UNCLASSIFIED Page 1 Current Class SECRET Current Handling EXDIS Document Number 1977STATE272033 Channel n a SECRET PAGE 01 ORIGIN SS-25 INFO OCT-01 STATE 272033 IS0-00 sso-00 RELEASED IN FULL 026 R DRAFTED BY S AS AMB SMITH ARA ECA JBUMPAS HA MSCHNEIDER APPROVED BY S S - MR TARNOFF PM GOPLINGER T DR NYE D DLAMB ARA TTODMAN ARA ECA RZIMMERMAN THE SECRETARY SOBS THE DEPUTY SECRETARY SUBS ------------------112584 122320Z 70 0 122239Z NOV 77 ZFF4 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES NIACT IMMEDIATE SECRET STATE 272033 DECAPTIONED EXDIS E O 11652 GDS PARM TECH NUC ENRG AR SHUM TAGS SUBJECT SECRETARY VANCE'S VISIT REF BUENOS AIRES 8523 1 SECRETARY VANCE HAS PERSONALLY REQUESTED THAT YOU MAKE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER AS SOON AS FEASIBLE TO PROTEST IRREGULAR DETENTION OF ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS EDITOR OSCAR SERRAT AND THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO SUSPEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF JACOBO TIMERMAN AND ASSUME CONTROL OVER HIS ASSETS SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 STATE 272033 2 YOU SHOULD STRESS THAT THE DETENTION OF SERRAT WAS HIGHLY IRREGULAR AND AT VARIANCE WITH PAST ARGENTINE ASSURANCES THAT THEY WERE MOVING TOWARD Page 1 Current Class SECRET UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFSTATE REVIEW AUTHORITY OSCAR JOLSON DATE CASE ID 25 MAY 2004 200401212 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED ' Current Class SECRET Current Handling EXDIS · Document Number 1977STATE272033 Page 2 Channel n a RESTORATION OF THE RULE OF LAW 3 YOO SHOULD STATE THAT WE VIEW THE ACTION AGAINST TIMERMAN WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT DUE LEGAL PROCESS TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY UNFORTUNATE AT THIS TIME 4 YOU SHOULD INFORM THE ARGENTINES THAT WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER LACK OF PROGRESS ON DETAINEES THE VERY SLOW AND LIMITED APPLICATION OF THE RIGHT OF OPTION AND CONTINUED DISAPPEARANCES AND REPORTS OF TORTURE WE HAVE EXPRES SED OUR CONCERN ABOUT ALEjANDRO DEUTSCH EPIFANIO MENDEZ AND MANY OTHER DETAINEES AND DISAPPEAREDS YET WE HAVE HAD ONLY LIMITED RESPONSE INCIDENTS SUCH AS THE ONES MENTIONED ONLY REEMPHASIZE THF CONTINUING CRITICAL STATE OF HOMAN RIGHTS 5 YOO S OULD TELL THE ARGENTINES THAT THE SECRETARY HAS STATED THAT HE VIEWS THE HUMAN RIGHT $ SITUATION AS A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM ON HIS AGENDA FOR HIS VISIT 6 WITH REGARD TO NUCLEAR MATTERS YOU SHOULD INFORM FOREIGN MINISTER THAT THERE IS APPARENT MISUNDERSTANDING REGARDING PRESIDENT CARTER'S INTENTION IN ADVISING VIDELA ABOUT EFFECT THAT ARGENTINE ACTION ON TLATELOLCO WOULD HAVE ON OUR ABILITY TO EXPORT HEAVY WATER TECHNOLOGY TO ARGENTINA PRESIDENT CARTER INDICATED WE COULD EXPORT NON-SENSITIVE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AND HEAVY WATER NOT HEAVY WATER TECHNOLOGY WE ALSO UNDERSTAND SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 STATE 272033 THAT VIDELA'S STATEMENT RE TLATELOLCO PRECEDED PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT AND WAS NOT CONDITIONED ON SPECIFIC STEPS FROM OUR SIDE · 7 IN OUR VIEW WE SHOULD SUGGEST TO ARGENTINA A TWOSTAGE APPROACH ON NUCLEAR MATTERS THE FIRST STAGE WOULD HAVE ARGENTINA ACT ON TLATELOLCO ME ANING BRINGING THE TREATY WITH ITS ATTENDANT SAFEGUARDS INTO EFFECT IN RETURN FOR WHICH THE UNITED STATES WOULD SUPPLY ARGENTINA WITH HEAVY WATER AND URANIUM OF SUFFICIENT ENRICHMENT FOR USE IN PROJECTED ARGENTINA RESEARCH REACTORS FOR EXPORT THE SECOND STAGE WOULD HAVE ARGENTINA AGREE TO DEFER REPROCESSING IN RETURN FOR WHICH Current Class SECRET Page 2 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED - Page 3 Current Class SECRET Current Handling EXDIS Document Number 1977STATE272033 Channel n a THE UNITED STATES COULD TAKE THE UNPRECEDENTED STEP OF EXPORTING THE TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCTION OF HEAVY WATER IN ARGENTINA 8 BEFORE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE FOR THE SECRETARY'S VISIT TO ARGENTINA WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ARGENTINA AGREEMENT TO THE FIRST STAGE TRANSACTION MENTIONED ABOVE WHICH WOULD BE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY EITHER DURING OR SHORTLY AFTER THE SECRETARY'S VISIT WE APPRECIATE THAT SECOND STAGE IS MORE COMPLEX AND WOULD REQUIRE MORE TIME BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ARGENTINE AGREEMENT TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE DURING THE SECRETARY'S VISIT 9 FYI YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT DURING HIS NOVEMBER 4 MEETING WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ALLARA INDICATED THAT THERE WERE PRACTICALLY NO IMPEDIMENTS TO GOA RATIFICATION OF TLATELOLOCO VANCE SECRET NNN Current Class SECRET Page 3 UNCLASSIFIED