CANADA ON SUMMIT OF AMERICAS DECLARATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002923

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KSUM PGOV
SUBJECT: CANADA ON SUMMIT OF AMERICAS DECLARATION

REF: STATE 178321


1. (SBU) Summary: Canada would like to build on rather than
scrap language in the Summit Declaration, given the amount of
time that has already been spent negotiating the text and the
disruption that new language would cause. The GOC would also
like to see more forward-looking language and a more
ambitious approach to the FTAA. The GOC would be very
reluctant to go to a fall-back approach of a leader,s
statement, as it would eliminate some of the text Canada
feels strongly about. Canadian officials are optimistic that
the Argentines are stepping up to the plate in terms of
leadership and have offered to support Buenos Aires to pay
for translators for working groups. End Summary.


2. (SBU) The Ambassador raised the issue of the Summit with
FM Pettigrew September 27 and PolMinCouns also discussed it
with Associate Deputy Minister Peter Boehm (former Canadian
PermRep at the OAS and currently serving as the Summit Sherpa
for the government). The Minister agreed with the need to
get down to serious business on the draft and pledged
Canada,s support. Canada, too, is serious about achieving a
credible, useful declaration, he said.


3. (SBU) ADM Boehm said he has been working declaration
strategy directly with Tom Shannon and believes that we
generally see eye to eye. Canada is reluctant, however, to
table a new draft at this late date and believes it is better
to build on what has been agreed to by consensus and try to
work-in previously agreed language from Nuevo Leon and
Monterrey.


4. (SBU) On September 28 Poloff met with FAC Director
General Sarah Fountain-Smith and Summit Coordinator Jennifer
Loten to discuss the issue in more detail. Fountain-Smith
reiterated that Canada remains committed to a successful
outcome for the Summit process and will be sending detailed
comments on our proposal to Ambassador Durrand to pass to
Ambassador Maisto. Canada agrees that we need to have a new
approach to get the text more in line with Nuevo Leon, but
differs with us on how to achieve this. Their thinking is
driven by two concerns: first, time is limited, and second,
there is a good deal of hard-work that has gone into the
current draft that would be lost if new language was tabled.


5. (SBU) What Canada would like to do, rather than start over
with new language, is use our ideas in a way that builds on
what has already been agreed. The GOC would also like to see
some Canadian priorities reflected. One example of what they
would say differently: instead of focusing on the
&burdensome regulatory framework,8 they would talk of
&streamlining regulations.8 This would focus on the
solution not the problem and lend the text a more positive
air. The GOC also believes that the text needs to be more
realistic about poverty. The US draft, Loten said, seems to
downplay the issue of poverty, which is more serious and more
pervasive than we indicate. In short, Fountain-Smith said,
the GOC would like to build on previously achieved consensus
when it can, make it a forward looking document, and be
realistic about poverty.


6. (SBU) Fountain-Smith also said Canada would like to see
language that distinguishes between the IFIs. Canada
believes there is a distinct different between the World Bank
and the IMF and that it is not helpful to have them lumped
together. With regards to the FTAA, Canada is in favor of
more ambitious language and will seek to generate support
among like-minded countries and regions such as Chile and
Caricom. FAC asked when precisely, we would be tabling our
language on the FTAA next week so they can have the right
people in attendance.


7. (SBU) With regards to putting out a shorter leader,s
statement in place of the declaration, our colleagues
consider this a questionable approach. They believe that
merely considering the proposal would take up two days, much
like the half day that was spent just agreeing to the process
when the first part of the declaration was re-opened earlier.
They believe we need to not lose steam and forge ahead with
the declaration. They also expressed concern that in moving
from the declaration to a leader,s statement a number of key
points for Canada, e.g. women, indigenous issues, and health
would fall out. They similarly believe equity issues would
be watered down to a general statement that does not capture
the essence of the issue. Canada would also like to preserve
the link between governance and prosperity, which would be
lost in a shorter statement. In any event, Loten said, there
is no indication that a leader,s statement would be easier
to negotiate -- the same issues would need to be worked and
things like the WTO and FTAA would be just as difficult. We
might as well do it as a declaration, she said, to give it
full weight.


8. (SBU) The GOC, Fountain-Smith believes, remains hopeful
that Argentina can pull it all together. It believes that
the Argentines have begun to take on more of a leadership
role and could yet lead a successful process. Fountain-Smith
mentioned that Canada has offered to pay for the translation
for working groups but have not heard back from the
Argentines on whether they accept the offer.

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WILKINS