GUATEMALA: DEMARCHE ON OAS MLAT OPTIONAL PROTOCOL

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001386 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KJUS OAS GT SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: DEMARCHE ON OAS MLAT OPTIONAL PROTOCOL REF: STATE 98141 ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel talking points on the OAS MLAT (mutual legal assistance treaty) Optional Protocol July 13 to Luis Carranza, Deputy Director for UN and OAS Affairs in the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry's Multilateral Relations Directorate. Carranza said Guatemalan ratification of the Optional Protocol would help both countries' efforts to pursue money laundering investigations. He promised to place the Protocol on the Foreign Ministry's list of pending actions for the Guatemalan Congress. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: The GOG has a lengthy and complex process for gaining congressional approval of international agreements and treaties. After first inviting interagency review and comment, the measure is analyzed by Foreign Ministry lawyers and then submitted to the Office of the Presidency for further legal review. The next step is submission to the Guatemalan Congress, where the measure is considered on a timetable set by the pertinent congressional committees. We will encourage congressional leaders to take action on the Optional Protocol. Derham