Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06GEORGETOWN679
2006-07-12 20:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Georgetown
Cable title:
(C) FUZZY MATH: JAGDEO SAYS UNSC VOTE ALL ABOUT
how-toVZCZCXRO7043 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHGE #0679 1932055 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 122055Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3778 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0067
C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 000679
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
WHA/CAR
WHA/PPC - YONEOKA
IO/UNP - HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC CARICOM VE GY
SUBJECT: (C) FUZZY MATH: JAGDEO SAYS UNSC VOTE ALL ABOUT
DOLLARS
REF: A. GEORGETOWN 672
B. GEORGETOWN 607
Classified By: Ambassador Roland W. Bullen
For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 000679
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
WHA/CAR
WHA/PPC - YONEOKA
IO/UNP - HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC CARICOM VE GY
SUBJECT: (C) FUZZY MATH: JAGDEO SAYS UNSC VOTE ALL ABOUT
DOLLARS
REF: A. GEORGETOWN 672
B. GEORGETOWN 607
Classified By: Ambassador Roland W. Bullen
For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Action request see para 5.
2. (C) President Jadgeo told Ambassador July 11 that CARICOM
has made a condition on its support for Venezuela's UNSC seat
candidacy -- that Venezuela must make a public statement that
it will not use the UNSC seat to further the cause of its
border issue. In the context of the conversation, it was not
clear if "border issue" included Bird Rock as well as the
Guyana-Venezuela border.
3. (C) Jadgeo discussed Guyana's and CARICOM's thinking at
some length. He contrasted the Guatemala-Belize and
Venezuela-Guyana border disputes, saying that Venezuela and
Guyana have an active UN Good Offices process (Comment: Post
would characterize this process as "moribund") whereas
Guatemala has aggressively pursued its claim. Jagdeo cited
Guatemala's failure to support (or opposition to) CARICOM
issues in multilateral fora. He also faulted Guatemala for
not establishing relationships with CARICOM leaders: "People
support people they know. We don't know Guatemala. We do
know Venezuela." Jadgeo cited Chile as an example of a
country that had paid much attention to establishing and
maintaining relationships with CARICOM leaders -- almost
implying that CARICOM might (or might have) supported a
Chilean UNSC bid. By contrast, he cited Brazil as an example
of a country that courted support for candidates, but then
forgot about Guyana/CARICOM afterwards.
4. (C) Jagdeo described his decision-making process for votes
in international fora as "mercenary" and "you scratch our
back, we scratch yours." Venezuela has promised to pay for
dredging several rivers in Guyana, which will cost millions
of dollars. So Guyana will vote for Venezuela. But Jadgeo
wants to see the tranferred funds in the bank first. Asked
how the projected $100 million of U.S. assistance to Guyana
in the 2005-2007 time period would affect the "mercenary"
equation, Jagdeo replied he would vote for the U.S., but the
U.S. is not a candidate. Jagdeo said he had heard that
Venezuela had not supported Guyana in the IDB for two loans,
adding "If this is true, no support." As an economist,
Jagdeo would take serious note of evidence that Venezuela has
gone against loans to Guyana in the IDB or elsewhere.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: From the conversation with Jagdeo, it
appears there are two possible ways to derail Guyana's
support for Venezuela:
-- Demonstrate that Chavez does intend to use a UNSC seat to
pursue its Guyana or Bird Rock claims.
-- Show Jadgeo evidence that Venezuela has recently (within
the last year) not supported loans to Guyana, either in the
IDB or other international fora.
Post would appreciate any information Department can provide
regarding these two points.
BULLEN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
WHA/CAR
WHA/PPC - YONEOKA
IO/UNP - HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC CARICOM VE GY
SUBJECT: (C) FUZZY MATH: JAGDEO SAYS UNSC VOTE ALL ABOUT
DOLLARS
REF: A. GEORGETOWN 672
B. GEORGETOWN 607
Classified By: Ambassador Roland W. Bullen
For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Action request see para 5.
2. (C) President Jadgeo told Ambassador July 11 that CARICOM
has made a condition on its support for Venezuela's UNSC seat
candidacy -- that Venezuela must make a public statement that
it will not use the UNSC seat to further the cause of its
border issue. In the context of the conversation, it was not
clear if "border issue" included Bird Rock as well as the
Guyana-Venezuela border.
3. (C) Jadgeo discussed Guyana's and CARICOM's thinking at
some length. He contrasted the Guatemala-Belize and
Venezuela-Guyana border disputes, saying that Venezuela and
Guyana have an active UN Good Offices process (Comment: Post
would characterize this process as "moribund") whereas
Guatemala has aggressively pursued its claim. Jagdeo cited
Guatemala's failure to support (or opposition to) CARICOM
issues in multilateral fora. He also faulted Guatemala for
not establishing relationships with CARICOM leaders: "People
support people they know. We don't know Guatemala. We do
know Venezuela." Jadgeo cited Chile as an example of a
country that had paid much attention to establishing and
maintaining relationships with CARICOM leaders -- almost
implying that CARICOM might (or might have) supported a
Chilean UNSC bid. By contrast, he cited Brazil as an example
of a country that courted support for candidates, but then
forgot about Guyana/CARICOM afterwards.
4. (C) Jagdeo described his decision-making process for votes
in international fora as "mercenary" and "you scratch our
back, we scratch yours." Venezuela has promised to pay for
dredging several rivers in Guyana, which will cost millions
of dollars. So Guyana will vote for Venezuela. But Jadgeo
wants to see the tranferred funds in the bank first. Asked
how the projected $100 million of U.S. assistance to Guyana
in the 2005-2007 time period would affect the "mercenary"
equation, Jagdeo replied he would vote for the U.S., but the
U.S. is not a candidate. Jagdeo said he had heard that
Venezuela had not supported Guyana in the IDB for two loans,
adding "If this is true, no support." As an economist,
Jagdeo would take serious note of evidence that Venezuela has
gone against loans to Guyana in the IDB or elsewhere.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: From the conversation with Jagdeo, it
appears there are two possible ways to derail Guyana's
support for Venezuela:
-- Demonstrate that Chavez does intend to use a UNSC seat to
pursue its Guyana or Bird Rock claims.
-- Show Jadgeo evidence that Venezuela has recently (within
the last year) not supported loans to Guyana, either in the
IDB or other international fora.
Post would appreciate any information Department can provide
regarding these two points.
BULLEN