Page 113 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

MEMORANDUM

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

” ffONF T DENT X T i—mr~ HP R

August 9, 1978
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MEMORANDUM FOR: ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI
DAVID AARON

FROM: ROBERT PASTOR

SUBJECT: Argentina: Your Questions

You asked for three items on Argentina: (1) current status
of the human rights situation in Argentina; (2) whether U.S.
policy is in a bind with respect to Argentina and also the
Southern Cone, and if so, how we got into it, and whether the
NSC was involved; and (3) an alert item for the President.
The item for the President is at Tab A. The other questions
are answered below.

I. Argentina's Human RightB Situation

Argentina is still one of the worlsLlS-fflOat—serious human
rights problem countries. Just tnis monthTAfflTSTTr^TKiTfer-
national launched a major campaign world-wide aimed at
focusing public opinion on Argentina's dismal record, which
includes, since March 1976, 15,000 disappearances, 8-10,000
political prisoners, the majority of whom have not yet been
charged; over 25 secret prison camps; and numerous documented
stories of arrest and torture. (One report from our Embassy
is at Tab B.) On human rights-related matters, world opinion
always seems to lag behind the reality; Amnesty intends to
correct that.

While Argentina still has the worst record in the hemisphere,
there has been some improvement in recent months. We under­
stand that the Minister of Interior has instructed the police,
and reportedly the military, to curb excesses; arrests under
executive power have decreased and lists of those detained
have been published; and a limited right of option for political
prisoners to request exile has been reinstituted. On a number
of cases in which we have expressed special interest — Jacobo
Timerman, Alfredo Bravo, 4 of 5 members of the Deutsch family —
the Argentine Government has released them.
II. U.S. Policy

In recognition of this progress, we have switched from voting
"no" on non-basic human needs loans in the IFI's to abstaining.
declassified

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