Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05QUITO1804
2005-08-03 22:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Quito
Cable title:  

PALACIO SNUBS VENEZUELAN FM

Tags:  PGOV PREL EC VE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

032222Z Aug 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001804 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC VE
SUBJECT: PALACIO SNUBS VENEZUELAN FM

REF: QUITO 1403

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires AI Larry Memmott for reasons 1.4 (b&d)


id: 37938
date: 8/3/2005 22:22
refid: 05QUITO1804
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 05QUITO1403
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

032222Z Aug 05


----------------- header ends ----------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001804

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC VE
SUBJECT: PALACIO SNUBS VENEZUELAN FM

REF: QUITO 1403

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires AI Larry Memmott for reasons 1.4 (b&d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001804

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC VE
SUBJECT: PALACIO SNUBS VENEZUELAN FM

REF: QUITO 1403

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires AI Larry Memmott for reasons 1.4 (b&d)


id: 37938
date: 8/3/2005 22:22
refid: 05QUITO1804
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 05QUITO1403
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

032222Z Aug 05


-------------- header ends --------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001804

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC VE
SUBJECT: PALACIO SNUBS VENEZUELAN FM

REF: QUITO 1403

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires AI Larry Memmott for reasons 1.4 (b&d)


1. (C) Summary: FM Antonio Parra, acting without the
President's knowledge or consent, reportedly arranged an
August 3 lunch for President Palacio with Venezuelan FM Ali
Rodriguez. Palacio only found out about the invitation the
evening of August 2 from his adviser Luis Herreria and
quickly canceled the lunch. A courtesy call was planned for
August 3 instead. Palacio was clearly angered by Parra's
actions and seems disinclined to get as cozy with Venezuela
as his Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy would like.
End Summary.


2. (C) In an August 3 meeting with the Charge, President
Palacio said that he was rumored to be hosting a lunch for
Venezuelan FM Ali Rodriguez that day, but that it was instead
only a courtesy call, which he was obliged to offer with
Rodriguez in town. Rodriguez was in Ecuador to attend the
South American Foreign Ministers conference in Guayaquil the
week of August 1. Presidential Secretary Luis Herreria,
lying in wait for the Charge after his Presidential meeting,
privately added that FM Antonio Parra had arranged the lunch
for August 3 without Palacio's approval. Palacio had not
been aware of the planned lunch until Herreria showed him an
invitation the evening of August 2, he said. According to
Herreria, Palacio was livid when he found out Parra made the
invitation without his knowledge, and proceeded to phone the
rotund FM and yell profanities at him.


3. (C) The President canceled the lunch with Rodriguez,
scheduling instead a courtesy call for August 3. Herreria
said "not even coffee" would be served to the Venezuelan.
Herreria told the Charge that Rodriguez was reportedly
furious and would not come to the Palace for the courtesy
call. Herreria, who called Chavez "diabolical" in a recent
public statement, gleefully noted the obvious, "this is a
huge diplomatic incident."

Comment
--------------


4. (C) This incident supports suspicions that FM Parra
(along with MinFin Correa) are largely behind Ecuador's
increased coziness with Venezuela. Palacio, in contrast, is
skeptical of having such a close relationship with the GOV,
and the diplomatic incident this issue may cause should
decrease chances of improvements in GOE-GOV relations.
MEMMOTT

=======================CABLE ENDS============================

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