800.8830/1995: Telegram

The Ambassador in Argentina (Armour) to the Secretary of State

2223. Department’s 1674, November 6, 11 p.m. La Prensa of November 8 quotes Flota Mercante as saying that it will suspend carrying newsprint from the United States, such instructions being attributed to President Castillo. Bares74 of Flota Mercante today confirmed this but said suspension was temporary only and he anticipated satisfactory solution of matter within a few days. He also denied rumors in local press that October agreement between Flota Mercante and War Shipping prorating had been rejected by Argentine Government.

Argentine Government’s plan for handling the newsprint matter may be along the lines of following information supplied by Bedoya of Crítica which is based on recent conversation between Castillo and Crítica representative.

(1)
Proclaimed List will be respected in that newsprint carried by Flota Mercante will not be made available to Pampero, Cabildo, Grisol, Mattino D’Italia or Deutsche La Plata Zeitung.
(2)
Argentine Government probably will buy newsprint and distribute it among newspapers on the basis of recommendations made by the existing Newsprint Advisory Committee, which will be extended to include Razón, Crítica, Mundo and interior papers.
(3)
We will not be permitted to allocate newsprint among newspapers.
(4)
Swedish newsprint will come in as at present presumably without official control over allocation.

At least part of the reason for the proposed action is the annoyance of the Government, in this case shared by other papers concerning the disproportionately large quantity of newsprint being obtained by La Prensa.

Further developments will be reported at earliest opportunity.

Armour
  1. José Bares, of Flota Mercante del Estado.