CONVERSATION WITH ARGENTINE EXILE JACOBO TIMERMAN - 1979/10/15

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626799
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: October 15, 1979

Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
9'1:L/41510Z OCT 79
Fl AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4307
INFO RUEHIA/USICA WASHDC
RUESBA/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0180--/f1
BT
,CONFIDENTIAL! _
STATE FOR NEA/ARA VAKY; HA FOR DERIAN
USICA FOR AR
TEL A
E.O. 12065: RDS 10/25/99 (DIETERICH, W.J.) OR-0
TAGS: PEPR, PINR, PaT, IS, AR
SUBJECT: CONVERSATIM WITH ARGENTINE EXILE JACO
1. (C - ENTIRE TEXT)
alfell,L17----r-1
;10 I I
FOO M R ;
'ONS
I ARCM
nAtu-
;1-141
v
ElaiT
OF A
AS
FAA
1)14
2. IN CONVERSATION WITH PRESS ATTACHE DIETERICH, W
KNEW HIM IN ARGENTINA DURING A 1972-74 TOUR THERE,
TIMERMAN DISCUSSED INTER ALIA HIS INTERROGATION BY
POLICE AUTHORITIES IN ARGENTINA, ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE
ARGENTINA MILITARY RIGHT, HIS PERSONAL DILEMMA AS TO
WHETHER TO WRITE ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES, AND THE
FUTURE OF ARGENTINE POLITICS. TIMERMAN WILL BE IN THE
UNITED STATES TO RECEIVE AN AWARD FROM THE AMERICAN
JUISH COMMITTEE ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27. AFTER THAT HE
PLANS TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK WHERE HE EXPECTS TO SEE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY DERIAN. THEN HE WILL GO TO WASH-
INGTON FOR VARIOUS MEETINGS ON THE HILL, AT THE DEPARTMENT,
AND AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
3. TIMERMAN SAID THAT THE MAIN FOCUS OF QUESTIONING
DURING HIS IMPRISONMENT WAS HIS ROLE AS THE ARGENTINE
"LEADER" OF AN ALLEGED WORLD ZIONIST CONSPIRACY, AND
THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE EMPHASIS ON ANY LEFTIST OR
TERRORIST CONNECTIONS. HE WAS ONCE TORTURED IN LA
PLATA IN A ROOM WITH AN ORGANIZATION CHART WHICH SHOWED
ZBIGNIE4 BRZEZINSKI AS THE LEADER OF THE CONSPIRACY. ON
ANOTHER OCCASION HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS BEING BEATEN
BECAUSE HE HAD DARED TO USE THE TERM LEFTIST-FASCISTS
IN A CONVERSATION WITH ASSISTANT SECRETARY DERIAN, THE
OBJECTION APPARENTLY BEING THAT HE HAD SLANDERED FASCISM.
HE WAS ALSO QUESTIONED CONCERNING SUPPOSED CONTACTS
BETwEEN MENACHEM BEGIN AND THE MONTONERO GUERILLAS
DURING A BEGIN VISIT TO ARGENTINA IN 1976, TIMERMAN
BELIEVED THESE QUESTIONS STEMMED FROM THE FACT THAT
BEGIN'S BOOK "WAR IN THE HOLY LAND" HAD BEEN FOUND AMONG
MATERIALS USED BY THE MONTONEROS. TIMERMAN WAS BROUGHT
FROM PRISON TO AN INTERVIEW WITH GEN. HARGUINDEGUY IN.
THE CASA ROSADA PRIOR TO A DERIAN VISIT. THE GENERAL
INFORMED HIM THAT THE ARGENTINA-GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE
THAT PATT DERIAN WAS INTERESTED IN HIS CASE BECAUSE SHE
WAS HIS COUSIN.
4. TIMERMAN ALSO REPORTS THAT HE BELIEVES LANUSSE'S EX-
PRESS SECRETARY EDGARDO SAJON DIED OF A HEART ATTACK
DURING TORTURE BY ELECTRIC SHOC
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
1
Ca7"4:A
frP!Maj.
�.14
mOozt...�
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
tt1XARY AGAINST FRIENDS STILL IN ARGENTINA. AS AN
EX- E OF THIS HE MENTIONED THAT ROBERT COX, EDITOR OF
THE BUENOS AIRES HERALD, HAD SENT A MESSAGE TO HIM
TFROUGH THE ISRAELI EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES ASKING HIM
NOT TO MENTION COX IN ANY ARTICLES.
6. TIMERMAN ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE BELIEVES THE RIGHT-
WING AND VERY ANTI-SEMITIC NEWSPAPER CABILDO IS FINANCED
BY DIANA DE MASSOT, PUBLISHER OF NUEVA PROVINCIA IN
BAHIA BLANCA. (NB: MRS. mASSOT WAS WELL-KNOWN TO THE
EMBASSY, AND IF MEMORY SERVES, RECEIVED A MARIA MOORS
CABOT OR IAPA AWARD IN 1973 OR 1974.)
7. AS TO THE FUTURE OF ARGENTINE POLITICS, TIMERMAN
SAYS HE SEES A SITUATION IN WHICH MODERATE AND RIGHT WING
ELEMENTS IN THE MILITARY WILL COMPETE FOR PERONIST
SUPPONT, WHICH MAY CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH ISABEL PERON
WILL BE IN A POSITION TO DECIDE WHO RUNS ARGENTINA.
8. IN CONVERSATION WITH TIMERMAN ONE IS LEFT WITH A
CHILLING IMPRESSION THAT HE IS SIMPLY REPORTING
WHAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED AND BELIEVES. HE CHARACTERIZES
THE ARGENTINE MILITARY RIGHT AS CLASSICALLY TOTALITARIAN
AND ANTI-SEMITIC.
9. TIMERMAN IS NOW EMPLOYED BY THE IMPORTANT TEL AVIV
DAILY 14ARIV AND SEEMS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT FACT,
ALTHOUGH HE SAID HE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SPENDING SOME
TIME AT AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION IN THE US. HE SPECIFICALLY
MENTIONED COLUMBIA. THUS FAR HE HAS WRITTEN ONLY ON
LATIN AMERICAN MATTERS, BUT IT IS TO BE EXPECTED THAT HE
WILL BRANCH INTO BROADER DISCUSSION OF INTERNATIONAL ,
POLITICAL MATTERS. HE SAID THAT THE THEME OF A SPEECH
HE WILL GIVE IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE HUMAN RIGHTS
AS THE IDEOLOGY OF THE EIGHTIES, AND ADDED THAT T9 US
WILL BE REAPING THE.BENEFITS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY
FOR YEARS TO COME. TIMERMAN STRESSES THAT IN HIS PUBLIC
APPEARANCES HE WILL BE DISCUSSING HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENERAL
AND WILL AVOID SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON POLITICAL AND HUMAN
RIGHTS CONDITIONS IN ARGENTINA. HE IS ANXIOUS TO EXPRESS
HIS GRATITUDE TO SENIOR OFFICIALS AT THE DEPARTMENT AND
TFE WHITE HOUSE. LEWIS
BT
2920
NNNN
CORMENTIA! .
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
rl�
0
II
4111
III
.22-.3: qinisil '.448!;k2 taLl V17:11 Vii eil 11!!!!
1 . 14.274 41.cvt lovlaricp..4 S=2f2 Kge,04E8= las .
giroth! iii:212iggliwei.13. ill*S gelilli;i 1 il WI!
;!1.1M VhSiegirN:a2.ilpi !aileil .24.4421t1:1:. iiii Filhi
PIM re rgg it 111 � 2Y' Irrkdiiir24141 illiE 41111!
Agilia. lingiaillirEl ;
.EEli / gc r2 t tq/I w4stis.
:iitlirl'Il :1811411;;;I:114; :;::
io,pi-- .,!=tigt Ill 1 4'lle
11011112 Yllileigillia Mill liglia illli iliii!
1 Swa;.!2 .w Z'lli'hZemo-�e4;2 ISM! 5Elaill iiil A
li,il-ral 12i9419;iais20"2 74141 Eli2a2ii-g 41 g 82
Vaiili ' Vasegg Ia.
illilil; "134 "-Minh! '. al a a.
11211:11 0i:81144=101i 111111 yiesillag 2,111s ts It
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799
EVENING READING
ARGENTINA
September 26, 1979
Responding to a Supreme Court decision, the Argentine
Government yesterday released Jacobo Timerman from house
arrest and expelled him to Israel. A f*er prominent
publisher and Zionist, his release was strongly opposed
by hardliners and represents an important victory for the
moderates led by Videla and Army Commander Viola. We
have made repeated representations for his release. He
was the political prisoner in whom the American public had
the greatest interest. We hope this action will be a
step toward greater respect for the courts and the rule of
law.
ARA/ECA:cwRuser X20913
Cleared: ARA:SEaton
ARA:JABushnelr
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626799