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