MEDIA REACTION: ECUADORIAN RELATIONS WITH

UNCLAS QUITO 001741 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, WHA, WHA/AND, WHA/PDA DIRONDCP FOR PA EMBASSIES FOR PAO/IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OPRC KIRC KPAO EC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ECUADORIAN RELATIONS WITH VENEZUELA ¶1. "Possible Accords with Venezuela," an opinion column (07/23) by Orlando Alcvar in Guayaquil's (and Ecuador's) center-right "El Universo" (weekend circ. 240,000) Quote: "Although Chavez's proposals are moved by the best intention, they also carry along an undeniable political ingredient that demands enough capacity to handle them in the right way, because no one ignores the interest the Commander has to lead the whole region and demonstrate to the U.S. -which he opposes-that he has allies in its back yard, which might cause frictions that are inconvenient for any country. ". . . we have to be careful. It is positive that we do not think only about Wall Street, and that we open the range of possibilities to interest Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, China, and any other country willing to cooperate with our development. . ." ¶2. "Turn in Foreign Policy," an editorial (07/21) in Guayaquil's (and Ecuador's) center-right "El Universo" (circ. 140,000) Quote: "[The government strategy to have a more open and balanced foreign policy] has resulted in a couple of specific accords with Venezuela that. . . not only respond to concrete financial needs, but also on terms advantageous for the country. "Venezuela is a nation close by. The ties that link us are deep. . . That does not imply, of course, sympathy with the project nor methods used by the present Venezuelan regime, which we have criticized harshly due to its flagrant lack of respect for the basic principles of democracy. . . ¶3. "Accords with Venezuela?" an editorial (07/21) in Cuenca's center-right "El Tiempo" (circ. 7,000) Quote: "The Venezuelan offer for Ecuador to use its [oil] refinerie is attractive. "However, some national analysts have warned about what they consider an eventual risk if negotiations on oil and debt with Venezuela come to fruition. They contend this would have geopolitical implications, because a [agreements] in the oil and external debt areas with the nation ruled by Hugo Chavez, would put distance between Ecuador and the United States, our main business partner. . . Those opinions are reasonable, of course, but we cannot forget that a sovereign country can arrive at accords or negotiations with any state it wishes to. . . It is evident that Hugo Chavez is playing a political card with his apparent generous offer, but the Ecuadorian government will have to negotiate very skillfully, avoiding undesired commitment with the hemispheric policies led by Chavez." ¶4. "Venezuelan Variables," an editorial (07/22) in Quito's left, populist "La Hora" (circ. 120,000) Quote: "Just as we advocated Ecuadorian neutrality and non-intervention in reference to the Colombian conflict, we should do the same with President Chavez's regime. . ." MEMMOTT