GUATEMALA: URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 001051 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/CPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2016 TAGS: MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KNNP GT SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT REF: A. STATE 50811 ¶B. LANGLAND-PURCELL E-MAIL OF 05/25/2006 Classified By: CDA Bruce Wharton, Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Following up on an April 29 working-level demarche with Foreign Ministry officials, the Ambassador presented reftel points to Foreign Minister Briz on May 24. Briz affirmed strong GOG support for PSI, and instructed his subordinates to see how an endorsement could be done in the quickest fashion possible. Briz noted that such an endorsement would likely require Defense Ministry and internal Foreign Ministry clearances. The Ambassador said that we would raise the issue with Defense Minister Bermudez in an upcoming meeting. ¶2. (C) DCM followed up by delivering PSI points to Defense Minister Bermudez at a May 26 breakfast. Bermudez expressed support for PSI and promised to expedite Defense Ministry clearance on any Foreign Ministry request for clearance on a diplomatic note. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: While we welcomed FM Briz's initial reaction, his enthusiasm does not necessarily overcome bureaucratic inertia. MFA underlings have already asked if we can provide the names of other countries that support PSI, but ref B indicates that we cannot. Wharton