ECUADOR INAUGURATION: USDEL REQUESTED BY DECEMBER

UNCLAS QUITO 003050 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/AND, WHA/PPC, H, S/CPR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR INAUGURATION: USDEL REQUESTED BY DECEMBER 22 This is an action request for the Department. See para five, below. ¶1. Summary: The GOE's planning for the January 15, 2003 presidential inauguration ceremony is just beginning but the MFA has requested foreign delegation lists by December 22. Planned activities span January 13-15. Outgoing President Alfredo Palacio has formally invited President Bush to attend the inauguration; a translation of the letter follows in para four, below and the letter has been faxed to WHA/AND. End Summary. ¶2. The Foreign Ministry held an informational session on December 11 outlining, only in broad strokes, plans for the inauguration. The GOE has requested that embassies submit delegation lists by December 22. Embassy has reserved a block of hotel rooms and will designate individual site officers for each member of the delegation. ¶3. More details about the inaugural program will be disseminated via the MFA website on December 18. In the meantime, the MFA has released a schedule of events, as follows: Saturday, January 13 -------------- 0600 - 2400 Arrival of Delegations Sunday, January 14 -------------- 0600 - 1300 Arrival of Delegations 1430 - 1730 Salutations and presentation of credentials to President Palacio by foreign delegations in the Presidential Palace. 1830 State of the Nation address by President Alfredo Palacio at the Legislative Palace. 2000 Dinner and Opera, "Manuela and Bolivar: Love and Death of the Liberators", at Quito's historic Sucre National Theater for foreign delegations, diplomats, high government ministers and guests hosted by President Palacio. Monday, January 15 -------------- 0900 - 1000 Arrival of foreign delegations to the Legislative Palace for inauguration. 1030 - 1300 Presidential inauguration at Legislative Palace. 2000 - 2030 Salute to President Rafael Correa by foreign delegations at historic Convent of San Francisco. 2030 - end Reception hosted by President Correa and the First Lady of Ecuador, Anne Malherbe, for foreign delegations and invited guests at historic Convent of San Francisco. Tuesday, January 16 -------------- all day Departure of foreign delegations. ¶3. Embassy control officer contact information: PolOff Erik Martini IVG 644 - 4424 593-2-246-2890 ext 4424 email: emartini@state.gov Please also copy PolChief Erik Hall (halle@state.gov) on all inaugural messages. ¶4. Begin text of unofficial translation of President Palacio's letter inviting President Bush to the inauguration: PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR Quito, December 4, 2006 His Excellency George W. Bush President of United States of America Washington Excellency: I have the honor to address your Excellency in order to invite you to participate in the Acts and Ceremony of the Presidential Inauguration that will take place in Quito on January 14-15, 2007. Within the framework of this democratic celebration, I will be pleased to have the presence of your Excellency in the National Congress on January 14, at 18:30, where I will submit my Report to the Nation. Subsequently, I will offer a tasting of Ecuadorian gastronomy and the presentation of the Opera "Manuela and Bolivar: Love and Death of the Liberators." On the 15th morning, I would be honored to have your presence in the Solemn Ceremony of the National Congress in which I will transfer the Presidential Command. In this ceremony, the President of the National Congress will take the oath and will install the new President of the Republic, who will preside over, in the afternoon and evening of the 15th, the protocol acts that will be carried out in his honor on the occasion of his Inauguration as President of the country. Let me take this opportunity to express to Your Excellency my deepest gratitude for the friendship with which you have distinguished me, as well as for the collaboration that you gave me during the term in which I executed the Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador. /Signed/ Alfredo Palacio Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador End text. ¶5. Action Request for the Department: Please advise us of the composition of the USDel, when available. JEWELL