:
RESTRICTED
FM BUENOS AIRES
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 206
OF 21123OZ MARCH 90
UK/ARGENTINA:
VISA ABOLITION
RESTRICTED
HKC 345
RECEI
9 APR 1990
DESKIC
STRY
IN...
on Taken
107231 MDHIAN 2283
༢
SUMMARY
1. ARGENTINES WISH TO ACHIEVE VISA ABOLITION BY MEANS OF AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES ON 9 APRIL. INSTRUCTIONS REQUESTED.
DETAIL
2.
OTEGUI AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HANDED ME ON THE EVENING OF 20 MARCH THE DRAFT OF A FIRST PERSON NOTE PROPOSING ABOLITION OF VISAS (SEE MY TWO IFTS FOR SPANISH TEXT AND FREE TRANSLATION). HE SAID THE DRAFT WAS A REACTION TO THE WISH FOR EARLY VISA ABOLITION EXPRESSED BY MR SAINSBURY DURING HIS MEETING WITH THE ARGENTINE FOREIGN MINISTER IN BRAZIL ON 16 MARCH. IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR THE TEXT TO BE AGREED IN TIME CAVALLO WOULD LIKE TO EXCHANGE NOTES DURING HIS MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 9 APRIL.
3. I SAID I WOULD TRANSMIT THE DRAFT IMMEDIATELY TO LONDON. THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME AND THE PROPOSAL MIGHT BE A LITTLE AMBITIOUS.
AFTER LOOKING BRIEFLY THROUGH THE TEXT I SAID I NOTICED THAT THE AGREEMENT WOULD NOT BE APPLICABLE TO BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS BORN ON ARGENTINE TERRITORY. OTEGUI SAID THE LATTER WAS DELIBERATELY NOT FURTHER DEFINED IN THE TEXT, ALTHOUGH IN ARGENTINE EYES IT INCLUDED THE FALKLANDS. THE ARGENTINES WOULD BE CONTENT TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE WHITE CARD SYSTEM AND THEIR STRONG PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT BOTH SIDES ACCEPTED THAT THAT ELEMENT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AGREEMENT SHOULD REMAIN IN FORCE (ALTHOUGH THEY FULLY UNDERSTOOD THAT OUR VIEW WAS THAT THE AGREEMENT NO LONGER HAD ANY VALIDITY).
COMMENT
5.
FROM THE ACCOUNT WE HAVE SEEN CHATFULL'S TELELETTER OF 19 MARCH) IT WAS CAVALLO HIMSELF WHO MADE THE RUNNING ON VISAS AT BRASILIA. BUT IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY LEND GREAT SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE TO CAVALLO'S MEETING WITH MR HURD IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO EXCHANGE NOTES AS SUGGESTED ON 9 APRIL. IF IT IS A COMPLETE NON-STARTER
PAGE
1
RESTRICTED