211. Memorandum of a Conversation, San Carlos de Bariloche, February 28, 1960, 2:15 p.m.1
PARTICIPANTS
- US
- Secretary Herter
- Assistant Secretary Rubottom
- Argentina
- President Frondizi
- Foreign Minister Taboada
- Ambassador Del Carril
- Minister Orfila
SUBJECT
- U.S. Ban on Argentine Cured Meats
The President next raised the problem of the ban by the U.S. on cured meats, rather sharply protesting the sudden action taken. The Secretary expressed the hope that the scientific problem involving risk that the hoof and mouth disease might enter the U.S. in such meat might be separated from the trade problem. The President suggested that the U.S. and Argentina regularly consult on these matters just as [Page 617] the U.S. undertakes to do in the case of prospective PL 480 sales to countries which are markets for Argentine products. The Secretary said that he would like to see such consultations carried out. In reply to a question by Mr. Rubottom as to whether Argentina had been able to shift most of the meat exported after the curing process over to exports of canned meat, the President said they had not been able to do so and there was a resulting loss of 30 to 40 million dollars per year of exports. (U.S. figures show that such sales total 18 to 20 million dollars per year.) Besides, said the President, Argentina would have to face the problem of the expensive importation of tinplate were such meat to be canned instead of cured (cured meat being shipped in barrels). One reason why the President had mentioned Argentina’s dire need for increased steel production capacity in the private sector in his discussion with President Eisenhower had been just such requirements as that of tinplate. The President ended the discussion on this topic by saying that it was an immediate challenge to both countries to try and settle the problem.
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 599, CF 1596. Confidential. Drafted by Rubottom. See also Documents 209, 210, 212, and 213.↩