Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTOFSPAIN1152
2006-10-04 20:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Of Spain
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR DEMARCHES NEW T&T FM ON VENEZUELA'S

Tags:  PREL UNSC GT VZ TD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSP #1152 2772027
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 042027Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7427
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3614
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0100
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0060
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001152 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC GT VZ TD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DEMARCHES NEW T&T FM ON VENEZUELA'S
UNSC CANDIDACY

REF: STATE 162359

Classified By: ADSM, John Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001152

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC GT VZ TD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DEMARCHES NEW T&T FM ON VENEZUELA'S
UNSC CANDIDACY

REF: STATE 162359

Classified By: ADSM, John Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) During an October 3 courtesy call on new T&T Foreign
Minister Arnold Piggott to congratulate him on his
appointment, the Ambassador raised Venezuela,s candidacy for
the 2007/2008 Latin American and Caribbean non-permanent seat
on the UN Security Council, drawing on the talking points in
State 162359. Noting that Caricom countries (including T&T)
have given Guatemala,s border dispute with Belize as partial
explanation of their support for Venezuela,s candidacy, the
Ambassador reminded Piggott that Venezuela,s border dispute
with Guyana has potentially more harmful consequences for
Guyana than the Guatemala/Belize dispute has for Belize. He
also emphasized that, in pursuing his Pertocaribe initiative,
Chavez had taken no account of T&T,s energy-related
interests. Finally, the Ambassador wondered why a man who
thinks the UN system has collapsed and who characterizes the
organization as &worthless8 would be at all interested in a
Security Council Seat. Piggott listened to the arguments,
said he would take on board the Ambassador,s request for a
reconsideration of T&T,s support for Venezuela, and
undertook to communicate his response to the Ambassador prior
to the October 16 vote.


2. (C) When the Ambassador told Piggott that Article
98-related restrictions had just been lifted from T&T and
that T&T was now authorized to receive International Military
Education and Training (IMET) funding, Piggott acknowledged
the news but was clearly unaware of it in advance of the
meeting. He asked what time commitment was involved in IMET
courses, and said the UK and Canada had also made available
such training to T&T.


3. (U) In response to a general question by Piggott about
developments on the visa front, the Ambassador asked Piggott
to remind his staff in Port of Spain and at the embassy in
Washington to give the State Department maximum possible
notice of any planned travel to the U.S. by T&T officials.
Such notice would help avoid the kind of treatment received
recently at Kennedy Airport by the Venezuelan Foreign
Minister who had not requested any airport courtesies in
advance of his trip.


4. (U) The Ambassador concluded the meeting by noting that
he is now the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Port of Spain.
He told Piggott that, from time to time, he will likely want
to discuss with him the collective wishes, if any, of his
fellow Heads of Missions and offered to ease Piggott,s task
by calling a &get acquainted8 meeting for him with all the
resident Heads of Missions. Piggott appreciated the offer
but said he would probably have to meet and greet them
individually.


5. (C) COMMENT: Piggott is clearly still settling into his
portfolio and has not received much assistance from Margaret
Rousseau, his Americas Desk Director, who sat in on the
meeting but who has herself been on the job for less than a
month. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN