Foreign relations of Argentina

In recent years, Argentina has had a strong partnership with the United States. Argentina was the only Latin American country to participate in the Gulf War and all phases of the Haiti operation. It has contributed to UN peacekeeping operations worldwide, with Argentine soldiers and police serving in Guatemala, Ecuador-Peru, Western Sahara, Angola, Cyprus, Kosovo, Bosnia, and East Timor. In recognition of its contributions to international security and peacekeeping, the U.S. Government designated Argentina as a major non-NATO ally in January 1998. Argentina has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Summit of the Americas[?] process, and currently chairs the Free Trade of the Americas[?] initiative leading to the Buenos Aires Ministerial in April 2001. At the UN, Argentina is a close U.S. collaborator, supporting the U.S. campaign to improve human rights in Cuba and the fight against international terrorism and narcotics trafficking. In November 1998, Argentina hosted the United Nations conference on climate change, and in October 1999 in Berlin, became one of the first nations worldwide to adopt a voluntary greenhouse-gas emissions target.

Eager for closer ties to industrialized nations, Argentina left the Non-Aligned Movement in the early 1990s and has pursued a relationship with the OECD. It has become a leading advocate of nonproliferation efforts worldwide. A strong proponent of enhanced regional stability in South America, Argentina has revitalized its relationship with Brazil; settled lingering border disputes with Chile; discouraged military takeovers in Ecuador and Paraguay; served with the U.S., Brazil, and Chile as one of the four guarantors of the Ecuador-Peru peace process; and restored diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom. In 1998, President Menem made a state visit to the U.K., and Prince Charles reciprocated with a visit to Argentina. In 1999, the two countries agreed to normalize travel to the Falklands/Malvinas Islands from the mainland and resumed direct flights.

Principal Government Officials
President--Fernando de la Rua
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Adalberto Rodriguez Giavarini
Ambassador to the United States--Guillermo Gonzalez
Ambassador to the Organization of American States--Juan Jose Arcuri
Ambassador to the United Nations--Arnoldo Listre

Argentina maintains an embassy in the United States at 1600 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington DC 20009; tel (202) 238-6400; fax (202) 332-3171. It has consular offices in the following locations:

245 Peachtree Center Ave., Suite 2101
Atlanta, GA 30303
Tel: (404) 880-0805; Fax (404) 880-0806

205 North Michigan Ave., Suite 4209
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel (312) 819-2620; Fax (312) 819-2612

3050 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1625
Houston, TX 77056
Tel (713) 871-8935; Fax (713) 871-0639

5055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 210
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel (213) 954-9155; Fax (713) 871-9076

800 Brickell Ave., PH1
Miami, FL 33131
Tel (305) 373-7794; Fax (305) 371-7108

12 West 56th St.
New York, NY 10019
Tel (212) 603-0400; Fax (212) 541-7746

1811 Q St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 238-6460; Fax (202) 332-3171

Other Contact Information
American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina
Viamonte 1133, 8th floor
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel (54)(11) 4371-4500; Fax (54)(11) 4371-8400 Home page: http://www.amchamarg.com

U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
International Trade Administration
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel (202) 482-2436; (800) USA-TRADE; Fax (202) 482-4726; Internet: http://www.ita.doc.gov
Automated fax service for trade-related information: (202) 482-4464

Disputes - international: claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims UK-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US; increasing use as a money-laundering center; domestic consumption of drugs has skyrocketed

Reference Much of the material in this article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

See also:

• Argentina