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ACTION ARA-20
INFO OCT-01 ADP-00 CIAE-00 PM-07 H-03 INR-10 L-03 NSAE-00
NSC-10 PA-03 RSC-01 PRS-01 SS-15 USIA-15 NIC-01
ACDA-19 OMB-01 AID-20 IO-13 RSR-01 /144 W
--------------------- 025243
R 222105Z AUG 73
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5121
INFO SECDEF WASHDC
USCINCSO
JCS WASHDC
AMEMBASSY CARACAS
AMEMBASSY LIMA
AMEMBASFY BUENOS AIRES
C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 2589
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: MARR, US, UY
SUBJECT: CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN ARMIES
1. DURING A LENGTHY DISCUSSION OF MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST ON
AUGUST 17, URUGUAYAN ARMY CINC GENERAL CHIAPPE TOLD ME THAT
HE HAD INFORMATION THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ATTEMPT MADE IN CARACAS
NEXT MONTH TO ISOLATE THE U.S. AND PUT US ON THE DEFENSIVE AT THE
CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN ARMIES. HE SAID U.S. REPRESENTA-
TIVES MIGHT HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME AS WE HAVE FEW SUPPORTERS LEFT
IN SOUTH AMERICA AND IMPLIED THAT WE WOULD DO WELL ALWAYS TO KEEP
GOOD FRIENDS LIKE URUGUAY IN MIND.
2. TODAY'S (AUG 22) EL PAIS PUBLISHED AN EDITORIAL WHICH STATES
THAT ARGENTINA AND PERU HAVE DISAGREED WITH THE PROPOSED AGENDA
OF THE MEETING OF ARMY CHIEFS IN CARACAS AND THAT THE TWO WOULD
PRESENT A COUNTERPROPOSAL TO THE EFFECT THAT IT IS TIME TO GO BEYOND
THE STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL OR TECHNICAL MILITARY MATTERS TO ISSUES OF
CONTINENTAL CONCERN. ACCORDING TO EL PAIS, THE ARGENTINES AND
PERUVIANS WOULD ARGUE THAT THE COLD WAR IS OVER, THAT INTERNATIONAL
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SECURITY PROPOSALS SHOULD NOT BE AT THE SERVICE OF ONE POWER AND
THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO FACE NOT ONLY ANY EVENTUAL MILITARY AGGRES-
SION BUT ALSO ECONOMIC AGGRESSION AND IDEOLOGICAL INFLUENCES WHICH
AFFECT NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE. BOTH ARGENTINA AND PERU CONSIDER
INTERNAL SECURITY TO BE THE EXCLUSIVE CONCERN OF EACH NATION BUT
ACCORDING TO EL PAIS ARGENTINE SOURCES INDICATE THAT THE ARGENTINES
WILL WISH TO DISCUSS "FORMS OF ECONOMIC AGGRESSION WHICH CREATE
CONDITIONS WHICH BREED SUBVERSIVE MOVEMENTS."
3. THE EDITORIAL STATES THAT THE MEETING OBVIOUSLY WILL RAISE MATTERS
OF GREAT INTEREST, SUCH AS WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIORITIES OF THE
HEMISPHERIC ARMED FORCES. MOVING TO THE URUGUAYAN SCENE, EL
PAIS SAYS THAT THE URUGUAYAN MILITARY CHIEFS THROUGH THEIR
COMMUNIQUES HAVE VOICED CONCERNS WHICH SOULD FIND ECHOES IN
CARACAS. IT CLOSES WITH A SUGGESTION THAT URUGUAYANS' OFFICALS
GET TOGETHER SO THAT THE NATION WILL HAVE, AS IT SHOULD, A SINGLE
FOREIGN POLICY.
4 COMMENT: AT THIS POINT I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE, AS
EL PAIS IMPLIES, DIFFERENT CURRENTS WITHIN THE MLIITARY WITH RESPECT
TO THE ARGENTINE-PERUVIAN APPROACH (WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN LEAKED
TO EL PAIS BY THE MILITARY.) IN RETROSPECT CHIAPPE MAY HAVE BEEN
LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FOR A GROUP OBJECTING TO THE ARGENTINE-PERUVIAN
APPROACH OR JUST HINTING TO ME THAT THE U.S. SHOULD CONTINUE TO HELP
ITS FRIENDS IN URUGAY. IN ANY EVENT, THE IMPRESSION FROM HERE IS
THAT THE U.S. REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CARACAS CONFERENCE WILL HAVE
TO BE PREPARED TO ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND
IDEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS.
ORTIZ
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