ECUADOR "STILL STUDYING" NPT STRENGTHENING

UNCLAS QUITO 000400

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NP/MNA; GENEVA FOR CD; USUN FOR POL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM KNNP EC NPT IAEA
SUBJECT: ECUADOR "STILL STUDYING" NPT STRENGTHENING

REF: STATE 18228


1. In response to Reftel, the Embassy delivered non-paper to
Ruben Herrera, the Technical Agencies officer in the MFA's
Multilateral Affairs directorship general. In a follow-up
telcon February 17, Herrera stated the Foreign Ministry could
not yet comment on the U.S. proposal to beef up Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) enforcement measures at the
upcoming NPT review conference. Specialized entities within
the GoE, namely Ecuador's Atomic Energy Agency, were still
analyzing our non-paper. Herrera hoped to have their input
the week of February 21, at which time he would seek a
sit-down with Embassy staff to discuss this and other pending
demarches.


2. Regarding Reftel request for Embassy comment on the
utility of various Public Diplomacy (PD) tools in winning
Ecuador's support for NPT strengthening, we consider that
placement of USG-drafted articles in local print media the
best weapon available. There simply is not sufficient
interest here in nuclear non-proliferation efforts to justify
investments in DVCs, expert visits, and NGO cultivation.
Conventional arms proliferation and regional security issues
do have an Ecuadorian audience, however, owing to the
proximity of the Colombian conflict and Ecuador's role as a
conduit country for FARC-bound weapons. We thus suggest
that, for maximum impact, any articles for placement treat
nuclear proliferation as one component of a broader arms
trafficking problem.
Chacon