(C) ARGENTINA OFFERS ABSTENTION ON FIFTH ROUND IN IAEA VOTING

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000762 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2019 TAGS: PREL, PARM, KNNP, IAEA, AR SUBJECT: (C) ARGENTINA OFFERS ABSTENTION ON FIFTH ROUND IN IAEA VOTING REF: A. STATE 56783 B. BUENOS AIRES 0759 Classified By: CDA Tom Kelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) Following up on Charge d'Affaires' June 26 outreach (ref B), Argentina Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of Staff Alberto D'Alotto phoned CDA July 1 to inform him that Argentina had reconsidered its position on the IAEA DG race. D'Alotto said that Foreign Minister Taiana had determined that Argentina would abstain in the anticipated fifth round consideration of Amano, rather than voting no, thereby diminishing the overall "yes" vote that Amano would need to reach two-thirds. Pressed by CDA to consider going further, to a "yes" vote for Amano, D'Alotto said the GOA still considered itself bound by its commitment to South Africa not to vote "yes" on Amano. 2. (C) D'Alotto said he had just spoken to the Minister by phone in Washington, where Taiana is participating in OAS discussions on Honduras, and that Taiana wished to convey that Argentina had made the change "in deference to the Secretary of State's request" and cognizant of CDA's suggestion that Argentina as well as the U.S. needed to take concrete actions to improve bilateral ties. D'Alotto hoped that this step would be recognized as just such a concrete action. KELLY