DEMARCHE: MEETINGS WITH HAMAS (PERU)

UNCLAS LIMA 000754

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: MEETINGS WITH HAMAS (PERU)

REF: A. SECSTATE 27174


B. LIMA 718


1. (U) Polcouns and Poloff delivered the meetings with Hamas
demarche (Ref A) to the Foreign Ministry's Under Secretary
for Multilateral Affairs, Amb. Antonio Garcia Revilla,
Director of Multilateral Affairs Julio Garro, and Director of
UN Affairs, Miguel Barreto, on 2/23.


2. (U) The Peruvians did not respond to the substance of the
demarche, indicating that they had no/no expectations that a
Hamas delegation would seek to visit Lima for the foreseeable
future. They did inquire, however,
regarding the status of USG assistance to Palestine and the
USG position on comments by Alvaro De Soto, UN Special
Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, that Israel's
decision to withhold tax transfers to the Palestine
Government might be contrary to the Oslo Peace Accords.
Poloff subsequently provided Barreto with press statements on
the issue from the Department's spokesman.
STRUBLE