LatinWeek

Argentina: On 10 May, the Argentine media published the contents of a letter sent by US President Barack Obama to his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernández. The missive was delivered by the US ambassador to Argentina, Vilma Martí­nez, to Argentina's foreign minister, Jorge Taiana, on 7 May, four days after the former president - and Fernández's husband- Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) was sworn in as first secretary general of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur). This may be interpreted as an indication of the US's recognition of the Kirchners' regional importance as a “power couple" able to liaise between Washington and other countries in the region, namely Venezuela, with whom the Argentines have strong ties and Washington has little rapport. The letter thanked President Fernández for attending the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by Obama in Washington DC on 12-13 April. Obama hailed Argentina's “decision to join the Global Initiative to Fight Nuclear Terrorism and to cooperate with the United Sates' Megaports Program", adding that to this end “your regional leadership is invaluable". The US leader asked Fernández “to approach your neighbours, in particular_those we could not invite to the Summit, to request them to participate in this vision achieved at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington." Obama also thanked Argentina for “its kind offer" to host “the next sherpas meeting" for the next summit in May 2011.