COUNTERING CHAVEZ'S UNSC LOBBYING IN MALAYSIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001618 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO, WHA AND EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016 TAGS: PREL KDEM UNSC VE MY SUBJECT: COUNTERING CHAVEZ'S UNSC LOBBYING IN MALAYSIA REF: STATE 140182 Classified By: Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark rea sons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) As Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez conducted a state visit to Malaysia (below),Polcouns delivered reftel demarche August 28 on countering Venezuela's UNSC lobbying to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry's Acting Under Secretary for American Affairs Khairi Omar. We particularly highlighted Venezuela's unhelpful behavior in many multilateral fora. We questioned Khairi regarding an August 27 international news report, sourced to Caracas, in which Chavez stated that Malaysia had confirmed in writing its support for Venezuela's UNSC bid. Khairi said he had no information on Chavez's statement and he could not confirm or deny Malaysian support to Venezuela's bid. Polcouns also contacted other senior and mid-level Foreign Ministry officials engaged in Chavez's visit, including those handling multilateral political affairs, but none would comment on the August 27 news report. ¶2. (U) Local and international press reported Chavez's August 27 arrival in Kuala Lumpur at the start of a four-day state visit to Malaysia. A public statement released by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry described the visit as focused on situation in the Middle East, and on cooperation in the areas of oil and gas, as well as palm oil. Malaysia accorded Chavez a regal welcome in a state ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on August 28. Chavez was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi late on August 28. Visits to palm oil locations reportedly will occupy Chavez's schedule on August ¶29. SHEAR