CANADA: ENGAGING HOST GOVERNMENTS ON THE CANDIDACY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000459 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PREL CA SUBJECT: CANADA: ENGAGING HOST GOVERNMENTS ON THE CANDIDACY OF FRANCISCO FLORES FOR OAS SECRETARY GENERAL REF: SECSTATE 25152 (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to FAC Inter-American Affairs Deputy Director Leonard Beaulne. Beaulne thanked us for our comments and promised Canada would consider our position if the election went to another round. He said that Canada has not yet looked at options for a second round, but if it does, its key criteria would be that the candidate not be divisive. That, in fact, was the concern that Ottawa has about Flores, that he is not the consensus candidate even for Central America. Ottawa will look carefully at the decision that comes out of the upcoming Caricom meeting to see if there is a critical mass of supporters for Flores in the Caribbean, and will watch to see if a broader consensus develops around his candidacy. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa CELLUCCI