CHILE: PSI ENDORSEMENT STILL NOT FINAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 000171 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, T, WHA, EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2016 TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL PHSA KNNP CI SUBJECT: CHILE: PSI ENDORSEMENT STILL NOT FINAL REF: A. STATE 07119 ¶B. 05 SANTIAGO 01734 ¶C. 05 SANTIAGO 01681 ¶D. 05 SANTIAGO 01885 ¶E. 05 SANTIAGO 01063 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Emi L. Yamauchi. Reasons: 1.4(b ) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered Ref. A demarche and non-paper to Foreign Ministry Special Policies Counselor Jaime Contreras and Americas Desk Officer Beatriz de la Fuente on January 17. Post also provided a copy to Claudio Ortiz, advisor to the Minister of Defense. In delivering the demarche to the Foreign Ministry, poloff noted the Embassy's understanding that: --Minister of Defense Ravinet had formally endorsed PSI and had recommended to the Foreign Ministry that the GOC adopt such a position (Ref. B); --A draft letter from FM Walker to the Secretary endorsing PSI was with the MFA's Legal Advisor for his review (Ref. C); and, --MFA Special Policies Director Winter had told visiting A/S for Compliance Diplomacy DeSutter in August 2005 that GOC officials would be meeting at the end of that month to discuss PSI (Ref D). ¶2. (C) Foreign Ministry Counselor Contreras could not confirm when a decision would land on the Foreign Minister's desk. He noted the GOC was in "transition mode" due to the pending Bachelet government's inauguration on March 11, and speculated Chile would not rush to endorse the PSI interdiction principles before the May 31 anniversary. (Note: Post notes that the physical relocation of the Foreign Ministry, and the start of the traditional Chilean summer vacations, are additional factors which may be affecting the Foreign Ministry. End note.) Contreras added that Chile was considering accepting an invitation from Australia to "participate" in a PSI interdiction exercise scheduled for this April. ¶3. (C) Post will follow up with senior Foreign Ministry officials, including MFA Legal Advisor Troncoso, to clarify Chile's position on PSI. KELLY