WASHINGTON -- President Reagan will lift the ban Saturday on the sales of arms to Argentina imposed by President Carter because of major improvements in human rights, the State Department said Thursday.
Vice President George Bush will represent Reagan in Buenos Aires Saturday at the inauguration of Argentina's new president and civilian government, ending more than seven stormy years of military rule.
'Argentina has made signficant progress in meeting internationally recognized principles of human rights,' State Department spokesman Alan Romberg said.
Carter stopped military sales to Argentina on grounds of widespread violations of human rights, including the disappearance of thousands of political dissidents.
The new administration has long sought the opportunity to forge closer relations with Argentina and remove the restrictions on munitions exports. This was complicated by the junta's decision to invade and occupy the Falkland Islands in 1982. Reagan ultimately sided with Britain, America's staunch NATO ally, which swept the Argentines from the islands within weeks.
The government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, however, has opposed the possible resumption of American arms to Argentina.
Romberg said there has been 'dramatic improvements' in human rights in Argentina and the United States is still concerned about this issue.
'The United States has deplored the violations of basic human rights that occurred during the 1970s in Argentina,' the spokesman said. 'The United States has also continuously encouraged the Argentine government to provide as full an accounting as possible on the disappeared to the Argentine people.'
He said the military government's report last April on the missing was not satisfactory and Washington 'expressed its disappointment' to the junta.
'Nevertheless, the United States believes that the overall human rights situation in Argentina, with respect to the rights of the person as well as to civil and political rights, has improved dramatically over the past year and a half and merits certification,' he said.
Romberg said a democratically elected government 'is one of the best gurantees of respect for human rights' and that the new president, Raul Alfonsin, 'is committed to trying to resolve this difficult question of the disappeared.'
Romberg said the national elections for president and congress, the release of political dissidents or the expediting of their cases, the lifting of restrictions on the nedia, and the easing of constraints on union activities were factors contributing to the Reagan's decision.
'The phenomenon of disappearances has all but ceased in the last three years,' he said.
Argentina will be eligible to purchase arms and receive security assistance but any requests will be judged on a case-by-case basis, Romberg said.
A similar munitions purchase ban is still in effect against Argentina's suspicious border neighbor, Chile.
Romberg said Washington had consulted with Chile on the decision and was 'sensitive to the implications of certification.' He said both countries are seeking peaceful resolution to their dispute over the Beagle Channel dispute.
'The United States is a not a major arms supplier to the region,' Romberg said, and it will review any request for arms transfer in the context 'of the regional balance' in disputes between the Argentina and Chile.
Romberg said the United States is committed to a peaceful resolution of the Falklands dispute between Argentina and Britain and the lifting of the prohibition of arms sales is not a threat to British forces.
'No arms transfers are contemplated that would increase the prospects of renewed conflict, either in the Falklands-Malvinas, or the Beagle area,' he said.
Romberg said there has been 'dramatic improvements' in human rights in Argentina and the United States is still concerned about this issue.
'The United States has deplored the violations of basic human rights that occurred during the 1970s in Argentina,' the spokesman said. 'The United States has also continuously encouraged the Argentine government to provide as full an accounting as possible on the disappeared to the Argentine people.'
He said the military government's report last April on the missing was not satisfactory and Washington 'expressed its disappointment' to the junta.
'Nevertheless, the United States believes that the overall human rights situation in Argentina, with respect to the rights of the person as well as to civil and political rights, has improved dramatically over the past year and a half and merits certification,' he said.
Romberg said a democratically elected government 'is one of the best gurantees of respect for human rights' and that the new president, Raul Alfonsin, 'is committed to trying to resolve this difficult question of the disappeared.'
Romberg said the national elections for president and congress, the release of political dissidents or the expediting of their cases, the lifting of restrictions on the nedia, and the easing of constraints on union activities were factors contributing to the Reagan's decision.
'The phenomenon of disappearances has all but ceased in the last three years,' he said.
Argentina will be eligible to purchase arms and receive security assistance but any requests will be judged on a case-by-case basis, Romberg said.
A similar munitions purchase ban is still in effect against Argentina's suspicious border neighbor, Chile.
Romberg said Washington had consulted with Chile on the decision and was 'sensitive to the implications of certification.' He said both countries are seeking peaceful resolution to their dispute over the Beagle Channel dispute.
'The United States is a not a major arms supplier to the region,' Romberg said, and it will review any request for arms transfer in the context 'of the regional balance' in disputes between the Argentina and Chile.
Romberg said the United States is committed to a peaceful resolution of the Falklands dispute between Argentina and Britain and the lifting of the prohibition of arms sales is not a threat to British forces.
'No arms transfers are contemplated that would increase the prospects of renewed conflict, either in the Falklands-Malvinas, or the Beagle area,' he said.
