THINGS THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AND PROBABLY WON'T - 1979/04/19

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626865
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: April 19, 1979

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4-12-76
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CONFIDENTIAL
""\J--�
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS � Col. Miguel Mallea Gil, Sub-Secretary for
Institutional Relations, Office of the
President
William H. Hallman, Political Counselor,
American Embassy, Buenos Aires
DATE AND PLACE : April 19, 1979, Downtown Buenos Aires
SUBJECT
Things that Did Not Happen and Probably Won't
Most of the topics I raised elicited a negative from Col. Mallea
Gil. He was interested in Ambassador Castro's consultations
schedule and wanted to discuss his planned May 2-11 trip to
Washington. He affirmed that Argentina had had no role post-
poning the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights visit here,
and said that a message would be sent from the government on
April 20 stating Argentina's willingness to receive the Com-
mission, old or new. Our discussion on the NAM Summit is
reported separately.
Among the rumors he batted down:
No. Economy Minister Martinez de Hoz cannot be considered a
candidate for Argen'tina's Washington Embassy, for there is no
hint that the President would replace him as Minister. Gerardo
Schamis is not being considered for the job either. Aside from
Raymunda's being named for Rome only one embassy is slated for
a new "political" ambassador: Lisbon, where Americo Ghioldi
has done an excellent job but wants out because he is old and
unwell. Ghioldi is prized for his Social Democrat connections
all over Europe, Mallea Gil says, and was responsible for the
Montoneros' not being accepted at the recent world socialist
conclave in Vancouver, Canada. He would be replaced by another
"responsible, democratic socialist."
No. Gabriel Martinez is not about to be replaced as Argentina's
ambassador in Geneva. "He is not really a Peronist -- and
certainly not an old leftover friend of Lopez Rega -- but just
someone who always knows how to take advantage of new situations."
No. The Charles Krause (Washington Post) story of Ambassador
Castro's having said Videla told him Tliiircian's release was
GDS 4/20/85 (HALLMAN, Will,
CONFIDENTII
) OR-P
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CONFIDENTIAL 2
postponed indefinitely was annoying -- just as a recent Newsweek
story (authored in part by Bob Cox) that Videla had said
"Timerman's being a Jew certainly didn't help." But it was
tempest in a teapot -- no one remains mad at Krause and cer-
tainly no one suspected that Ambassador Castro really had said
such a thing.
No. General Ojeda (the former police commander) is not under
arrest or suspicion of car thievery or whatever. He's well
and in his job as deputy head of the Campo de Mayo complex.
He will be up for Major General at mid-year -- but probably
won't make it because the competition will be keen.
DISTRIBUTION:
AMB ARA/ECA - Mr. Brayshaw
CHARGE HA/HR Mr, Flood
DAO INR/RAR - Mr. Buchanan
MILGROUP INR/OIL/B - Mr. Flores
ECOM
USICA USMISSION Geneva
Clearance:
CHARGE;MCh in
POLCOUNS:WHHallman:jk
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDEN
E.0: GDS
TAGS: SHUM, AR
SUBJECT: TIMERMAN CASE
ACTION: SECSTATE WASHDC
INTO:
REF:
5-0
THE
1. HECTOR TIMEEMAN SON OF/IMPRISONED LA OPINION EDITOR VISITED EMBASSY ON
FEBRUARY 28 TO DISCUSS HIS FATHERS CONTINUING DETENTION. HECTOR TIMERMAN REPORTED
THAT THE FAMILY HAD DELIVERED THE COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION JUSTIFYING THE ACQUISITION
OF ALL OF MR. TIMERMAN'S PROPERTIES TO THE COMISIoNNACIONAL DE RECDPERACION
PATRIMONIAL ON FEBRUARY 5. ON FEBRUARY 21 THE FAMILY HAD RECEIVED A FORMAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT ATTORNEY THAT THE DOCUMENTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED.
THE FAMILY HAS NO IDEA HOW LONG THE PROPERTY LEGITIMIZATION PROCESS WILL TAKE.
THERE ARE 35 TO 40 CASES BEFORE THE COMMISSION. THE FAMILY ERNESTLY HOPES THAT
THERE WILL NOT BE A PROGRAMED DELAYS IN THE COMMISSIONS CONSIDERATION OF THE
TIMERMAN CASE.
2. HECTOR TIMERMAN SAID THAT HIS FATHER'S SPIRITS WERE GOOD, HE ADDED THAT HIS
FATHER HAS THE "OPTIMISM OF A PERSON WITH A JUST CAUSE".
3. HECTOR TIMERMAN ADDED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE DISCUSSION THAT THE FAMILY HAD
HEARD A NUMBER OF RUMORS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS FATHER'S POSSIBLE RELEASE
BUT MENTIONED THAT THE FAMILY WAS TRYING NOT TO OVERREACT AS IT HAD BEEN BADLY
DISAPPOINTED BY OVERREACTING TO SUCH RUMORS IN THE PAST. HE URGED CONTINUING U.S.
EFFORTS TO SEEK HIS FATHER'S RELEASE FROM THIS UNJUST IMPRISONMENT AND THANKED THE
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EMBASSY FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUING INTEREST.
4. EMBASSY COMMENT: WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO LEARN OF AMBASSADOR -AJA ESPIL'S
SIGNALLING TO BAS MACNEIL THAT GOA WOULD SOON RELEASE TIMERMAN. EMBASSY RECEIVED
INQUIRIES FROM THE NAVY STAFF ON FEBRUARY 20 AND 22 REGARDING U.S. INTEREST IN
TIMERMAN, VOGLER AND DEUTSCH CASES. THIS INQUIRY CAME FROM CAPT. MONTEMAYOR
WHO HAS A DIRECT STAFF SUPPORT ROLE FOR ADMIRAL MASSERA. WE SPECULATE THAT
MANTEMAYOR WAS PREPARING BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR MASSERAIS USE, POSSIBLY IN
JUNTA DISCUSSION OF SUBJECT CASES. OUR ONLY HOPE IS THAT APPOINTMENT OF BEAGLE
COMMISSION WILL ALLOW THE JUNTA TO FOCUS ON OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS RELEASE OF THESE
U.S. HIGH INTEREST CASES.
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