UNCLASSIFIED SECRET E13 RELEASED IN FULL PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-15 BUENOS 02399 01 OF 02 281600Z OCT-01 ISO-00 NSCE-00 COJ IJE-00 SP-02 AID-05 EB-08 TRSE-00 SS-15 STR-08 OMB-01 CEA-01 INRE-00 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 HA-05 L-03 H-01 SSO-00 075 W ------------------112752 281642Z 46 0 271831Z MAR 79 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9997 INFO SECRET SECTION 1 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 2399 E O 12065 XDS-1 3 27 09 CASTRO RAUL H OR-M TAGS SHUM AR SUBJ S AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES RAILROAD LOAN WITH PRESIDENT VIDELA REF CASTRO-RUSER TELECONS 3 26 STATE 075474 STATE 076152 1 SECRET ALL TEXT 2 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY MAR 26 INFORMING J iJE J IJESSAGE WOULD BE ARRIVING SHORTLY REFERENCE USG VOTE ON GOA RAILROAD LOAN TO TAKE PLACE TODAY MARCH 27 I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SEEK APPOINTMENT WITH PRESIDENT VIDELA ASAP ANTICIPATING J iJESSAGE I CONTACTED PRESIDENT VIDELA'S OFFICE AND WAS TOLD PRESIDENT WOULD SHORTEN HIS J iJEETING AWAY FROM PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TO J iJEET J iJE AT 20 30 HRS LAST NIGHT MARCH 26 DUE TO NON-ARRIVAL OF DEPT'S MESSAGE I CONTACTED DIRECTOR ARA ECA FOR GUIDANCE AS TO CONTENTS OF MESSAGE CONTENTS WERE FURNISHED J iJE AND SUBSEQUENTLY AN AMENDJ iJENT WAS GIVEN JUST BEFORE LEAVING FOR MY J IJEETING WITH VIDELA 3 ON ARRIVAL VIDELA WAS WAITING FOR ME HE APPEARED IN GOOD SPIRITS AND INVITED J iJE TO HIS WORKING OFFICE I HAD ALWAYS MET WITH HIM IN ijIS MAIN OFFICE TO MY DISMAY HIS WORKING SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BUENOS 02399 01 OF 02 281600Z OFFICE APPEARS TO BE AN ADJUNCT TO SOME BISILICA AS THE DECOR IS HEAVILY RELIGIOUS AFTER MY MAKING FULL INQUIRY INTO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF HIS FAMILY AND THE PRESIDENT OF MINE I GAVE MY OPENING STATEJ iJENT I TRANSLATED IN FULL UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY JOHN L MILLS DATE CASE ID 09 NOV 2006 200600958 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED DETAIL CONTENTS OF MESSAGE GIVEN ME I MOST ADMIT IT WAS NOT PLEASANT TO READ TO THE PRESIDENT AN INDICTMENT OF CHARGES THAT HIS COUNTRY WAS A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATOR AND FOR THAT REASON USG AS REQUIRED BY LAW IT WAS REQUIRED TO VOTE NO ON LOANS FROM MILTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS I THEN EXPLAINED TO VIDELA THAT IN 1978 THE USG CHANGED ITS POSITION FROM-VOTING NO TO ABSTAINING ON THESE LOANS BECAUSE THERE WERE SEVERAL INDICATIONS WHICH INDICATED IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE FORTHCOMING I TOLD HIM WE CONSIDERED THE IAHRC VISIT AS A VERY POSITIVE FACTOR 4 I THEN EXPLAINED TO VIDELA THE YEAR 1978 WAS EXTREMELY DISCOURAGING I THEN WENT DOWN THE LINE ON CHARGES AND TOLD VIDELA SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS HAD NOT OCCURRED IN 1978 BY THIS TIME PRESIDENT VIDELA APPEARED VERY MOCH LIKE THE ACCUSED AND I AS THE SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE I TOLD THE PRESIDENT ARBITRARY ARRESTS DISAPPEARANCE OF PERSONS DUE TO EFFORTS OF SECURITY FORCES HAD BLATANTLY CONTINUED IN 1978 I EXPLAINED THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF OVER 50 PERSONS DISAPPEARED PER MONTH LAST YEAR I EXPLAINED OF USG TOTAL CONTEMPT FOR TORTURING AND MIS-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS DURING INTERROGATIONS AND THAT FURTHERMORE THE NUMBER OF POLITICAL PRISONERS REMAINED VERY HIGH DURING ALL THIS TIME I SPOKE FIRMLY SUCCINCTLY AND AT A RAPID PACE SO AS TO AVOID THE PRESIDENT INTERRUPTING MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT I WANTED TO BE SURE HE HEARD IT ALL AS I WATCHED THE PRESIDENT IT BECAME CLEAR HE WAS IN PAIN OVER MY STATEMENTS COMMENT I WAS HAPPY I WASN'T TALKING TO MININT HARGUINDEGUY WHO WEIGHS ABOUT 240 POUNDS AND DOESN'T SPEAK BUT INSTEAD ROARS SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BUENOS 02399 01 OF 02 281600Z 5 I CONTINUED TELLING THE PRESIDENT USG HAD BEEN MONITORING GOA'S HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION HOPING TO FINE POSITIVE INDICATIONS SO AS TO AVOID VOTING NO ON LOANS I MENTIONED THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT OVER THE RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION AND ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE TIMERMAN RELEASE I THEN EXPLAINED THERE WAS LACK OF CONVINCING EVIDENCE TO INDICATE TORTURE AND DISAPPEARANCES HAD COMPLETELY CEASED IN VIEW OF THESE FACTORS VIDELA WAS TOLD USG WAS READY TO VOTE NO ON TUESDAY MARCH 27 6 VIDELA WA THEN TOLD THAT BASED ON STATEMENTS MADE BY THEIR AMBASSADOR AJA ESPIL ON MARCH 22 USG WAS WILLING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK ON SITUATION I INFORMED VIDELA THAT AJA ESPIL HAD STATED DISAPPEARANCES HAD STOPPED THAT GOA·WOULD UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED INVESTIGATE NEW DISAPPEARANCES AND ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST ANY SECURITY FORCE RESPONSIBLE FOR DISAPPEARANCES VIDELA WAS THEN TOLD AJA ESPIL HAD SUBMITTED TO HIS GOVERNMENT NAME OF PERSON SUPPOSEDLY DISAPPEARED ON·FEBRUARY 9 1979 AS PER RECORDS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL VIDELA DISCLAIMED KNOWING ANY SUCH DISAPPEARANCE ON FEB 9 COMMENT EMBASSY RECORDS FAIL TO INDICATE ANY DISAPPEARANCE ON FEB 9 I ASKED AJA ESPIL WHO WAS IN TOWN FOR ONE DAY TO SUBMIT NAMES OF MISSING PERSON SO CASE CAN BE SUBSTANTIATED END COMMENT 7 I TOLD VIDELA BASED ON HIS AMBASSADOR'S AND OTHER REPRESENTATIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVEMENTS THE USG WOULD CONTINUE ITS POLICY OF ABSTENTION ON MARCH 27 AS I MADE THIS STATEMENT VIDELA GAVE A LONG SIGH OF RELIEF SMILED REACHED OVER AND SHOOK MY HAND AND THANKED ME COMMENT THIS ACTION WAS MOST PERPLEXING FOR ME AS I FELT AS THOUGH I HAD FAILED IN MY MISSION I ANTICIPATED LITERALLY BEING TOSSED OUT DURING MY INITIAL PHASE OF THE INTERVIEW BUT HAVING THE PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA THANK ME FOR AN ABSTENTION WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED VIDELA WAS THOROUGHLY PLEASED WITH SECRET SECRET PAGE 04 BUENOS 02399 01 OF 02 281600Z THE ABSTENTION EVEN THOUGH MY CHARGES OF HIS COUNTRY WERE HARD FACTUAL AND NOT EASY TO ACCEPT END CO MMENT SECRET NNN SECRET PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-15 BUENOS 02399 02 OF 02 281611Z INFO OCT-01 IS0-00 NSCE-00 CQME-00 SP-02 AID-05 EB-08 TRSE-00 SS-15 STR-08 OMB-01 CEA-01 INRE-00 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 HA-05 L-03 H-01 SS0-00 075 W - ----------------112983 281641Z 46 0 271831Z MAR 79 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES UNCLASSIFIED TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9998 UNCLASSIFIED SECRET SECTION 2 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 2399 8 I THEN SHIFTED OVER BY TELLING VIDELA USG HOPED GOA WOULD SOON START WORKING ON LISTS OF DISAPPEARED SUBMITTED BY US AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS I AGAIN STRESSED NEED TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS ASAP AND IMMEDIATELY HALT TO TORTURE AND MISTREATMENT OF PRISONERS I COMPLIMENTED VIDELA FOR VIRTUAL CESSATION OF DISAPPEARANCES SINCE JANUARY AND WILLINGNESS OF GOA TO INVESTIGATE AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST SECURITY FORCES WHICH ACTED ILLEGALLY IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO VIDELA GOA'S ACTIONS WOULD BE MONITORED NOW AND IN THE FUTURE 9 TIMERMAN CASE I TOLD VIDELA I HAD HEARD HE AND THE JUNTA HAD DISCUSSED THE FATE OF JACOBO TIMERMAN HE SMILED AND SAID IT WAS TRUE VIDELA MADE A GESTURE AS THOUGH PUTTING ON A PAIR OF GLOVES AND STATED THE TIMERMAN CASE COULD NOT BE HANDLED WITH BARE KNUCKLES BUT ONLY WITH KID GLOVES I SUGGESTED THE PUTTING ON OF THE KID GLOVES SHOULD NOT PROVE TO BE A DILATORY TECHNIQUE VIDELA THEN TOLD ME HE KNEW I HAD PERSISTENTLY DISCUSSED THE TIME'RMAN CASE WITH GENERAL VIOLA AND VIOLA HAD IN TURN DISCUSSED THE CASE WITH HIM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE JUNTA I THEN SAGGESTED PERHAPS IT MIGHT PROVE GOOD P R WORK IF TIMERMAN WOULD BE RELEASED ASAP SO AS TO AVOID GIVING APPEARANCE OF ACT BEING ONE OF PRESSURE BEFORE ARRIVAL OF IAHRC HE AGREED I THEN TOLD SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BUENOS 02399 02 OF 02 281611Z VIDELA I HOPED TIMERMAN CASE WOULD NOT TURN OUT TO BE ANOTHER TLATELOLCO RATIFICATION - JUST PROMISES AND MORE PROMISES WITH A SHEEPISH GESTURE HE TOLD ME STRONG EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE TO DECIDE TIMERMAN AND TLATELOLCO CASE BY MIDDLE OR END OF APRIL IN A MOMENT OF LEVITY ON MY PART I TOLD PRESIDENT I HOPED TIMERMAN AND TLATELOLCO WOULD BE RESOLVED BY APRIL 14 AS I WOULD BE VISITING THE DEPARTMENT ON THAT DATE I ALSO TOLD VIDELA I WANTED TO GET CREDIT FOR TIMERMAN AND TLATELOLCO BEFORE I LEFT AS I DIDN'T WANT THE DCM MAX CHAPLIN TO GET THE GLORY VIDELA LAUGHED HEARTILY AND SAID HE WOULD MAKE HIS BEST TO ACCOMMODATE ME I SUGGESTED TO VIDELA THAT IF TLATELOLCO WAS RATIFIED AND TIMERMAN RELEASED THAT HE SHOULD PHONE PRESIDENT CARTER DIRECTLY SO THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT WOULD BE THE FIRST TO KNOW THE FATE OF TWO MATTERS OF HIS HIGH INTEREST PRESIDENT VIDELA REPLIED THIS WAS WHAT HE HAD IN MIND OF DOING UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED 10 RIGHT OF OPTION I TOLD VIDELA USG WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF HE PUT IN A GOOD WORD WITH GENERAL HARGUINDEGUY MIN OF INT SO AS TO ACCELERATE RIGHT OF OPTION PROGRAM VIDELA PROMISED HE WOULD BUT THEN CLARIFIED ISSUE BY STATING A NEW COJ vnv tITTEE HAD BEEN FORMED FOR RIGHT OF OPTION CASES HE IMPLIED HARGUINDEGUY'S ROLE HAD BEEN DIMINISHED 11 FUTURE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIONS THE PRESIDENT GAVE ME ASSURANCES DISAPPEARANCES HAD STOPPED AND WOULD NO LONGER BE A FACTOR HE EXPLAINED THERE WILL BE INSTANCES OF CRIMINAL DISAPPEARANCES FOR RANSOM AND PERHAPS AN OCCASIONAL SECURITY OFFICER WHO MIGHT GO OFF HALF-COCKED HE DID AGREE TO INVESTIGATE ALL DISAPPEARANCES AND THAT CULPRITS WOULD BE TRIED IN A COURT OF LAW SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BUENOS 02399 02 OF 02 281611Z 12 DISAPPEARANCES VIDELA STATED HE FORESAW AN IMPASSE DURING THE IAHRC VISIT HE SAID GOA IN ALL SINCERITY LACKED INFORMATION ON DISAPPEARANCES AND WOULD IN ALL PROBABILITY NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO COJ vnv tISSION REQUIREMENTS HE STATED DISAPPEARANCES WAS ONE PHASE OF IAHRC INVESTIGATION GOA WAS UNABLE TO COME UP WITH ANY ANSWERS VIDELA EXPRESSED GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE TO ABIDE BY THE RULE OF LAW HE TOLD ME A SINCERE EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO CLEAN HOUSE BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF IAHRC 13 I THANKED VIDELA FOR RECEIVING ME FAST AS SOON AS HE DID HE REPLIED BY STATING HE WAS GLAD HE COULD ACCOJ vnv tODATE ME AS MIN ECON MARTINEZ DE HOZ TOLD HIM LAST WEEK USG WOULD VOTE NO ON RAILROAD LOAN HE SAID HE LOOKED UPON ME AS A BEARER OF GOOD TIDINGS CASTRO SECRET NNN UNCLASSIFIED