CANADIAN VIEWS ON CHAVEZ AND THE SOCIAL CHARTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002650

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2010
TAGS: BH GY MX XM KSUM SOCI
SUBJECT: CANADIAN VIEWS ON CHAVEZ AND THE SOCIAL CHARTER

REF: SECSTATE 154693

Classified By: ACTING POLCOUNS PATRICIA KIM-SCOTT, REASONS 1.4 (B) (D)


1. (C) DCM spoke with Jamal Khokhar, FAC Director General for
Latin America and the Caribbean, to elicit Canada's views on
Chavez and the Social Charter. Khokhar said that prior to
the event, Venezuelan Ambassador Perez was called in for
Canadian officials to deliver the message that the way
Venezuela was pursuing the issue was simply unacceptable.
Perez was told that the social charter of the OAS is not a
national charter that has been internationalized but a
document that has been jointly developed by the member
states.


2. (C) Khokhar said that Canada agrees with the United States
about the document and sent its Deputy OAS representative to
the meeting to signal its displeasure. Canada is concerned
that Brazil is engaged in a vote swap on the charter in
exchange for help with the G-4 issue, and that some of the
small Caribbean countries could sign on in exchange for oil.
He said that Assistant Deputy Minister Peter Boehm will hold
corridor discussions in Buenos Aires with some of those who
have supported the document, arguing that it is a damaging
precedent to have a parallel document that is not developed
through conventional means.

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WILKINS