US envoy hedges on Iran behind AMIA (Argentina)

[struggle4progress]

Transener controversy played down as ‘misunderstanding’

By Michael Soltys and Rebecca Wright
Herald staff

Visiting US State Department officials Nicholas Burns and Thomas Shannon packed an intense agenda and a broad range of issues into a single day yesterday, blaming Iran for terrorism in general while stopping short of pointing the finger at Tehran for the two terrorist attacks in Argentina between 1992 and 1994.

Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Burns also played down the controversy over US Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne’s intercession on behalf of Eton Park’s bid for a share of Transener power transmission company as a "misunderstanding," saying that Wayne had been doing his job in every sense by trying to encourage US investment. He also had harsh words for Venezuela amid a flurry of press questions.

Asked by the Herald whether Washington thought that Iran and Hezbollah were behind the two terrorist attacks, as Israel claims, Burns said: "In general, we do believe that Iran is behind terrorist attacks against the United States" and "that Iran continues to be a large funder... even the central banker, of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Palestinian Liberation Authority general command." ...

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/argentina/note.jsp?idContent=356216

[struggle4progress]

1. Burns warns against example set by Chávez in region

Argentina’s nuclear, peacekeeping co-operation praised

In a morning speech to CARI (the Argentine Council for International Relations), Burns outlined five key elements for anti-terrorist operations: a military response as seen in Iraq, international intelligence co-operation, judicial co-operation, economic co-operation and finally diplomatic co-operation.

At an afternoon press conference, Burns highlighted Argentine co-operation in nuclear issues especially, describing Argentina as Washington’s “strongest non-proliferation partner in the hemisphere” and pointing out that Argentina is only one of two countries in the Americas to agree to anti-nuclear safeguards for port containers. He also expressed appreciation of Argentina’s contribution to peacekeeping, including 575 troops posted in Haiti ...

.. Asked at the press conference whether the US was ready to be self-critical about its “political prisoners” in Guantánamo, Burns responded: “Absolutely not.” The US prided itself on being a “champion of human rights in the world.” ...

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/argentina/note.jsp?idContent=356233&hideIntro=true