Cablegate: Argentina Demarched On Goldstone Report

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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

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