REACTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT - 1980/02/08

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: ARGENTINA
• Keywords: ASYLUM SEEKERS
• Keywords: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Keywords: ZARATE JUAN
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01110729
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: February 8, 1980

Approved for Release: 2018/09/20 CO1110729
Current Class: SE ET
Current Handling: E IS
Document Number: 1 80BUENOS01186
SECRET
PAGE 01 BUENOS 01186 01 OF 02 111336Z
ACTION SS-30
INFO OCT-01 ADS-00 SSO-00 /031 W
0 081931Z FEB 80 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4197
Page: 1
Channel: n/a
020667 111341Z /46
S E E T SECTION 1 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 1186
EXDIS
E.O. 12065: XDS-1 2/8/10 (CASTRO, RAUL H.) OR-M
TAGS: PEPR SHUM AR
SUBJ: (U) REACTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
REF: BUENOS AIRES 1159"
1. (C) AT MID MORNING TODAY, PRESIDENT VIDELA SENT ME AN
ADVANCE COPY OFTHE TEXT OF A COMMUNIQUE HIS OFFICE
ISSUED SHORTLY BEFORE NOON ON OUR HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT.
THE EMISSARY WHO BROUGHT THE NOTE -- COL. MIGUEL ABBATE
-- SAID THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS SURPRISED THAT THE FOREIGN
OFFICE HAD ISSUED A COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCING THE DELIVERY
OF YESTERDAY'S PROTEST TO US, HIGHLIGHTING THE GOA'S
DISPLEASURE AND SUGGESTING THE REPORT CAUSED DETERIORA-
TION IN US-ARGENTINE RELATIONS (FULL TEXT PARA 6 BELOW).
IN ISSUING THE COMMUNIQUE THE FOREIGN OFFICE HAD IN-
ADVERTENTLY BUT CLEARLY OVERSTEPPED THE PRESIDENT'S
ORDERS, ABBATE SAID. THE PRESIDENT DID NOT AND DOES
NOT WANT THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT TO BECOME A CONTENTIOUS
ISSUE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND ARGENTINA, ABBATE
SAID. RATHER HE WANTS TO BUILD UPON THE RECONSTRUCTED
BASES OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR NATIONS.
THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNIQUE IS INTENDED TO PUT AN END
TO THE DEBATE WITH THE UNITED STATES -- IN FACT, HE
NOTED, IT NEITHER TAKES ISSUE WITH THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
PAGE 02 BUENOS 01186 01 OF 02 111336Z
DEPARTMENT'S REPORT NOR REPEATS THE FOREIGN OFFICE'S
ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE REPORT'S EFFECT ON US-ARGENTINE
RELATIONS. THE COMMUNIQUE WAS ADDRESSED TO DOMESTIC
EO 13526 I
3.3(b)(1)>25Yrs
Current Class: ET Page: 1
Approved for Release: 2018/09/20 CO1110729
Approved for Release: 2018/09/20 CO1110729
Current Class: S ET Page: 2
Current Handling: EXDI
Document Number: 1980BUETcOS01186 Channel: n a
POLITICAL CONCERNS, ABBATE AVOWED.
2. (C) COMMENT: TO THE AVERAGE ARGENTINE READER THE
PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNIQUE CAN ONLY FEED A BELIEF THAT
THE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT HAS PRODUCED A DIFFICULT
MOMENT WITH THE US. VIDELA IS TRYING TO HAVE THE BEST
OF BOTH WORLDS. ON THE ONE HAND HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT NO ARGENTINE BELIEVES HE HAS PASSIVELY ACCEPTED THE
USG "INTERVENTION" IN ARGENTINE AFFAIRS. ON THE OTHER,
HE WANTS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME ACTS ARE POLITICALLY
NECESSARY BUT NEED NOT AFFECT OUR RELATIONS. I BELIEVE
TOO, THAT FROM NOW ON HE WILL TRY TO KEEP THE DEBATE
OVER OUR REPORT AN INTERNAL ONE AND NOT ONE BETWEEN
OUR GOVERNMENTS.
3. (S) I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE COLONEL'S VISIT TO HIT
HIM ON SOVIET-ARGENTINE COOPERATION IN GENEVA UNI-IRC 3.3(b)(1)
MEETING. I ALSO BRACED
HIM WITH THE REPORT, WHICH I DID NOT ATTRIBUTE TO ANY
SPECIFIC SOURCE, THAT SOVIET VICE FOREIGN MINISTER JACOV
MALIK MIGHT BE COMING TO ARGENTINA. I TOLD HIM THAT IF MALIK WERE
TO COME TO ARGENTINA IT WOULD CREATE THE WORST
POSSIBLE IMPRESSION IN WASHINGTON AND THE WEST,
CONFIRMING THE VIEW OF SOME THAT ARGENTINA IS
FAST BECOMING A PARTNER OF THE EAST. ABBATE SAID
HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT EITHER OF THESE SUBJECTS --
WHICH IS PROBABLY TRUE -- BUT WOULD IMMEDIATELY
LOOK INTO THEM.
4. (C) THE FOLLOWING IS OUR INFORMAL TRANSLATION
"SBC