URUGUAY ON NAM SUMMIT DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000829 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2016 TAGS: PREL UNGA PTER PHUM CU UY SUBJECT: URUGUAY ON NAM SUMMIT DEMARCHE REF: STATE 145242 Classified By: Charge D'Affaires James D. Nealon for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) On September 6, PolCouns raised reftel demarche topics of Terrorism, Democracy and the Middle East with MFA Director for Multilateral Affairs Gustavo Alvarez. Alvarez said that Uruguay "tended to be more of an observer than a member of the Non-Aligned Movement" and was unlikely to be actively engaged at the XIV NAM Summit in Havana next September 11-16. However, Alvarez confirmed that Formin Reinaldo Gargano will represent Uruguay at the Summit and admitted that he did not know what he might say or do. ¶2. (C) Comment: In the past, Embassy has refrained from discussing the UN Security Council race with anyone at the Foreign Ministry, because Gargano's anti-American and pro-Venezuelan sentiments are well known. Instead, the Charge has demarched the President directly on this topic. End Comment. Nealon