Page 203 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

no UDjection 10 ueciassmcation 2uuy/uu/u4 : NLU-24-ij4-b-i-y V ■
> MEMORANDUM

-CONFfBENTIAtT NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
State Department rev.ew completed
Dn file DOC re'ease instructions
appiy
March 5, 1979
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS APPLY

MEMORANDUM FOR: ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI

FROM: LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (Pastor).

I SUBJECT: Evening Report (U)

Mexico. With Erb and Owen, I worked o^a a letter on GATT for the
President to send to Lopez Portillo. Secretary Vance met with
Mexican Finance Minister Ibarra, who was very positive about the
President's visit. He also was relatively encouraging about the
MTN, and after the meeting, Bergsten met with Ibarra for a couple-
of hours to discuss the codes. Negotiations will continue next
week. Ibarra also said that Mexico would be prepared to consider
contributing to IDA if the U.S. provided assurances that we
didn't intend to phase them out of the MDB's. (C)

Worked on the NRC decision with Jessica and State. The problem
was pretty much resolved by Askew, who postponed his trip to
Mexico. The decision will be conveyed in a routine manner, (c)

I talked to Frank Weil of Commerce on their closing the Trade
Center in Mexico City. The reason the decision was disclosed on
February 14th was because of a Congressional hearing. He said
that Commerce is closing all its trade centers abroad, and there­
fore is not discriminating against Mexico. He gave a good defense
of his decision, and I will just leave it at that. Discussed with
Owen and Poats the prospective decision by X-M on a loan to
I
Chrysler for a plant in Mexico. We believe X-M should be en­
couraged to go ahead, provided we are not over-ruling everyone
else. Also met with Rich Nuccio, a professor from Williams who
is interested in Mexico, (c)

Nicaragua. Met again with our Ambassador Solaun, and agreed that
the best posture at this time to Nicaragua is cool and correct —
low-key to GON and looking for appropriate occasions to underline
our continued support for the democratic process, (c)

Argentina. Re-worked a memo on Argentina after discussing it
witTT Jessica. (C)

General Viola, Commander of the Argentine Army, gave assurances
(again) to our Ambassador that Argentina's human rights record
will improve, viola deplored the hundreds of disappearances and
frankly admitted this was their "nightmare." "The deal will not
reappear," he said. He could not guarantee a complete cessation
of disappearances but promised they would drop dramatically as
would tortures, the use of the electric prod, etc. Viola asked

•CCWFIDDNTIAT,
Review on 3/5/85
(
No Objection To Declassification 2009/08/04 :*NLC-24-54-6-1 -9 DECLASSIFIED
E.0.13526
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