COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES: PERU ON ELECTION

UNCLAS LIMA 001852

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PREL PE
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES: PERU ON ELECTION
STANDARDS INITIATIVE

REF: A. STATE 71931


B. STATE 66782

Sensitive But Unclassified, Please Handle Accordingly


1. (SBU) On 4/19, D/Polcoun delivered reftel points and
concept paper on the U.S. proposal for developing election
standards and assessment mechanisms to Foreign Ministry Human
Rights and Social Affairs Director Carlos Roman. Roman told
Emboff on 4/21 that he had forwarded the U.S. proposal to
Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez, as part of a briefing
package on the Santiago Community of Democracies meeting.
Roman said the evaluation of the USG initiative he had given
the Minister was generally favorable, but he had noted
concerns about possible duplication of the roles of existing
institutions, such as the Carter Center and Transparency
International. Roman hoped the U.S. would provide more
details on the make-up, the mandate, and the criteria for
intervention of this proposed group of international election
experts, as the GOP would need this kind of information
before it could fully commit to supporting our initiative.


2. (SBU) COMMENT: We suggest that the USDel to the Santiago
Ministerial engage with the Peruvians on the election
standards initiative in order to assuage their concerns about
duplication of roles.
STRUBLE