Page 256 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

” No Objection To Declassification in .rull 2013/02/04 : NLC-24-91-3-3-8

MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF ARGENTINA HAVE LED US TO MISCAL­
CULATIONS IN POLICY. MOST TROUBLING, HE ASSERTED, HAS
BEEN OUR MISUNDERSTANDING OE ARGENTINA'S HUMAN RIGHTS
SITUATION. IN HIS SECOND PRESENTATION, ON JANUARY 24,
BRIGADIER PASTOR SUGGESTED SPECIFIC REMEDIES FOR
RESTORING FULL CONFIDENCE AND COOPERATION.■

7. A SEPARATE MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION COVERS
ECONOMY MINISTER MARTINEZ DE HOZ'S RESPONSE TO OUR
EFFORTS TO ENLIST ARGENTINA'S HELP IN KEEPING GRAINS
SHIPMENTS TO THE SOVIET UNION AT EARLIER EXISTING
LEVELS. END MEMCON INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY.
81. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23: FOREIGN MINISTER PASTOR'S
FIRST PRESENTATION.
PASTOR RESPONDED TO GENERAL GOODPASTER'S EXPLANATION
OF PROBLEMS RISING FROM THE SOVIET INVASION CF
AFGHANISTAN, AND THE GENERAL'S PROPOSED AGENDA FOR
DISCUSSING ARGENTINA'S ROLE IN THESE, WITH THE WISH
AT SOME POINT TO COVER THE FULLEST RANGE OF POLITICAL
PROBLEMS EXISTING BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND THE UNITED
STATES.

9. LATER PASTOR LED INTO HIS SUBJECT WITH A RHETORICAL
QUESTION: IF GRAINS SHIPMENT COOPERATION IS SO IMPORTANT
JUST NOW IN OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS — EVEN AS WE ADMIT
THAT THIS PROBLEM IS TRANSITORY AND CIRCUMSTANTIAL --
HOW MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE RELATIONS ON SUCH
BASIS THAT IN FAR MORE SERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, WAR FOR
EXAMPLE, THE UNITED STATES AND ARGENTINA WOULD STAND
TOGETHER?

10. WE CANNOT ARRIVE AT THIS HOWEVER WITH "ON-THE-SPOT*
DISCUSSIONS. WE NEED TIME, AND IT IS REQUIRED THAT VS
ADDRESS A SERIES OF POLITICAL-MILITARY AND OTHER QUESTIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY. PASTOR CONTINUED, MEDIOCRE OR’BAD RELATIONS
ARE THE NORM BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND THE U.S. THE UNITED
STATES HAS SELDOM UNDERSTOOD ARGENTINE REALITIES, AND
BAD INFORMATION AND MISJUDGMENT HAVE LED TO ERRORS OF
U.S. POLICY, AND INADMISSIBLE U.S.G. ACTIONS.

1. A GREAT U.S. ERROR WAS FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
ARGENTINA FOUGHT A VAR AGAINST TERRORISM-COMMUNISM THAT
LASTED BETWEEN TWO AND THREE TREARS. AND ARGENTINA VON
THE WAR — UNLIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, NICARAGUA. THE U.S*
SHOULD BE PROUD OF ARGENTINA FOR HAVING DONE THIS —
RATHER THAN ASSUMING THAT "VIOLENT REPRESSION* VIS
THE HALLMARK OF THIS GOVERNMENT. YET IS IS iTHIS
SYMBOLISM, PASTOR VENT ON, THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN SO

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Nn Ohiortinn Tn Dpr.la^ifir.atinn in riill ?fl13/n?/n4 • Nil T.-74-91-3-3-8