COLOMBIA ON SOCIAL CHARTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 008050 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2015 TAGS: SOCI KSUM VE CO OAS SUBJECT: COLOMBIA ON SOCIAL CHARTER REF: SECSTATE 154693 Classified By: Poltical Counselor Jeffrey DeLaurentis for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Poloffs delivered reftel demarche to MFA North America and Summit of the Americas Coordinator Francisco Gonzalez on August 24. Poloffs stressed the importance of creating a consensus Social Charter, within the framework of the OAS, and noted that Chavez's maneuver subverted the process. ¶2. (C) Gonzalez said GOC Ambassador to the OAS Alvaro Tirado Mejia would head a delegation to the Caracas meeting that would include Vice Minister of Social Protection Ramiro Carvajal, VM of National Planning Jose Fernando Arias, Ambassador to Venezuela Enrique Vargas, and DCM Luis Alberto Lobo. The delegation has been instructed to brief on the GOC's domestic social programs, but not to enter into negotiations. Gonzalez said having their OAS Ambassador lead the delegation sent the message that the OAS is the appropriate forum to discuss the Social Charter. ¶3. (C) Gonzalez acknowledged the importance of consensus and reckoned that it would be difficult to achieve -- not only on the Social Charter but also in the Summit of the Americas more generally -- given Venezuela's aggressive posture. WOOD