PARAGUAY: HURRICANE RELIEF -- RESCUE TEAMS

UNCLAS ASUNCION 001123

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PREL US PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: HURRICANE RELIEF -- RESCUE TEAMS

REF: A. STATE 163423

B. STATE 163366

C. ASUNCION

D. 1110

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Rescue Teams
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1. Ambassador Ceferino Valdez, the Foreign Ministry's
Director of Bilateral Affairs, is the the brother of Rafael
Valdez, the President of Paraguay's Voluntary Firemen's
Association. Valdez has offered to send 20-25 firemen who
speak English and are experts in rescue, flooding, and
recovery of bodies. Paraguay would make arrangements with
local representatives from American Airlines to fly these
firemen to the U.S. free of charge. They would travel with
the necessary gear and equipment.


2. If funding from the U.S. or other sources were made
available to fund travel expenses, Paraguay could send an
additional 85 firemen of whom 55 speak English. All are
experts in rescue, flooding and recovery of bodies. (Note:
Paraguay's Voluntary Firemen's Association acquired valuable
experience in the recovery of bodies in the aftermath of last
year's tragic fire in a supermarket in Asuncion that took the
lives of nearly 400 individuals. End Note.)


3. Amb. Valdez speaks English and is Paraguay's point of
contact for this offer. His office phone number is
011-595-21-494-900; his cell phone number is
011-595-981-515-728; his email is ceferinovaldez@mre.gov.py

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Post Point of Contact
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5. Political Officer, Susan Sutter, is Embassy Asuncion's
Point of Contact on this matter. Her office phone number is
011-595-21-213-715, Ext. 2286; her cell phone number is
011-595-971-202-100; her email is sutterss@state.gov.
KEANE