COSTA RICA REESTABLISHING TIES TO ARAB WORLD; ALSO

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002263 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, NEA, SA, AND EAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL XF BA EG KU YMCS SUBJECT: COSTA RICA REESTABLISHING TIES TO ARAB WORLD; ALSO OPENING EMBASSIES IN INDIA AND SINGAPORE REF: A. SAN JOSE 1841 ¶B. SAN JOSE 1154 ¶1. SUMMARY: Costa Rica has restored diplomatic relations with Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen, following its decision to move its embassy in Israel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. The GOCR also plans to open embassies in India and Singapore. The GOCR will use these newly-expanded ties to seek additional support for its election to the UNSC in 2008, one of the Arias Administration,s top foreign policy priorities. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- ARIAS SEEKS EXPANDED ROLE FOR COSTA RICA IN WORLD AFFAIRS -------------- -------------- ¶2. Egypt and Costa Rica announced restoration of diplomatic relations at the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Havana on September 13. While in New York for the UN General Assembly, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno announced on September 25 that Costa Rica also would reestablish diplomatic relations with Kuwait, Bahrain, and Yemen. While Stagno met with the Syrian foreign minister in New York, he added that they were not yet discussing reestablishing diplomatic relations, but would define their relationship in the near future. On October 2, Stagno announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) planned to open embassies in Egypt, India, and Singapore in 2007. ¶3. The restoration of diplomatic relations with the Arab world was triggered by Costa Rica's August 16 announcement that it would move its embassy in Israel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv (reftel A, NOTAL). In 1984, the Arab League asked members to sever diplomatic relations with Costa Rica because of then President Monge,s decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem. According to media reports, Stagno told the Kuwaiti vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs at UNGA that Costa Rica,s major motivation to improve relations with the Arab world is to promote trade and attract foreign investment from the Middle East. ¶4. Minister Stagno presented the government,s plan to finance the new embassies during a hearing with the legislature,s finance committee on September 29. The MFA plans to close its embassy in Barbados and a consulate in New Orleans. In addition, the MFA is seeking a 14% increase in its 2007 budget over 2006. Besides new embassies, some of the extra money is slated for MFA officials to tour Asia and Africa to promote Costa Rica's UNSC bid. Additional personnel costs would not be high, since diplomats would be reassigned to staff the new missions. ¶5. During the hearing, Stagno presented his ministry,s foreign policy priorities, which include, in addition to closer relations with the Arab world: -- improving the &international order,8 (e.g., UN reform); -- promoting major multilateral initiatives such as the Costa Rican Consensus (i.e., debt forgiveness and additional assistance for countries that demilitarize) and an international conventional arms transfer treaty (ATT); and )- being elected to the UNSC in 2008. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. While the Arias administration would certainly welcome foreign investment from, and increased trade with, the Arab world, the 2008 UNSC seat is also very important (Ref B). The additional embassies and the UNSC campaign will be costly, especially given the current fiscal situation in Costa Rica. Stagno told the committee that it could cost as much as $6000/month to rent embassy space in Singapore, for example, while two MFA advisers confided to us on October 12 that it would be difficult to find Costa Rican diplomats who spoke Arabic. The Arias administration is willing to make this effort in order to maintain a place on the world stage. By starting the process now, the GOCR clearly intends to have the new missions in place in time to seek support from Arab nations and others before the 2008 UNSC elections next October. FRISBIE