Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MONTEVIDEO951
2006-10-05 17:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Montevideo
Cable title:  

URUGUAY ON UNSC RACE

Tags:  UNSC PREL GT VE UY 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0019
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0951 2781720
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 051720Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6373
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2541
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0447
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0119
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT SANTIAGO 2919
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J-5//
C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000951 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC AND IO
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2016
TAGS: UNSC PREL GT VE UY
SUBJECT: URUGUAY ON UNSC RACE

REF: A. MONTEVIDEO 0936


B. STATE 162359

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires James D. Nealon
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000951

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC AND IO
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2016
TAGS: UNSC PREL GT VE UY
SUBJECT: URUGUAY ON UNSC RACE

REF: A. MONTEVIDEO 0936


B. STATE 162359

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires James D. Nealon
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) This message supplements information provided in Ref

A.


2. (C) Ref B indicated that Venezuela is unlikely to pull out
of the race before the October 16 UNGA vote that will decide
the contested Latin American seat on the UNSC for 2007-2008.
However, on October 4 (without any prompting on my part) the
MFA's DirGen for Political Affairs Alvaro Gallardo said that
Uruguay had been approached on "more than one occasion" as a
possible compromise candidate for the semi-permanent UNSC
seat. He did not elaborate on who had approached the GOU, but
said that Uruguay could only seriously consider such an
option if it was proposed by Mercosur.


3. (C) Gallardo mused that being part of a prominent IO poses
dilemmas for small nations such as Uruguay. On the one hand,
it offers prestige and the opportunity to make a difference;
on the other it places demands on resources and subjects the
country to increased outside political pressure. He said he
personally preferred a lower profile for Uruguay.


4. (C) Gallardo intimated that lots of Latin American leaders
privately boo ("sisear") Chavez' behavior -- particularly his
boorish September 20 address at the UN -- though none of
them, with the possible exception of Brazil, were inclined to
tell the BRV President to moderate his dicourse.
Nevertheless, Gallardo indicated that Uruguay's vote for
Venezuela was practically a foregone conclusion, because of
its membership in Mercosur. Tellingly he never once
mentioned Guatemala during our conversation.


5. (C) Comment: I did not respond to Gallardo's fishing about
Uruguay's possibilities as a last minute compromise candidate
for the semi-permanent UNSC seat. The issue received some
attention in the press here a couple of weeks ago when the
idea was floated by former Argentine Econ Minister Lavagna.
End Comment.
Nealon