Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 13359 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen

### Browse latest releases

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

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 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 1985/05 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/07
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/12
1993/01 1993/10
1994/12
1995/04
1996/07 1996/11
1997/06 1997/10 1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 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 Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland 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 Belmopan 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 Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
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 Consulate Karachi
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 Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
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 Suva 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 Sapporo 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 Consulate Thessaloniki
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
ASEC AEMR AMGT AR APECO AU AORC AJ AF AFIN AS AM AFFAIRS ADM ALOW ACOA AID AND APER ADANA APEC ADPM ADCO AADP AA ATRN ARF AG AMED AY AORG ASEAN ABUD AROC AE ABLD AL AO AINF APCS AGAO AODE ACABQ AX AMEX AZ ASUP ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ACBAQ AFSI AFSN AC ASIG ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE ASCH AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AIT ANET AGMT ACS AGR AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BM BTIO BP BO BE BILAT BH BC BIDEN BX BF BBSR BT BMGT BWC BN BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CD CV CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CY CM CONS CW CN CDC CT CONDOLEEZZA CICTE CYPRUS COUNTRY CBE COUNTER COPUOS CTR COM CIVS CARSON CR CFED CKGR CHR CVR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE COE CARICOM CB CSW CIC CITT CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CONSULAR CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CAC CL CACS CAPC
DR DJ DHS DAO DCM DEFENSE DOD DA DOMESTIC DO DK DE DPRK DEPT DEA DISENGAGEMENT DOE DTRA DS DEAX
ECON ETTC EFIS ETRD EC EMIN EAGR EAID EU EFIN EUN ECIN EG EWWT EINV ENRG ELAB EPET EN EAIR EUMEM ECPS ELTN EIND EZ EI ER ET EINT EXIM ENIV ECONOMIC ES ECONOMY ERNG ELECTIONS ENERG EK EPA EFTA ENGR ETRC ENVI EXTERNAL ELN EAIDS ECA ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EINVEFIN EFINECONCS EUREM ECOSOC ETC ENVR EAP EINN EXBS ENGY ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN EDU ETRDEINVTINTCS ECIP EFIM EREL EINVETC ECONCS ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FI FR FAS FOREIGN FTAA FREEDOM FBI FINANCE FM FJ FTA FARC FAC FAO FINR FDA FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO
GM GG GERARD GT GA GR GTIP GLOBAL GV GH GL GOV GOI GF GANGS GTMO GCC GAERC GE GZ GAZA GY GUILLERMO GASPAR
HR HO HA HYMPSK HK HUMAN HU HILLARY HI HURI HSTC HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD INDO IWC IRAQI ISRAELI ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN IPR ICAO ITRA INMARSAT ID ICRC INTERNAL IIP IRS IO ICJ IQ ILC ICTY IEFIN IA INTERPOL IEA INR INRB IAHRC ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRA INRO IBET INTELSAT IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JUS JAMES JOSEPH JOHNNIE JOHN JIMENEZ
KOMC KNNP KFLO KDEM KSUM KIPR KFLU KPAO KE KCRM KJUS KAWC KZ KSCA KDRG KCOR KGHG KPAL KTIP KMCA KCRS KPKO KOLY KRVC KVPR KG KWBG KMDR KTER KSPR KV KTFN KWMN KFRD KSTH KS KN KISL KGIC KSEP KFIN KTEX KTIA KUNR KCMR KMOC KCIP KTDB KBIO KU KSTC KICC KIRC KSEO KSAF KCRCM KR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KIRF KOCI KMPI KIDE KPAONZ KNUC KHLS KPRP KHDP KCOM KAID KHIV KCSY KTRD KNAR KNUP KWAC KJUST KTBT KBCT KNPP KSCI KO KBTS KTLA KACT KPWR KFSC KVIR KENV KAWK KCFE KHSA KX KMFO KNNPMNUC KNDP KVRP KPRV KMRS KERG KPOA KRCM KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KREL KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRAD KBTR KGIT KGCC KICA KHUM KSEC KPIN KESS KDEV KPIR KWWMN KOM KWNM KRFD KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KREC KIFR KSAC KWMNCS KPAK KOMS KFPC KRIM KDDG KCGC KPAI KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LI LTTE LH LG LO LAB LT LA LU LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE ML MR MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MAS MO MTCR MAPP MIL MG MD MAR MZ MP MU MA MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MT MCC MIK MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MEPP MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MI MQADHAFI MPOS MPS MC
NZ NATO NI NO NG NL NU NPT NS NA NATIONAL NSF NDP NR NSSP NP NIPP NE NGO NAS NZUS NH NSG NAFTA NC NEW NRR NT NASA NAR NK NOVO NATOPREL NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG
OTRA OECD OVIP OREP OPRC ODC OIIP OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OMS OEXC OPAD OPCW ODIP OIE OFDP OFFICIALS OSCI OHUM OTR OMIG OSAC OBSP OFDA OVP ON OCII OES OCS OIC
PGOV PREL PARM PINR PHUM PM PREF PTER PK PINS PBIO PHSA PE PBTS PL POL PAK POV PPA POLITICS POLICY PCI PAS PALESTINIAN PROP PTE POLITICAL PA PAIGH PO PROG PJUS PMIL PRAM PARMS PGOF PG PDOV PREO PAO PTERE PSI PRGOV PORG PP PS PKFK PSOE PEPR PINT PMAR PRELP PREFA PNG PFOR PUNE PGOVLO PHUMBA PNAT POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PDEM PECON PY PLN PHUH PEDRO PF PHUS PTBS PU PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PINL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR PROV
QA
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL ROBERT RICE RM REGION RO ROOD RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REMON REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SY SO SP SU SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SG SW SR SPECIALIST SYRIA SEN SC SF SCRS SL SAARC SNARIZ SARS STEINBERG SWE SN SAN ST SIPDIS SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SANC SHI SEVN SHUM SK SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TZ TC TF TN TW TL TV TS TT TK TERRORISM TP TD TO TRSY TURKEY TINT TFIN TAGS TR TBID THPY
UK UNSC UNGA UN US USTR UZ USEU UV UG UP UNAUS UNMIK UY USUN USPS UNHRC UNESCO UNEP UNCHR UNHCR USAID USOAS USNC UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNDP UNODC UNCHS UNFICYP UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNICEF UNCHC UNCSD UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VE VM VT VZ VTEG VTIZ VTPREL VENZ VAT VC VI VN
WHTI WIPO WTRO WS WTO WHO WZ WI WMD WBG WWARD WHA WITH WTRQ WEU WMO WA WFP WB
XA XR XW XX XK XL XM XS XF XG XT XH XY XV XB XU XD XC XE XZ XQ XI XTAG
YI YM YMCS YE
ZU ZI ZP ZR ZOELLICK ZF ZL ZO ZJ ZB ZEALAND ZN ZA ZK ZANU

### 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 08BUENOSAIRES1763, ARGENTINE CHIEF CABINET MINISTER MEETS CODEL MEEKS

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. #08BUENOSAIRES1763.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08BUENOSAIRES1763 | 2008-12-30 17:51 | 2011-03-13 07:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Buenos Aires
Appears in these articles: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1356989-la-presidenta-queria-una-relacion-mas-estrecha-con-estados-unidos

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHBU #1763/01 3651751
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 301751Z DEC 08 ZDK
    FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2800
    INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001763

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PREL OREP ECON AR
    SUBJECT: ARGENTINE CHIEF CABINET MINISTER MEETS CODEL MEEKS

    REF: BUENOS AIRES 1680

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary and introduction:  Argentine Cabinet Chief Minister
    Sergio Massa received in his office at Casa Rosada presidential
    palace Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), and
    Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) December 17.  The codel conveyed a strong U.S.
    desire for dialogue and strengthening bilateral relations.  Massa
    agreed with the codel on the need for international cooperation in
    addressing the global financial crisis, and he said the GOA had
    great expectations for the incoming administration of
    President-elect Obama.  Rep. Meeks concluded the meeting with an
    appeal for the GOA to reach a satisfactory settlement with Met Life
    and New York Life to compensate them for the business they lost when
    the GOA confiscated private pension (AFJP) accounts.  The
    Ambassador, DCM and polcouns (notetaker) accompanied the codel.  End
    summary.

    ¶2. (SBU) After the Ambassador introduced the codel, Massa apologized
    for his delay in starting the meeting, noting that with President
    Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) out of the country, he had to
    deal with a lot of pressing issues.  Rep. Meeks invited Massa to go
    with him to the codel's following event, lunch with the AmCham.
    Massa said he enjoys good relations with AmCham president Juan
    Bruchou but would have to stay in the office.  Meeks said the lunch
    invitation remained pending, in Buenos Aires or Washington.

    Global Financial Crisis
    -----------------------

    ¶3. (SBU) Massa requested codel's views on the global financial
    crisis.  Meeks noted the dimensions of the crisis and the tough
    challenges it presented.  He said the U.S. Congress was doing
    everything it could to stem the tide, employing every stopgap
    measure available, including the $700 billion rescue package.  He
    expressed his belief that President Bush would use at least $10
    billion of that to help the automobile industry.  Meeks pointed out
    the bipartisan nature of the codel, stressing that leaders of both
    parties in Washington were looking to work with other countries like
    Argentina since the impact of the crisis was global.  The crisis was
    a tremendous challenge, but together we could turn it into an
    opportunity.

    ¶4. (SBU) Rep. Hinojosa noted congressional desire to help the
    outgoing and incoming administrations head off growing unemployment
    when major employers were laying off thousands of workers.  He
    stressed congressional support for extraordinary measures, such as
    the stimulus package, to get the economy back on track and generate
    jobs.

    U.S. Economy the Global Tractor
    -------------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) Massa said that, from his perspective, it looked like many
    good initiatives were underway in the United States, which was a
    relief, because the ""U.S. economy is the tractor for the global
    economy.""  He criticized the speculative bubbles that preceded the
    crisis, and he worried that U.S. leaders were bumping up against the
    false dilemma of having to ""choose between Wall Street and Main
    Street,"" but then he hastened to add that he considered the rescue
    of the financial sector to be essential for the recovery of the
    ""real"" economy.  He also thought the President-elect and his team
    were doing a good job of tempering public expectations in advance of
    the inauguration.

    ¶6. (SBU) Rep. Ryan noted that among the many tools being deployed to
    address the crisis, careful attention was being paid to monetary
    policy, which previously had sought to contain inflation but now
    needed to target potential deflation.  He called ""historic"" the
    Federal Reserve's decision the previous day to lower interest rates
    to near zero.  Ultimately, the important thing was to fix the
    financial system by requiring greater transparency and to keep
    speculation from spinning out of control.  He noted the most
    optimistic projection for the duration of the present recession was
    18 months.

    A Short Recession?
    ------------------

    ¶7. (SBU) Massa disagreed, said he expected the recession to be
    shorter, explaining his belief that the lightning speed of modern
    communications (compared to the pace of information in the 1930s)
    would accelerate the recovery.  Rep. Ryan recalled that Federal
    Reserve Chairman Bernanke was one of the most prominent scholars of
    the Great Depression in the 1930s, and that two lessons he had drawn
    from Bernanke's academic work were the negative consequences in this
    type of crisis of taking liquidity out of the system and of enacting
    protectionist measures.

    ¶8. (SBU) Rep. Hinojosa warned against assuming the recession might
    last only 6-12 months.  He acknowledged there were many differences
    between circumstances on the eve of 2009 and those that existed in
    the 1930s, starting with the size of the U.S. population and
    economy.  He expressed concern for the credit crunch, noting how
    difficult it was to get money churning in the economy.  Rep.
    Hinojosa assured Massa the United States would not build a wall of
    protectionism, and that, convinced that trade could be mutually
    beneficial, we were looking to trade with others like Argentina.  He
    also spoke, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, of
    his interest in expanding opportunities for educational exchanges
    between the two countries.

    ¶9. (SBU) Rep. Meeks said the United States and Argentina enjoyed
    good relations, but we could always make them better.  ""You've been
    our ally,"" he said, stressing his appreciation for ongoing bilateral
    cooperation in areas such as narcotics interdiction and
    counter-terrorism.  He said he hoped there would be greater dialogue
    because, in recognition of Argentina's leadership role in the
    region, we wanted to work with the GOA to strengthen the region.
    President-elect Obama will seek the GOA's opinion and cooperation.
    He recalled that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the designated
    Secretary of State, had visited Argentina ""and she will be back.""
    Argentina is key to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.

    ¶10. (SBU) In stressing the importance of building parliamentary ties
    between Argentina and the United States, Rep. Meeks noted, as
    evidence of U.S. congressional desire for dialogue, the
    establishment of a caucus of House members focused on OAS member
    states, an Argentina caucus, and a Dialogue Caucus.

    ¶11. (SBU) Massa welcomed a change in paradigm for U.S. engagement
    with the region and the world.  He noted there had been some ""ups
    and downs"" in the bilateral relationship over the previous four
    years, but there were great expectations for improving relations
    with Washington's new incoming administration.  He hastened to say
    this was not a criticism of the current administration but simply
    the result of President-elect Obama's much-appreciated gesture of
    calling CFK.  The new year would be tough, but CFK was looking
    forward to seeing President Obama at the Summit of the Americas in
    Trinidad and Tobago in April.  Cultural and educational ties were
    important, but the GOA considered trade and investment to be key to
    generating jobs.  He added CFK's belief that there should be no
    double standard on UN obligations; all nations must obey UN
    resolutions.  (Comment:  Massa was previewing with the codel a theme
    that CFK would touch upon publicly later in the day.  Media quoted
    CFK making a similar point, claiming the UK had been ignoring UN
    calls for Argentina and the UK to negotiate on the
    Malvinas/Falklands.)

    U.S. interests in nationalization of private pensions
    --------------------------------------------- --------

    ¶12. (SBU) Rep. Meeks said he hoped the GOA would be able to work out
    satisfactory compensation to MetLife and New York Life for the
    business they lost when the GOA nationalized the country's private
    pension funds (reftel).  He said it was important to address the
    issue in a manner that would send a positive message to investors,
    who were always looking to invest where the rules are clear and
    contracts are enforced.  Rep. Meeks said U.S. legislators were
    ""lying low for now,"" hoping an amicable settlement could be reached
    without congressional intervention.  Massa said the nationalization
    of the private pension system had been poorly explained in the
    press.  He remarked on the problems of providing pension coverage in
    a labor market where 40% of workers were ""informal,"" or off the
    books, and unemployment was as high as 25% only a few years ago.  He
    noted that the private pension funds' commissions were as high as
    30% of contributions, yet the conventional wisdom was that the state
    remained the ultimate guarantor for workers at retirement.  With the
    incorporation of the private pension systems' assets into the public
    retirement system, ""we now all have defined retirement benefits plus
    the possibility of a complementary 401(k)-type system.""

    ¶13. (U) The codel did not have the opportunity to clear this
    report.

    WAYNE

`