246Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1776
INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0189
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001136

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL AORC AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA EXPECTS TO JOIN CONSENSUS ON NUCLEAR
SUPPLIERS GROUP EXCEPTION FOR INDIA

REF: SECSTATE 85948

1. (SBU) Pol-Mil Officer, EST Counselor, and EST Officer
presented reftel issues to the Argentine MFA's Directorate
for International Security, Nuclear, and Space Issues (DIGAN)
on August 12. Deputy Director Ricardo Bocalandro was
knowledgeable and forthcoming about Argentina,s views on
this issue and spoke with authority on the perspectives of
his Director, Ambassador Elsa Kelly. Kelly, he said, would
be traveling to the Vienna Plenary.

2. (SBU) Bocalandro agreed with the U.S. assessment of India
as a critically important country that had treated its
nuclear technology and materials with care; he said that
Argentina was pleased to see India increasing its
collaboration with the IAEA and considered this an important
achievement. At the same time, Argentina felt very strongly
that the side effect of the exception to NSG full-scope
safeguards for India would be a significant blow to the NPT.
Granting an exception for India both diminished the case for
maintaining restrictions on trade with Pakistan and Israel,
he said, but also threatened to undermine the deterrent
effect for would-be proliferators. Despite these profound
concerns, Argentina's position was to go along with a
consensus to approve the NSG exception. Bocalandro also
noted that Argentine scientists were anxious to collaborate
with civilian counterparts in India and were strongly in
favor of reaching an agreement.

3. (SBU) Bocalandro was highly appreciative of the shared
draft text. He said that Argentina's position would likely
be reviewed by senior government officials before the Vienna
Plenary, but that at present it was well established to
accept consensus on the exception.

4. (U) Post lead contact on this issue is Pol-Mil Officer Ted
Craig, telephone, (54) -11- 5777-4858; email
craigtj@state.gov. Please include also EST Counselor James
Perez (PerezJM@state.gov), Public Affairs Counselor Rob Howes
(HowesRC@state.gov), and Press Officer Mara Tekach
(TekachballMR@state.gov).
WAYNE

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