PARAGUAY WILL NOT SEEK SHOOTDOWN LEGISLATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 001117

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SUE CRONIN
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2015
TAGS: EAIR KJUS MARR MASS PREL SNAR PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY WILL NOT SEEK SHOOTDOWN LEGISLATION

REF: STATE 151379

Classified By: PolOff Mark A. Stamilio, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) On 8/30 and 8/31, the Ambassador drew on reftel
talking points to convey to Minister of Defense Roberto
Gonzalez and Acting Foreign Minister Emilio Gimenez,
respectively, the U.S.'s concerns about recent GOP
expressions of interest in seeking legislation that would
authorize the Paraguayan military to shoot down aircraft
suspected of involvement in the transport of illicit goods
such as narcotics. Gonzalez and Gimenez assured the
Ambassador that the GOP had no intention to seek such
legislation anytime in the foreseeable future.


2. (C) Gonzalez explained that he recently met with two
members of Paraguay's Congress to discuss ways to combat
illicit trafficking. While the meeting included limited
discussion of shootdown legislation in force in Colombia and
Brazil, the primary topic of discussion was asset forfeiture
legislation that would enable Paraguayan security forces to
utilize aircraft and automobiles seized from traffickers.
Following the meeting, one of the members of Congress
mentioned to the press, without further clarification, that
the group had discussed shootdown legislation.


3. (C) Gonzalez stressed that the GOP understood the
sensitivities involved in enacting such legislation, and the
fact that Paraguay was a signatory to the Treaties of Chicago
and Montreal pertaining to civilian aircraft. He also noted
that Paraguay lacked the radar and aircraft it would need to
implement a shootdown policy. (Note: Gonzalez welcomed any
assistance the USG could provide with respect to acquiring
radar. The Ambassador informed him that the USG was
exploring the possibility of deploying mobile radar or other
assets to Paraguay on a temporary basis to establish baseline
data on the number of unregistered flights in and out of the
country's territory. The U.S. is considering this
possibility as part of a broad, phased, inter-agency effort
to improve anti-narcotics efforts. These efforts are laid
out in Operation "Southern Light," a joint Country
Team-SouthCom plan. End Note.)


4. (C) Gimenez seconded Gonzalez's assurances that the GOP
was not even remotely considering shootdown legislation. He
noted that the situation in Paraguay was nothing like the
extraordinary threat posed by illicit drug trafficking in
Colombia.
KEANE