INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Ag Gonzales's Meeting with Minister of Justice Iribarne

Published: Thu 15 Feb 2007 07:32 PM
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #0302/01 0461932
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151932Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7297
INFO RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0186
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5790
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5940
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 6180
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5941
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000302
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDOJ FOR AAG ALICE FISHER AND DAG BRUCE SWARTZ
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SNAR SCUL AR
SUBJECT: AG GONZALES'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF JUSTICE IRIBARNE
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Attorney General (AG), senior USDOJ officials,
and the Ambassador met with the Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Alberto Iribarne and Secretary of Justice Marcela Losardo on
February 7 to exchange views on USG and GOA efforts to combat
transnational crime, such as terrorism financing, money-laundering
and human trafficking. The Minister also outlined GOA judicial
reform efforts, and the AG offered technical assistance to bolster
Argentine prosecutors' trial advocacy skills. They also discussed
ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty. Finally, the Minister raised the case of an
Argentine citizen on death row in Texas, and the AG assured the
Minister that he would relay those concerns to Texan officials. END
SUMMARY.
GOA EFFORTS TO COMBAT MONEY-LAUNDERING/TERRORISM FINANCING
2. (SBU) On February 7, the Attorney General (AG), Assistant AG
Alice Fisher, and other senior USDOJ officials and the Ambassador
met with the Minister of Justice and Human Rights Alberto Iribarne
and Secretary of Justice Marcela Losardo. The Minister began by
highlighting recent GOA efforts to combat terrorism financing and
money laundering. He noted that the Kirchner administration had
recently submitted draft legislation that would criminalize
terrorism financing, and predicted that the bill would pass within
the next few months. The MOJ has also spearheaded the effort to
develop a multi-pronged plan that would unite and coordinate the
efforts of twenty different government agencies to fight money
laundering. The GOA is also in the midst of restructuring and
streamlining the agency responsible of investigating
money-laundering activities. The Minister also thanked the
Ambassador for his letter praising his selection of a new chief of
the financial crimes investigation unit (FIU).
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
3. (SBU) Turning to a discussion on trafficking in persons, the AG
noted that the President has a personal interest in fighting human
trafficking. The Minister asserted that the GOA was also very
concerned about this issue. Several bills have been introduced in
the Argentine Congress to criminalize trafficking in persons, and
the Minister stated that he expected a bill to pass both houses
soon. The Minister stressed that the issue needs to be addressed
regionally and stated that he had discussed the issue at a recent
regional Ministerial meeting. The AG stressed the importance of
providing assistance to victims who are almost always undocumented
immigrants. The Minister stated that the GOA shares this concern.
AG OFFERS ASSISTANCE FOR GOA JUDICIAL REFORM EFFORTS
4. (SBU) Judicial reform is the Minister's highest priority project
a key GOA objective, the Minister asserted, noting that the GOA is
currently transitioning from an inquisitorial to an accusatorial
judicial system. The AG stated that the USG remains committed to
assisting the GOA in its legal reform efforts and offered to train
Argentine prosecutors in trial advocacy for complex prosecutions and
in prosecuting intellectual property crimes. The Minister thanked
the AG for the assistance. The Minister also told the AG about the
Kirchner administration's efforts to gradually downsize the
Argentine Supreme Court from nine to five justices. The
administration has plans ready for a broader set of judicial
reforms; however, the issue got bogged down in a general debate
about crime and the need for comprehensive reforms of Argentina's
legal code, especially sensitive in an election year. Despite these
setbacks, there is widespread agreement on the need for, and the
desired direction, of legal and judicial reform, the Minister
maintained.
5. (SBU) The AG then asked whether Argentina had significant
problems with prison overcrowding and prison gangs. The Minister
responded that Argentina does not have a significant problem with
prison gangs yet, but that the problem is growing. Argentina's
primary gang problem is related to narco-traffickers, the Minister
stated.
VICTOR SALDANO: ARGENTINE CITIZEN ON DEATH ROW IN TEXAS
6. (SBU) In addition to discussing these issues of shared concern,
the Minister stressed the Argentine government's concern regarding
the situation of Victor Hugo Saldano, an Argentine citizen sitting
on death row in a Texas prison. The AG told the Minister that he
was aware of the case and personally familiar with the Texan system
for dealing with capital punishment. He assured the Minister that
he would relay the GOA's concerns to state officials in Texas.
AG OFFERS MLAT CONSULTATIONS AND OTHER TRAINING ASSISTANCE
7. (SBU) The AG, the Ambassador, and the Minister also explored ways
to improve bilateral cooperation under the Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaty. LEGATT noted that the GOA currently has over 600 requests
for legal assistance while the USG only has 60. While both sides
agreed that the system was generally working well, the AG stated
that the USG wants to strengthen bilateral cooperation on MLAT
issues. To that end, the AG offered to send an official from
USDOJ's Office of International Affairs for MLAT consultations as
well as organize a workshop to train GOA officials on how to prepare
MLAT applications and extradition requests. The Minister expressed
appreciation.
8. (U) The Attorney General has not cleared on the language of this
cable.
WAYNE
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