CHILE LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OAS MISSION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 002352 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/AND (FIFE),USOAS/POL (GARCIA),WHA/BSC E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015 TAGS: EAID PTER OAS PREL CO CI SUBJECT: CHILE LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OAS MISSION IN COLOMBIA REF: STATE 207709 Classified By: Ambassador Craig Kelly. Reasons: 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on support for the OAS Mission in Colombia to Foreign Ministry Director General for External Affairs Carlos Portales (the number 3 in the MFA) on November 16. The Ambassador noted the OAS Mission was playing an essential role in the peace process, but contributions to date had fallen short of what was needed. He noted our understanding that Chile was considering contributing and asked for more details. ¶2. (C) Portales affirmed the GOC was committed at the highest political level to supporting the peace process. MFA Director of Multilateral Affairs Pedro Oyarce, who was also present at the meeting, elaborated that President Lagos recently had told President Uribe that Chile wanted to play an active role in Colombia. As a result, Chile was reviewing its assistance to Colombia with an eye towards identifying "concrete projects" that would further the peace process. Oyarce added that while Chile most likely would make contributions to the OAS Mission in the area of human rights and "two or three other areas," the Chilean government had not decided whether to make a financial contribution. Neither Portales nor Oyarce indicated when Chile was likely to finalize its decision-making process on assistance for the OAS Mission. KELLY