Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANSALVADOR2913
2005-10-26 14:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy San Salvador
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR SEEKS SALVADORAN SUPPORT FOR USG SUMMIT

Tags:  ECON PREL PGOV KSUM CU ES 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002913 

SIPDIS

BUENOS AIRES PASS TO U.S. SUMMIT IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW
GROUP DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015
TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV KSUM CU ES
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SEEKS SALVADORAN SUPPORT FOR USG SUMMIT
PRIORITIES

REF: A. SECSTATE 195518

B. SECSTATE 195226

C. SAN SALVADOR 02853

Classified By: DCM Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002913

SIPDIS

BUENOS AIRES PASS TO U.S. SUMMIT IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW
GROUP DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015
TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV KSUM CU ES
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SEEKS SALVADORAN SUPPORT FOR USG SUMMIT
PRIORITIES

REF: A. SECSTATE 195518

B. SECSTATE 195226

C. SAN SALVADOR 02853

Classified By: DCM Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador met with Foreign Minister
Francisco Lainez on October 24 to enlist Salvadoran support
for concluding an acceptable draft Declaration and Plan of
Action for the Summit of the Americas. Ambassador also
expressed disappointment over El Salvador's support for the
Salamanca declaration denouncing the U.S. economic embargo of
Cuba, as well as El Salvador's vote in favor of the UNESCO
Convention on Cultural Diversity. Ambassador sought Lainez'
support for stand alone statements on the Doha Development
Round, Democracies in Transition, and a Commerce - Labor
Ministerial in 2006. Minister Lainez said he would support
the Democracies in Transition and Commerce - Labor
Ministerial initiatives but did not provide substantive
feedback on other issues. Minister Lainez also said El
Salvador would abstain on the upcoming UN vote on Cuba at the
UNGA. End Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Francisco
Lainez on October 24 to enlist Salvadoran support for
concluding an acceptable draft Declaration and Plan of Action
for the Summit of the Americas. Ambassador asked for Lainez'
support for the stand alone statements on the Doha
Development Round, Democracies in Transition, and the Labor
Ministerial in 2006, and gave him copies of the proposed
texts. (Note: Copies of the statement were also provided to
working-level summit coordinator Felix Ulloa at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. End Note.) Ambassador told Lainez that
we are counting on Salvadoran support for U.S. initiatives at
the Summit of the Americas and did not want to see a repeat
of the Salamanca or UNESCO votes. Minister Lainez responded
substantively only on the Commerce - Labor stand alone and
the statement of democracies, offering support for both.


3. (C) Lainez raised the November 8 vote in the UN General
Assembly on ending the US embargo against Cuba. Lainez said
El Salvador would vote as it had for the past seven years,
neither for nor against, but rather abstaining. He also
asked the Embassy to provide information to the press, if
asked, noting that El Salvador has abstained the past seven
years and will continue to do so this year. He said the
Salvadoran position is that the embargo is a bilateral issue.
He cautioned that the press will attempt to portray an
abstention as support for the Cuban regime.


4. (C) Ambassador Barclay took the opportunity to seek
Lainez' feedback on the visit of Secretary of Commerce
Gutierrez last week. Lainez reported that President Saca was
pleased and that the other members of the interagency
delegation sent a good signal to the Salvadoran business
community of the wide range of opportunities and experience
offered by the U.S. Government.


5. (C) Comment: The meeting was cordial and businesslike,
and Minister Lainez did not react negatively to our raising
of concerns with two recent votes against U.S. positions in
international fora. He was noncommital regarding Salvadoran
support for U.S. initiatives at the Summit of the Americas,
but that may have been a reflection of lack of background on
the issue, and we are hopeful he will take our points on
board. End Comment.
Barclay