PRES. PALACIO ON NEW AMB. TO U.S., REPLACEMENT FM

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001926

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EC
SUBJECT: PRES. PALACIO ON NEW AMB. TO U.S., REPLACEMENT FM


Classified By: PolChief Erik Hall for reasons 1.4 (b&d)


1. (C) Summary: President Alfredo Palacio told the Charge
that he would name career diplomat Luis Gallegos Chiriboga to
be Ecuador's Ambassador to the U.S. shortly. He also said he
intended to replace FM Parra with another career Ecuadorian
and UN diplomat, Diego Cordovez. End Summary.


2. (C) In a one-on-one meeting with Charge on August 17,
President Palacio said he would soon name Ambassador to the
UN Luis Gallegos Chiriboga as Ecuador's new
Ambassador-designate to the U.S., replacing Alvaro Perez,
whose name was recently withdrawn by the GOE. Gallegos has
the full confidence of the President for this position, but
would not be able to take up his duties in Washington until
after the UNGA meetings in September.


3. (C) The Charge suggested the GOE nominate Gallegos
soonest, so that the agrement process could take place in the
meantime. Palacio said he would do so.


4. (C) Palacio said he was displeased with the preformance
of FM Antonio Parra Gil, and would replace him in "a month or
two" with Diego Cordovez, a respected Ecuadorian diplomat who
had also served as a high UN official.


5. (C) Comment: The Embassy searched its databases and has
no derogatory information on Gallegos, and will report bio
information once the agrement request has been received. We
will make and report results of similar information on
Cordovez.
MEMMOTT