Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 9546 / 251,287

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/12
1996/11
1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/10 2001/11
2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AMED AF ASEC AEMR AR APECO AM AJ AFIN AMGT AU AE ABLD AG AORC ASIG APER AMBASSADOR ASEAN AA AL ASUP AS ABUD AX AID AUC ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG ADANA AFFAIRS AND AN ADCO ARM AY ATRN AECL AADP ACOA APEC AGRICULTURE ACS ADPM ASCH AMEX ACAO ANET AODE ARF ACBAQ APCS AMG AQ AMCHAMS AO ATFN AROC AFGHANISTAN AFU AER ALOW AC AZ AVERY AGMT
BO BD BR BA BRUSSELS BL BM BEXP BH BTIO BIDEN BT BC BU BY BX BG BK BF BBSR BMGT BTIU BE BWC BB BILAT
CS CASC CA CVIS CY CO CI CH CU CONDOLEEZZA CR CSW CPAS CMGT CJUS CDG CE CG CBW COUNTER CN CKGR COUNTERTERRORISM CODEL CWC CJAN CIA CD CLINTON CT CARSON CONS CB CM CW CFED CLMT CROS CNARC CIDA CBSA CIC CEUDA CHR CITT CAC CACM CVR CAPC COPUOS CBC CDB CAN COE COUNTRY CLEARANCE CACS CF CL CIS CTM COM CV CICTE
DEA DR DA DOMESTIC DHS DAO DCM DEPT DTRA DPRK DEFENSE DE DJ DISENGAGEMENT DOD DEAX DOE DK DS
ETRD ELAB ECON EG EUN EAIR EAID EU ECIN ENRG EPET EFIN EAGR EINT EIND ENERG ELTN ETTC EINV ECPS EWWT ES EN EC ER EI EZ ET EK EINVECONSENVCSJA ECONOMICS EXTERNAL ELN ELECTIONS EMIN EINN EFINECONCS ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ENIV ECUN EFIS ENGR ENNP EUR EAP EEPET ETRDEINVTINTCS ENVI EFTA ETRO ESENV ECINECONCS ENVR ECONOMY ECONOMIC EUMEM EAIDS ETRA ETRN EUREM EFIM EIAR EXIM ERD EINVEFIN ECIP EINDETRD EUC EREL ECA ENGY ECONCS EINVETC ECONEFIN ESA ETC ETRDECONWTOCS EUNCH
FI FR FREEDOM FTAA FARC FAO FJ FMLN FBI FOR FTA FOREIGN FINANCE FO FISO FDA FAC FOI FM FINR
GOV GAERC GG GT GM GV GH GOI GA GTIP GR GZ GE GCC GY GANGS GL GLOBAL GERARD GF GAZA GTMO
HR HO HA HUMAN HU HILLARY HSTC HK HUMOR HEBRON HURI HYMPSK
IR IS IMO ID IZ ICAO IV IC IT IZPREL IRAQI IO IN IAEA ITPHUM ITPGOV ITALIAN IPR INRB ITALY ICRC INTERPOL IQ IWC ICTY INTELSAT IEFIN IA INR IRC IACI ITRA IL ICJ INTERNAL ISRAELI INMARSAT ITU ILC IBRD IMF ILO IDP ITF IBET IGAD IEA IAHRC ICTR IDA IIP INRA INRO IRAJ IF
JA JO JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JM JUS JAMES
KISL KIRF KWBG KDEM KTFN KN KPAO KWMN KCIP KCRM KIPR KOMC KJUS KOLY KMDR KSCA KSTH KMPI KZ KG KNNP KICC KTIA KHLS KU KTDB KVPR KFRD KCOR KE KV KSUM KPAL KSEP KTIP KSTC KGIC KPKO KFLO KAWC KUNR KS KNPP KIDE KNEI KBIO KPRP KR KMCA KTEX KGIT KNSD KCFE KLIG KFLU KBCT KOMS KGHG KBTS KACT KCRS KGCC KDRG KWMM KAWK KHIV KSPR KRVC KRAD KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KOCI KPAI KHSA KTLA KO KFSC KVIR KX KFTFN KHDP KPLS KSAF KMFO KRCM KCSY KSAC KPWR KTRD KID KWNM KMRS KICA KRIM KIRC KPOA KCHG KREC KWAC KMIG KSEC KIFR KDEMAF KFIN KNUC KPIN KPRV KBTR KERG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNUP KTER KDDG KPAK KNAR KREL KCOM KNNPMNUC KRFD KHUM KDEV KCFC KWWMN KTBT KWMNCS
LE LY LU LTTE LI LO LH LG LAB LA LOG LT
MARR MCAP MOPS MX MARAD MASS MIL MO MU MNUC MEPI MR MDC MPOS MEETINGS MD MTCRE MK MUCN MY MASC MRCRE ML MA MEPP MAR MAPP MP MT MAS MTS MLS MI MERCOSUR MC MV MEDIA MILI MEPN MG MW MIK MTCR MZ MOPPS MAPS MCC MASSMNUC MQADHAFI MTRE
NI NL NATO NO NAFTA NDP NIPP NP NS NPT NU NZ NATIONAL NPG NGO NG NK NA NSSP NRR NSG NSC NPA NORAD NT NW NAR NE NASA NSF
OPDC OIIP OPRC OEXC OVIP OAS OREP OTRA OSCE OSAC OPIC ODIP OFDP OIE OECD OPCW OVP OPAD OFDA OIC OSCI OMIG OBSP ON OCS OCII OTR OFFICIALS
PGOV PREL PHUM PK PINR PE PTER PHSA PINS PROP PREF POL PARM PSOE PAK PBTS PAO PM PF PNAT POLITICS PARMS PBIO PSI POLINT POLITICAL PARTIES PL PA PO PGOVLO PORG PGOVE PLN PINF PRELP PAS PPA PRGOV PUNE PG PALESTINIAN POLICY PROG PDEM PREFA PDOV PCI PRAM PTBS PSA POSTS PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PGIV PHUMPGOV PCUL PSEPC PREO PAHO PEPR PINT PU PECON POGOV PINL PKFK PMIL PY PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PMAR PHUMPREL PHUS PRL PGOC PNR PGGV PROV PTERE PGOF PHUMBA PEL POV
QA
RS RICE RUPREL RU RIGHTS RO RW RSP RP REACTION REPORT RCMP RSO RF RFE ROBERT REGION
SOCI SARS SMIG SCUL SENV SNAR SW SA SP SY SENVKGHG SU SF SAN SZ SR SO SHUM SYR SAARC SL SI SNARCS SWE SN SPCE SNARIZ SCRS SC SIPDIS STEINBERG SG SIPRS SH SOFA SANC SK ST SEVN
TBIO TRSY TRGY TSPL TU TX TI TS TO TH TIP TP TW TC TPHY TERRORISM TURKEY TSPA TD TZ TFIN TNGD TINT THPY TBID TF TK TR TT
UZ UK UP UNGA UN USEU US UNSC UNHCR USTR UNMIK USUN UNESCO UNHRC UY UNO UG UNDC UAE UNAUS UNDESCO UNEP UNCHC UNFICYP UNCHR USNC UNIDROIT UNCSD UNDP UNC UNODC USOAS UNPUOS UNCND UV UNCHS UNVIE UE USAID
VT VE VTPREL VZ VM VI VN
WHO WTRO WITH WTRQ WBG WI WTO WHA WMD WMO WIPO WHTI WFP WB WWARD WA WEU WZ
XF XM XR XA XK XH XL XS XG XW XY XE XT XD XZ XV XX XTAG XQ XB XC
YM YI YMCS YE
ZR ZI ZANU ZU ZO ZP ZB ZL ZK ZF ZN ZA ZOELLICK ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 09STATE60490, ARGENTINA -- 2009 TIP REPORT: PRESS GUIDANCE AND

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09STATE60490.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09STATE60490 | 2009-06-11 20:08 | 2011-04-10 00:12 | UNCLASSIFIED | Secretary of State
Appears in these articles: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1364384-el-temor-oculto-del-gobierno-a-nuevos-actos-terroristas

`

    VZCZCXYZ0002
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHC #0490 1622116
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    O 112051Z JUN 09
    FM SECSTATE WASHDC
    TO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE 0000

` `

    UNCLAS STATE 060490

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: KTIP ELAB KCRM KPAO KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG AR
    SUBJECT: ARGENTINA -- 2009 TIP REPORT: PRESS GUIDANCE AND
    DEMARCHE

    REF: A. STATE 59732
         ¶B. STATE 005577

    ¶1. This is an action cable; see paras 5 through 7 and 10.

    ¶2. On June 16, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, the Secretary will
    release the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report at a
    press conference in the Department's press briefing room.
    This release will receive substantial coverage in domestic
    and foreign news outlets.  Until the time of the Secretary's
    June 16 press conference, any public release of the Report or
    country narratives contained therein is prohibited.

    ¶3. The Department is hereby providing Post with advance press
    guidance to be used on June 16 or thereafter.  Also provided
    is demarche language to be used in informing the Government
    of Argentina of its tier ranking and the TIP Report's
    imminent release.  The text of the TIP Report country
    narrative is provided, both for use in informing the
    Government of Argentina and in any local media release by
    Post's public affairs section on June 16 or thereafter.
    Drawing on information provided below in paras 8 and 9, Post
    may provide the host government with the text of the TIP
    Report narrative no earlier than 1200 noon local time Monday
    June 15 for WHA, AF, EUR, and NEA countries and OOB local
    time Tuesday June 16 for SCA and EAP posts.  Please note,
    however, that any public release of the Report's information
    should not/not precede the Secretary's release at 10:00 am
    EDT on June 16.

    ¶4. The entire TIP Report will be available on-line at
    www.state.gov/g/tip shortly after the Secretary's June 16
    release.  Hard copies of the Report will be pouched to posts
    in all countries appearing on the Report.  The Secretary's
    statement at the June 16 press event, and the statement of
    and fielding of media questions by G/TIP,s Director and
    Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Ambassador-at-Large Luis
    CdeBaca, will be available on the Department's website
    shortly after the June 16 event.  Ambassador de Baca will
    also hold a general briefing for officials of foreign
    embassies in Washington DC on June 17 at 3:30 pm EDT.

    ¶5. Action Request: No earlier than OOB local time Monday June
    15 for WHA, AF, EUR, and NEA posts and OOB local time on
    Tuesday June 16 for SCA and EAP posts, please inform the
    appropriate official in the Government of Argentina of the
    June 16 release of the 2009 TIP Report, drawing on the points
    in para 9 (at Post's discretion) and including the text of
    the country narrative provided in para 8.  For countries
    where the State Department has lowered the tier ranking, it
    is particularly important to advise governments prior to the
    Report being released in Washington on June 16.

    ¶6. Action Request continued:  Please note that, for those
    countries which will not receive an ""action plan"" with
    specific recommendations for improvement, posts should draw
    host governments' attention to the areas for improvement
    identified in the 2009 Report, especially highlighted in the
    ""Recommendations"" section of the second paragraph of the
    narrative text.  This engagement is important to establishing
    the framework in which the government's performance will be
    judged for the 2010 Report.  If posts have questions about
    which governments will receive an action plan, or how they
    may follow up on the recommendations in the 2009 Report,
    please contact G/TIP and the appropriate regional bureau.

    ¶7. Action Request continued: On June 16, please be prepared
    to answer media inquiries on the Report's release using the
    press guidance provided in para 11.  If Post wishes, a local
    press statement may be released on or after 10:30 am EDT June
    16, drawing on the press guidance and the text of the TIP
    Report's country narrative provided in para 8.

    ¶8. Begin Final Text of Argentina,s country narrative in the
    2009 TIP Report:

    --------------------------------
    ARGENTINA (TIER 2 WATCH LIST)
    --------------------------------

    Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country for
    men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of
    commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.  Many
    victims are trafficked within the country, from rural areas
    to urban centers, for forced prostitution.  Some Argentine
    women and girls are trafficked to neighboring countries,
    Mexico, and Western Europe for commercial sexual
    exploitation.  Foreign women and children, primarily from
    Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, are
    trafficked to Argentina for the same purpose.   A significant
    number of Bolivians, Paraguayans, and Peruvians are
    trafficked into the country for forced labor in sweatshops
    and agriculture.  Some reporting suggests that Chinese
    migrants are trafficked for forced labor into Chinese-owned
    supermarkets.  Child sex tourism is a problem, particularly
    in the tri-border area and in Buenos Aires.  Argentina is a
    transit point for foreign women and girls trafficked into
    commercial sexual exploitation in Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and
    Western Europe.  Argentina,s long borders make the country
    an easy transit area for traffickers and their victims.

    The Government of Argentina does not fully comply with the
    minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
    however, it is making significant efforts to do so.  During
    the past year, the Government of Argentina approved national
    legislation to prohibit and punish all forms of human
    trafficking, increased law enforcement efforts to arrest
    trafficking suspects and rescue victims, and improved
    government mechanisms for directing trafficking victims to
    shelter care and services.  Despite such efforts, the
    government did not show evidence of progress in convicting
    and sentencing trafficking offenders and ensuring adequate
    victim assistance across the country; therefore, Argentina
    remains on Tier 2 Watch List.

    Recommendations for Argentina:  Continue to implement the new
    anti-trafficking law vigorously; intensify law enforcement
    efforts to dismantle trafficking networks; increase judicial
    and prosecutorial efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict,
    and punish trafficking offenders, including corrupt public
    officials who may facilitate or be involved with trafficking
    activity; increase investigations of forced labor and
    domestic servitude crimes; dedicate more resources for victim
    assistance; sustain anti-trafficking training for law
    enforcement, judges, and other public officials, including
    labor inspectors; and improve data collection.

    Prosecution
    --------------
    The government demonstrated some progress in anti-trafficking
    law enforcement efforts last year.  Argentina prohibits all
    forms of trafficking pursuant to Law 26,364, enacted in April
    2008, which prescribes penalties of three to 15 years,
    imprisonment.  Such penalties are sufficiently stringent and
    commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes,
    such as rape.  During the reporting period, the government
    conducted 169 raids on suspected commercial sex sites and
    sweatshops, rescued 181 trafficking victims, and arrested 196
    suspects.  Two-thirds of victims rescued by federal law
    enforcement agencies were adults.  The Prosecutor General's
    specialized Unit to Assist Investigations into Kidnapping,
    Extortion Crimes, and Trafficking in Persons (UFASE) also
    conducted 35 trafficking investigations, and forwarded 10
    trafficking cases to the courts for formal investigation.
    No anti-trafficking convictions or sentences were reported
    for 2008; provincial governments secured at least 10
    trafficking-related convictions, with sentences ranging from
    four to 17 years, imprisonment, in 2007.  A Buenos Aires
    city court began trial proceedings against a suspect accused
    of forcing eight Dominican women into prostitution in a
    private apartment after being promised jobs as waitresses.
    Since the case predates the new trafficking law, the suspect
    was indicted on forced servitude charges.  In August 2008, a
    Chubut provincial judge set for trial a case against a
    suspected human trafficker in the province.  Seven
    co-defendants were acquitted for lack of evidence, following
    a ruling that wiretap evidence had been gathered illegally.
    Last year, the government established a first-responder
    office to coordinate criminal investigations and direct
    assistance to trafficking victims, and sponsored basic
    anti-trafficking training for law enforcement personnel.

    According to NGOs and international organizations, some
    elements of the country,s security forces are complicit with
    human trafficking activity.  Most of these allegations are
    directed against provincial and local officials, though
    allegations relating to federal forces came to light during
    the past year.  Senior Argentine officials have acknowledged
    these problems and are working to curb them by investigating
    allegations lodged against these officials.  In addition,
    some local police officers and other public officials
    reportedly own brothels where trafficking is suspected to
    occur, or provide traffickers with protection in exchange for
    bribes, sexual services, food, and alcohol.  Other police
    officers turn a blind eye to trafficking activity or tip off
    brothel owners about impending raids.  In December 2008, a
    federal judge summoned police officials for deposition as
    part of an investigation into alleged police protection of a
    ring of brothels suspected of human trafficking in the city
    of Buenos Aires.  No other government investigations or
    prosecutions of corrupt officials were reported last year.

    Protection
    -------------
    The government made efforts to assist trafficking victims
    during the reporting period, though international
    organizations and NGOs provided most specialized assistance
    for trafficking victims.  At the federal level, the Ministry
    of Justice,s first-responder office coordinated victim
    assistance, offering access to medical and psychological
    treatment, as well as legal counseling.  It also offered
    protection to victims who cooperated as witnesses with law
    enforcement investigators and prosecutors.  Argentine
    authorities encouraged victims to assist with the
    investigation and prosecution of their traffickers. While the
    government did not operate shelters dedicated to trafficking
    victims, it referred trafficking victims to other public
    shelters operated by provincial governments or local NGOs.
    In some cases, they provided victims with housing subsidies.
    Most government-funded shelters, however, were oversubscribed
    and could not accommodate trafficking victims.  The quality
    and level of victim care varied widely by province.  The
    government did not employ formal procedures for identifying
    trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, such as
    prostituted women.  There were no specific reports of victims
    being jailed or penalized for unlawful acts committed as a
    direct result of being trafficked.  Although the government
    does not offer formal immigration status for foreign
    trafficking victims, they are not typically deported.
    Trafficking victims who are citizens of Mercosur member or
    associate states, however, can obtain temporary residency in
    Argentina under Argentine immigration law.  During the
    reporting period, the federal government continued modest
    funding for an anti-trafficking NGO providing shelter and
    assistance to victims.

    Prevention
    -------------
    The government sustained prevention activities, and hosted
    two large anti-trafficking conferences with OAS and Mercosur
    member states.  The government also funded anti-trafficking
    media campaigns, particularly in Misiones province.  The
    federal government worked with international organizations
    and NGOs on additional prevention efforts.  The city of
    Buenos Aires continued a prevention campaign against labor
    exploitation, which features a website and hotline through
    which citizens can report information on suspected sites of
    forced labor.  The government provided anti-trafficking
    training to Argentine troops prior to their deployment on
    international peacekeeping operations.  The government
    supported an anti-trafficking campaign -- ""Without Clients,
    There is No Trafficking"" -- and the President publicly called
    on regional governments to work to reduce demand for
    commercial sex acts.

    ¶9. Post may wish to deliver the following points, which offer
    technical and legal background on the TIP Report process, to
    the host government as a non-paper with the above TIP Report
    country narrative:

    (begin non-paper)

    -- The U.S. Congress, through its passage of the 2000
    Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as amended (TVPA),
    requires the Secretary of State to submit an annual Report to
    Congress.  The goal of this Report is to stimulate action and
    create partnerships around the world in the fight against
    modern-day slavery.  The USG approach to combating human
    trafficking follows the TVPA and the standards set forth in
    the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
    Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the
    United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
    Crime (commonly known as the ""Palermo Protocol"").  The TVPA
    and the Palermo Protocol recognize that this is a crime in
    which the victims, labor or services (including in the ""sex
    industry"") are obtained or maintained through force, fraud,
    or coercion, whether overt or through psychological
    manipulation.  While much attention has focused on
    international flows, both the TVPA and the Palermo Protocol
    focus on the exploitation of the victim, and do not require a
    showing that the victim was moved.

    -- Recent amendments to the TVPA removed the requirement that
    only countries with a ""significant number"" of trafficking
    victims be included in the Report. Beginning with the 2009
    TIP Report, countries determined to be a country of origin,
    transit, or destination for victims of severe forms of
    trafficking are included in the Report and assigned to one of
    three tiers.  Countries assessed as meeting the ""minimum
    standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking""
    set forth in the TVPA are classified as Tier 1.  Countries
    assessed as not fully complying with the minimum standards,
    but making significant efforts to meet those minimum
    standards are classified as Tier 2.  Countries assessed as
    neither complying with the minimum standards nor making
    significant efforts to do so are classified as Tier 3.

    -- The TVPA also requires the Secretary of State to provide a
    ""Special Watch List"" to Congress later in the year.
    Anti-trafficking efforts of the countries on this list are to
    be evaluated again in an Interim Assessment that the
    Secretary of State must provide to Congress by February 1 of
    each year.  Countries are included on the ""Special Watch
    List"" if they move up in ""tier"" rankings in the annual TIP
    Report -- from 3 to 2 or from 2 to 1 ) or if they have been
    placed on the Tier 2 Watch List.

    -- Tier 2 Watch List consists of Tier 2 countries determined:
    (1) not to have made ""increasing efforts"" to combat human
    trafficking over the past year; (2) to be making significant
    efforts based on commitments of anti-trafficking reforms over
    the next year, or (3) to have a very significant number of
    trafficking victims or a significantly increasing victim
    population.  As indicated in reftel B, the TVPRA of 2008
    contains a provision requiring that a country that has been
    included on Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years after
    the date of enactment of the TVPRA of 2008 be ranked as Tier
    ¶3.  Thus, any automatic downgrade to Tier 3 pursuant to this
    provision would take place, at the earliest, in the 2011 TIP
    Report (i.e., a country would have to be ranked Tier 2 Watch
    List in the 2009 and 2010 Reports before being subject to
    Tier 3 in the 2011 Report).  The new law allows for a waiver
    of this provision for up to two additional years upon a
    determination by the President that the country has developed
    and devoted sufficient resources to a written plan to make
    significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the
    minimum standards.

    -- Countries classified as Tier 3 may be subject to statutory
    restrictions for the subsequent fiscal year on
    non-humanitarian and non-trade-related foreign assistance
    and, in some circumstances, withholding of funding for
    participation by government officials or employees in
    educational and cultural exchange programs.   In addition,
    the President could instruct the U.S. executive directors to
    international financial institutions to oppose loans or other
    utilization of funds (other than for humanitarian,
    trade-related or certain types of development assistance)
    with respect to countries on Tier 3.  Countries classified as
    Tier 3 that take strong action within 90 days of the Report's
    release to show significant efforts against trafficking in
    persons, and thereby warrant a reassessment of their Tier
    classification, would avoid such sanctions.  Guidelines for
    such actions are in the DOS-crafted action plans to be shared
    by Posts with host governments.

    -- The 2009 TIP Report, issuing as it does in the midst of
    the global financial crisis, highlights high levels of
    trafficking for forced labor in many parts of the world and
    systemic contributing factors to this phenomenon:  fraudulent
    recruitment practices and excessive recruiting fees in
    workers, home countries; the lack of adequate labor
    protections in both sending and receiving countries; and the
    flawed design of some destination countries, ""sponsorship
    systems"" that do not give foreign workers adequate legal
    recourse when faced with conditions of forced labor.  As the
    May 2009 ILO Global Report on Forced Labor concluded, forced
    labor victims suffer approximately $20 billion in losses, and
    traffickers, profits are estimated at $31 billion. The
    current global financial crisis threatens to increase the
    number of victims of forced labor and increase the associated
    ""cost of coercion.8

    -- The text of the TVPA and amendments can be found on
    website www.state.gov/g/tip.

    -- On June 16, 2009, the Secretary of State will release the
    ninth annual TIP Report in a public event at the State
    Department.  We are providing you an advance copy of your
    country's narrative in that report.  Please keep this
    information embargoed until 10:00 am Washington DC time June
    ¶16.  The State Department will also hold a general briefing
    for officials of foreign embassies in Washington DC on June
    17 at 3:30 pm EDT.
    (end non-paper)

    ¶10. Posts should make sure that the relevant country
    narrative is readily available on or though the Mission's web
    page in English and appropriate local language(s) as soon as
    possible after the TIP Report is released.  Funding for
    translation costs will be handled as it was for the Human
    Rights Report.  Posts needing financial assistance for
    translation costs should contact their regional bureau,s EX
    office.

    ¶11. The following is press guidance provided for Post to use
    with local media.

    Q1: Why was Argentina given a ranking of Tier 2 Watch List?

    A:  The Department of State is required by law to submit a
    report each year to the U.S. Congress on foreign
    governments, efforts to eliminate trafficking in persons.
    This Report is the ninth annual TIP Report.  The Embassy
    drafts a yearly update on trafficking developments in
    Argentina to submit to the Department of State, which then
    draws from that information along with information gathered
    from a variety of other sources for its public report on
    trafficking in persons.

    This Report is intended to raise global awareness and spur
    foreign governments to take effective actions to counter all
    forms of trafficking in persons * a form of modern day
    slavery.  The Report has increasingly focused the efforts of
    a growing community of nations to share information and to
    partner in new and important ways to fight human trafficking.
     Argentina is an active partner in that community.

    In assessing foreign governments, efforts, the TIP Report
    highlights the ""three Ps"" * prosecution, protection, and
    prevention.  Every country, including the United States, has
    its own trafficking problems that it must address.  During
    the past year, the Government of Argentina has made efforts
    to confront the scourge of trafficking through passage of
    federal anti-TIP legislation; increased law enforcement
    efforts to arrest trafficking suspects and rescue victims;
    and improving mechanisms to direct trafficking victims to
    shelter care and services.  Despite such efforts, the
    government did not show evidence of progress in convicting
    and sentencing trafficking offenders and ensuring adequate
    victim services and assistance across the country last year.

    The U.S. Embassy will continue to work with the Government of
    Argentina in its efforts to strengthen its anti-trafficking
    regime.

    Q2: What is the nature of Argentina,s trafficking problem?

    A:  Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country
    for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of
    commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.  Many
    victims are trafficked within the country, from rural areas
    to urban centers, for forced prostitution.  Some Argentine
    women and girls are trafficked to neighboring countries,
    Mexico, and Western Europe for commercial sexual
    exploitation.  Foreign women and children, primarily from
    Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, are
    trafficked to Argentina for the same purpose.   A significant
    number of Bolivians, Paraguayans, and Peruvians are
    trafficked into the country for forced labor in sweatshops
    and agriculture.  Some reporting suggests that Chinese
    migrants are trafficked for forced labor into Chinese-owned
    supermarkets.  Child sex tourism is a problem, particularly
    in the tri-border area and in Buenos Aires.  Argentina is a
    transit point for foreign women and girls trafficked into
    commercial sexual exploitation in Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and
    Western Europe.

    Q3: How can Argentina improve its anti-trafficking efforts?

    A:  To advance its efforts to combat human trafficking, the
    Government of Argentina could: continue to implement the new
    anti-trafficking law vigorously; intensify law enforcement
    efforts to dismantle trafficking networks; increase judicial
    and prosecutorial efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict
    and punish trafficking offenders, including corrupt public
    officials who may facilitate or be involved with trafficking
    activity; increase investigations of forced labor and
    domestic servitude crimes; dedicate more resources for victim
    assistance; sustain anti-trafficking training for law
    enforcement, judges, and other public officials, including
    labor inspectors; and improve data collection.

    ¶12. The Department appreciates posts, assistance with the
    preceding action requests.
    CLINTON

`