SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR SEAT

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 000661 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ECPS ITU ES SUBJECT: SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR SEAT ON THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION COUNCIL ¶1. Post received a diplomatic note (text paragraph 3) from the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated February 27, 2006 requesting U.S. support for El Salvador's nomination to be a member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Council for the period 2006- ¶2010. Elections for the council will take place in Antalya, Turkey at the next Plenipotentiary Conference from November 6 to November 24, 2006. ¶2. Post notes that El Salvador has been supportive of the U.S. Government at the ITU in the past. ¶3. Post will fax the original Spanish-language letter to WHA/CEN. An informal translation of the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows. Begin text: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs salutes the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America and would like to inform you that the Government of El Salvador has decided to present its candidacy for a seat on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Council for the period 2006- 2010, in the elections that will take place during the next Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey from November 6 to November 24, 2006. The Government of El Salvador supports its decision with the following points: The Government of El Salvador is making progress in having new Technologies in Information and Communications, aware that these are an important tool for human development and integration of the global community, in order to consolidate an Information Society, inclusive and oriented to the benefit of the inhabitants of the world. El Salvador has created by Executive Decree a National Commission for the Information Society, as a Consultant Agency and Advisor to the President of the Republic. El Salvador is leading the Mesoamerican Initiative for the integration of Telecommunications Services under the Plan Puebla Panama project. The main objective is to increase possibilities of broader access for Mesoamerican citizens, especially to rural and vulnerable groups, to global knowledge and full integration to the Information Society, through the development of broad band telecommunications infrastructure, promotion of Universal Access and the development of an assistance policy and an adequate regulatory body that promotes more public and private investment in connectivity, to reduce the digital gap. In the framework of the World Summit of the Information Society, El Salvador played a relevant and proactive role, having led different subgroups in the drafting of texts and trying to establish a consensus on complex issues. In the framework of the "Preparatory Conference for the Regional Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean for the World Summit of the Information Society", celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2005, the "Regional Action Plan for the Information Society" was officially approved. The Action Plan establishes a series of goals to be achieved by the signing governments, with the establishment of concrete timeframes; at this event El Salvador requested to host the Rio Action Plan revision and was accepted with the approval of the participating countries. With that said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes the opportunity to request the valuable support of the Honorable Government of the United States of America for the nomination to the International Telecommunications Union Council, based on the cordial relations of friendship, solidarity and cooperation that have traditionally existed between our two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes the opportunity to reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America the assurance of its highest and most distinguished consideration. San Salvador, February 27, 2006 Seal To the Honorable Embassy Of the United States of America Present End text. Barclay