TRANSPORT MINISTER WILL NOT ATTEND WHTI MEETING

UNCLAS LIMA 003578 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR WHA/AND, EB/TRA/AN, WHA/EPSC TRANSPORTATION FOR OST - DAVID DECARME E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR AORC ELTN EWWT PE SUBJECT: TRANSPORT MINISTER WILL NOT ATTEND WHTI MEETING REF: A) LIMA 3146 B) SECSTATE 132219 ¶1. (U) Per reftel B, we have ascertained that Minister of Transportation and Communications Jose Ortiz will not/not attend the Western Hemisphere Transportation Initiative (WHTI) in Brazil, August 25-26. Vice Minister of Transportation Nestor Palacios will act as the GOP's lead delegate. ¶2. (SBU) Vice Minister Nestor Palacios is interested in a bilateral meeting with the U.S. delegation. Potential topics include support for the development of transportation infrastructure and transport logistics. The USG currently does not have any DOT funded projects in Peru, and we expect that the GOP would solicit financial support for upcoming projects. In the case that a bilateral meeting does occur, please note that Vice Minister Palacios does not speak English. STRUBLE