DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PREEMPTING MORALES' MESSAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 000030 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL BO GY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PREEMPTING MORALES' MESSAGE REF: A. STATE 1353 ¶B. 05 STATE 229282 Classified By: Ambassador Roland W. Bullen. Reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Insanally January 9 and delivered talking points on U.S. concerns and suggestions regarding the Morales government (Ref A). Ambassador noted that Guyana will take over as chair of the Rio Group later this month and asked Insanally to raise the issue within that forum. Insanally said that he hopes "the region will not go to extremes" and that "the reality of government will attenuate" Morales' stridency. Insanally referred to the challenging political environment in 2006, when several Rio Group states will hold elections. But he conceded that an exchange of views on Bolivia, even if highly politicized, would be helpful as the Rio Group seeks to achieve consensus. BULLEN