C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 001039

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016
TAGS: UNSC GT VE GY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: VENEZUELA'S GREATEST HITS

REF: STATE 162359

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DAVID M. ROBINSON FOR REASON 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Ambassador delivered reftel talking points on October
4 to Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally.


2. (C) Insanally considered Chavez' UN speech "far too much,"
and said he appreciated Congressman Rangel's reported
response to it. However, he indicated that Guyana would
support Venezuela in the UNSC race for two "pragmatic"
reasons:

--Guyana is dependent on imported oil and may need to access
PetroCaribe in the future.

--Insanally believes that Chavez may be the only person who
can finally resolve the "emotional" Guyana-Venezuela border
dispute. Insanally referred to Chavez' public commitment to
the UN good offices process during his 2004 Guyana visit, and
his private comment to President Jagdeo during the same visit
that Venezuela's territorial claim was "spurious," and
suggested he may have the stature at home to finally "put
this issue behind us."

ROBINSON