LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000300120051-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2004
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: December 31, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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Top Secret
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Latin American Trends
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Argentina: Turning the Other Cheek
Peking's pragmatic, non-ideological foreign
policy approach to the Third World has long been
best exemplified by willingness to ignore inter-
national opinion and maintain cordial relations
with the rigritist military regime in Chile. Re-
cently, however, Chinese diplomacy has been en-
during an acid test of different sorts in neighbor-
ing Argentina.
In apparent reaction to increased activity by
Argentine terrorists, the Peron government this
summer began enforcing lonq-standing but hitherto
laxly implemented travel, '7isa; and censorshi,
regulations on communist news representatives in
Argentina. The Chinese ambassador officially pro-
tested what hs termed "harassment" of NCNA personnel
but to no avail. The Argentines not only refused
to lift any of the restrictions but also began talk-
ing of prohibiting Chinese publications from enter-
ing the country. In late October Peking withdrew
the NCNA contingent from Buenos Aires and there is
no indication of any plans for its return.
That the Chinese have not chose- to make a
major issue of the NCNA contretemr: is a measure of
the continued importance Peking places on maintain-
ing good state-to-state relations in Latin America
and the rest of the Third World. Within the past
month Peking has
I renegoti-
a e a ino- rgentine maritime transport agreement
--important to bilateral trade and especially to
any future Argentine grains sales to China--and re-
stated its intention to send a trade delegation to
December 31, 1975
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I eady-made means for ~riina to try to turn the
Peron government mound on the restrictions on NCNA
personnel but Peking was clearly not willing to risk
the broader strains on Sino-Argentine ties that might
have resulted.
Chinese patience with Buenos Aires may be tested
further. Recently, high-ranking Argentine security
officials have publicly voiced suspicions that out-
side communist elements are supporting the terrorists.
At least one official has pinpointed the Chinese in
this regard. These accusations coincided with a visit
to China by a delegation from the Argentine Revolution-
ary Communist Party.
onservative elements in Buenos Aires, however, un-
doubtedly see some linkage between the Argentine dele-
gation's visit and increased terrorism and will prob-
ably continue to make bureaucratic life hard for Lhe
Chinese mission in Argentina. If recent develor.TM.:;?ts
are any sign, Peking can be expected to roll with the
punches-.
December 31, 1975
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