Profile H.E. Mr. Carlos Saul Menem President Of

PROFILE

H.E. MR. CARLOS SAUL MENEM

A founding member of the youth branch of the Peronists (Justicialista Party) in La Rioja Province, Mr. Menem became president of the party in 1963. He was the legal adviser to the General Labour Confederation in 1958 and a Peronist candidate for the House of Representatives in the 1962 national elections. These were annuled by the military regime that ousted President Arturo Frondizi.

Mr. Menem was chairman of the La Rioja Province Bar Association from 1966 to 1973, and was elected Governor of the La Rioja Province in 1973. In 1976, he was imprisoned by the military regime for five years; his civil and political rights were suspended during that period. As Chairman of the Justicialista Party, he was elected once again Governor of the La Rioja Province in October 1983.

On 14 May 1988, with 47.2 percent of the vote and with the confirmation of the Electoral College, he was elected President, later winning re-election in May 1995.

He holds a Law Degree from the National University of Cordoba.

He was born on 2 July 1935 in Anillaco, La Rioja Province. He is separated from his wife. PROFILE

H.E. MR. JOSE MARIO GUIDO PI TELLA

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARGENTINA

A member of the ruling Justicialista Party (Peronist), Mr. Di Telia has held several official posts including: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense (1991); Ambassador to the US (1989-1991); Peronist representative for Buenos Aires province (1988); and State Secretary of Coordination on Economic Programming (1975-1976).

He taught economic development at the National University and at the Catholic University in Buenos Aires. He was also the Director of the. Institute on Social and Economic Research at the National University of Buenos Aires (1965).

He obtained a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires and a Ph.D. in Economics from M.I.T. (1959).

He is an associate member of Saint Anthony's College, Oxford University, and is the author of several books on the Argentine economy and on development strategies.

He was born in Buenos Aires on 12 June 1931. PROFILE

H. E. MR. JORGE DOMINGUEZ

MINISTER OF DEFENCE OF ARGENTINA

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Defence, Ambassador Dominguez was Mayor of Buenos Aires (1991 to 1996). A member of the ruling party (Peronist), he lost the July 1996 Buenos Aires mayoral election to the opposition Radical Party, after an expensive electoral campaign. He is close to President Menem, who appointed him after the resignation of Oscar Camilion (former Minister of Defence).

He has held high-level positions both at the federal and state level, as well as in several financial institutions. He has been a congressman, President of the Bicameral Committee of Economic Emergency and of the Economic Committee of the National Congress. Prior to 1991 he was President of the Bank of the Province of Santa Fe and President of INVERCO SA, Financial Company and Executive Vice-President of the National Development Bank (BANADE). He was also the Executive Director of the Binational Entity Yacyreta.

He has also had a distinguished academic career having taught Economics, Public Finance and Political Economy at the University of Buenos Aires.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University (US ) and also one from the University of Buenos Aires. PROFILE

EDUARDO MENEM

PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

^ A member of the Peronist party, he has been President of the Senate since 1989. Earlier he was President of the Senate's Commission on Foreign Affairs and Constitutional and Labour issues.

$ He has also been National Senator for the province of La Rioja and President of the Municipal Affairs Commission of that same province.

4 In international affairs, he represented the Senate at IPU meetings and has participated in exchange programmes with the former USSR and the People's Republic of China.

$ He has been national adviser and vice-president of the Peronist party. PROFILE

ALBERTO PIERRI

PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES

A member of the Justicialista Party (Peronist) since 1984, he has been President of the Chamber of Deputies since 1993. He is the first President of the Chamber to serve uninterruptedly for ten consecutive periods.

In 1984 he became a municipal representative for the Peronists.

He was Finance Secretary for the party in 1986. In 1988, he was elected Congressman for his district and during that year led the movement for the election of President Menem. In 1991 he became President of the party in the province of Buenos Aires. PROFILE

LIEUTENANT GENERAL MARTIN ANTONIO BALZA

CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES

He became Chief of Staff in November 1991, having been Deputy Chief since 1990. He was Director General of the Military Institute in 1989 having previously been Commander of the Sixth Infantry Brigade between 1987 and 1988.

In 1970, he was a UN military observer in the Middle East, where he was awarded a medal in the service of peace by the United Nations.

Between 1979 and 1982, he was a professor of artillery at the Army War College. In 1984 he became Chief of the Cadets Corps at the War College.

During the Falklands Islands (Malvinas) war, he was Chief of the artillery group and coordinator of fire for the army. He was awarded a medal for his military prowess as well as an honourable distinction by Congress. Several countries including France, Italy, Spain and the United States have also awarded him distinctions.

He has published articles on military tactics and techniques. He is co-author of the book Land Operations in the Malvinas Islands (1985) and editor of the book Malvinas. A Soldier's Story (198S). PROFILE

MR. FERNANDO DE LA RUA

MAYOR OF BUENOS AIRES

A lawyer by profession and a member of the Radical Party, he was elected Mayor of Buenos Aires in 1996 with 40% of the votes. In 1997, he became President of the national committee of the Radical Party and is currently the party's presidential candidate.

In 1992 he was elected Senator of Buenos Aires with 51% of the votes. In 1991 he was elected National Deputy for Buenos Aires and became also the President of the Radical Party's main committee. In 1983 he ran for the presidency and in 1973 he was Balbin's running-mate for the presidency.

In 1963 he was part of the Cabinet of the Ministry of the Interior.

He teaches law at the University of Buenos Aires and is the author of several books on jurisprudence and politics. He is a founding member of the Argentine Council for International Affairs. PROFILE

DR. CARLOS MUNIZ

PRESIDENT OF THE ARGENTINE COUNCIL

FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

A lawyer by profession, he has been ambassador, Under-Secretary of the Interior (1955), Minister for Foreign Affairs (1963), Ambassador to the OAS (1982-1986) and Ambassador to the United States (1971-1973).

He has also been an academic, teaching constitutional, international and public law at the University of Buenos Aires.

.- He founded the Institute for Foreign Affairs and the Argentine Council for International Relations. He is a member of several professional organisations and the recipient of various international and national awards.

He has published articles on external relations and constitutional law as well as on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.