PARAGUAY ON COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES: ENCOURAGING

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000514

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON
NSC FOR KIM BREIER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY ON COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES: ENCOURAGING
CONSTRUCTIVE PARTICIPATION

REF: STATE 66782


1. On April 18, PolOff delivered reftel talking points to MFA
Director of International Organizations Martha Moreno.


2. Moreno confirmed that FM Rachid will lead the GOP
delegation to the April 28-30 Ministerial in Santiago.
Moreno and MFA Human Rights Director Julio Duarte will
accompany Rachid.


3. PolOff inquired about initiatives the GOP might propose in
the context of the Ministerial, and suggested that Paraguay
was well positioned to advocate for, and help develop,
election standards for the Americas, including the use of
electronic voting machines. Paraguay's electoral commission
(Tribunal Superior de Justicia Electoral) is strong, clean
and independent, and enjoys a solid reputation. In
Paraguay's 2003 national elections, nearly 50 percent of
voters entered their votes by means of electronic voting
machines. Moreno said that the MFA is currently reviewing
the draft Declaration for the Ministerial and formulating
ideas, but that it, too, is considering an initiative on
election standards and electronic voting.
KEANE