US embassy cable - 02ROME713

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000713 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2007 
TAGS: PREL, EFIN, AR, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA:  ITALY'S APPROACH RESEMBLES OURS 
 
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REF: STATE 21899 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M C THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASON 1.5 (B) 
 
1.    THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE.  SEE PARA 9. 
 
2.    (C) SUMMARY:  ON FEB 11, EMBOFFS CALLED ON COUNSELOR 
GIORGIO DI PIETROGIACOMO, MFA'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR SOUTH 
AMERICA, TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON DISCUSSIONS WITH 
ARGENTINE FOREIGN MINISTER RUCKAUF IN BOTH WASHINGTON AND 
ROME.  ITALY HAS SIGNIFICANT INTERESTS IN ARGENTINA BUT IS 
NOT PREPARED TO PROVIDE BILATERAL ASSISTANCE UNTIL THE GOA 
SATISFIES IMF CRITERIA.  MEANWHILE, THE GOI IS PROVIDING AID 
TO ITALIANS LIVING IN ARGENTINA, SHORING UP SECURITY AT ITS 
MISSION, AND NOMINATING A PROMINENT FINANCE OFFICIAL TO AN 
INTERNATIONAL "FRIENDS OF ARGENTINA" COMMITTEE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.    (U) ITALY'S INTEREST IN ARGENTINA STEMS FROM THE FACT 
THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ARGENTINA'S CITIZENS ARE OF ITALIAN 
ORIGIN, PIETROGIACOMO SAID.  ITALIAN PASSPORT HOLDERS 
NUMBERED 610,000, WHILE THOSE WITH THE RIGHT TO ACQUIRE 
ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP WERE ESTIMATED AT 10-15 MILLION.  ITALY 
MAINTAINS AN EMBASSY AND NINE CONSULATES IN ARGENTINA.  IN A 
MEETING BETWEEN RUCKAUF AND THE HEAD OF ITALY'S CONFERENCE OF 
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS (WHO ARE ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO U.S. 
GOVERNORS), BOTH SIDES AGREED THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK TO 
IMPROVE THE LOT OF ITALIANS (AND ARGENTINES) IN ARGENTINA, 
NOT FACILITATE IMMIGRATION. 
 
4.    (C) BECAUSE ITALY IS SIGNIFICANTLY EXPOSED IN 
ARGENTINA, THE GOI IS CONCERNED THAT ALL INTERNATIONAL 
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INVESTMENTS BE TREATED EQUITABLY AND IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER. 
 SACE, EQUIVALENT TO THE U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK, HAS 675M 
USD IN EXPOSURE.  OF THIS, 103M OF PAYMENTS COMING DUE IN 
NEXT FEW MONTHS.  SACE VOTED ON FEB 4 TO RESCHEDULE THESE 
PAYMENTS.  IN RESPONSE TO THE GOI'S QUERY ABOUT THE NEW 
GOVERNMENT RULES ON BANKRUPTCY, RUCKAUF RESPONDED THAT THEY 
INTENDED TO REVISE THEM.  IN OUR FEB 8 CONVERSATION, 
PIETROGIACOMO REPORTED HAVING RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THEY 
WERE DOING SO. 
 
5.    (C) PIETROGIACOMO SAID THAT THE GOI HAD OFFERED 
ARGENTINA ITALY'S SUPPORT.  AT PRESENT, HOWEVER, THE GOI 
AGREED WITH THE IMF'S TOUGH LINE THAT ARGENTINA'S CURRENT 
ECONOMIC PLAN IS INSUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY EITHER BILATERAL OR 
MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE.  ONCE ARGENTINA HAS AN AGREEMENT 
WITH THE IMF AND PROVIDES THE GOI WITH A DETAILED REFORM 
PLAN, A BILATERAL AID PACKAGE WOULD BE CONSIDERED. 
 
6.    (U) IN JANUARY, ITALY INCREASED A FUND IT MAINTAINS FOR 
HELPING ITS CITIZENS RESIDENT ABROAD.  OF 20M EUROS NOW 
ALLOTTED TO THE FUND, 10M EUROS WERE SLOTTED FOR ITALIANS IN 
ARGENTINA.  THIS MONEY WOULD COVER BASIC NEEDS FOR THE POOR 
AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ESTABLISHING SMALL AND MEDIUM 
ENTERPRISES THAT COULD CREATE NEW JOBS.  THE GOI HAS ALSO 
SENT MEDICINE TO ARGENTINA. 
 
7.    (C) BECAUSE THE GOI IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY 
RISKS INHERENT IN THE TUMULTUOUS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, IT 
HAS INCREASED PRECAUTIONS AT ITS FACILITIES IN ARGENTINA. 
PIETROGIACOMO NOTED THAT, FORTUNATELY, MILITARY TAKEOVER IS 
NO LONGER AN OPTION FOR A TROUBLED LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY. 
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WHAT MAKES DUHALDE STRONG IS THE LACK OF ALTERNATIVES TO HIM. 
 
8.    (C) RUCKAUF REQUESTED THAT ITALY BE REPRESENTED IN THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE SUPPORTING ARGENTINA THAT PRESIDENT 
BUSH AND PM BLAIR WERE ORGANIZING.  THE ITALIANS PROPOSED 
PROFESSOR TANZI, UNDERSECRETARY FOR FINANCE AT THE MINISTRY 
OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS.  PROF. TANZI WORKED FOR THE IMF FOR MANY 
YEARS AND KNOWS ARGENTINA WELL.  HE IS ALSO WELL KNOWN TO THE 
ARGENTINES. 
 
9.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  PIETROGIACOMO ASKED FOR READOUTS 
OF THIS WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN MINISTER OF ECONOMY 
REMES LENICOV AND  U.S. TREASURY AND IMF OFFICIALS.  POST 
WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE 
MFA. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2002ROME00713 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL