PARAGUAY ON "THREE PLUS ONE" AGENDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000964 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA/FO CMCMULLEN, WHA/BSC CCROFT, KREAD, S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2027 TAGS: PGOV EFIN PREL KTFN PTER SNAR PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY ON "THREE PLUS ONE" AGENDA REF: SECSTATE 141216 Classified By: Michael J. Fitzpatrick; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) In response to reftel and pursuant to instructions from WHA/BSC, Embassy sent the Paraguayan government the following diplomatic note on October 24, 2007, proposing expansion of the Three Plus One agenda for the January meeting to be hosted by Paraguay. The text of the Embassy's diplomatic note follows: (BEGIN TEXT:) The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Paraguay and has the honor to address the Government of Paraguay regarding the upcoming Three Plus One meeting to be hosted by Paraguay. The United States of America proposes that the Three Plus One member states (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and United States) consider adding to the agenda for the next Three Plus One meeting a discussion of the various ways in which we could return to the original, broader law enforcement agenda, including (but not limited to) illicit financial flows; arms trafficking; drugs trafficking; trafficking in persons; critical infrastructure protection; document fraud; and border controls. The Embassy of the United States would be interested in the Government of Paraguay,s interests and priorities for the upcoming Three Plus One meeting, and is prepared to work together with the Ministry of Foreign Relations to ensure that the meeting is successful and mutually beneficial. The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Paraguay the assurances of its highest consideration. (END TEXT.) ¶2. (U) Embassy received a diplomatic note from the Paraguayan government in response to Embassy's diplomatic note. Post's informal translation of the Paraguayan government's response (VMRE/DGAE/No. 764/07) follows: (BEGIN TEXT:) The Ministry of Foreign Relations, Directorate General of Special Affairs, presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and with respect to its Note No. 246, dated October 24, 2007, states: --That the Government of the Republic of Paraguay understands that the series of meetings of the Three Plus One Group on tri-border security have been based on previously agreed-upon agendas and that all of them have been in line with the original agenda. --Based on that understanding, it (the GOP) has reported to the plenary regarding the performance of its legal forces aimed at preventing and combating the different manifestations of transnational organized crime and the prevention of terrorist acts or the financing of such acts. --That "law enforcement" by its institutions is done according to their invested domestic legal authorities. That the Executive Branch has said and confirms, if necessary, its full support for its law enforcement authorities, with the goal of strengthening their capacity to investigate and legally prosecute those persons or entities that may be suspected or involved in whatever illegal activity that threatens or could threaten national, regional, or global security. --That the national authorities, in coordination with the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States, have made fruitful progress with respect to travel document fraud prevention, and additionally, in the same way, have begun work related to identifying Paraguay's critical infrastructure, with the support of the United States Government. The national government believes it is appropriate to continue this in a bilateral framework, as well as the OAS multilateral framework, with the view toward designing a program for the protection of critical infrastructure against possible terrorist attacks. The authorities of the Republic of Paraguay express their satisfaction regarding the quality of the institutional and professional relationship with U.S. authorities and are willing to work to deepen such relationships. The Ministry of Foreign Relations, Directorate General of Special Affairs, avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurance of its highest consideration. November 2, 2007 (END TEXT.) ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Post shares reader's frustration in attempting to discern whether Paraguay's response supports or rejects expansion of the Three Plus One agenda. The original Spanish is poorly written, and (we think) seeks to please the United States as well as Brazil and Argentina. Paraguay's response states that the Three Plus One never deviated from its original law enforcement agenda, but avoids directly responding to the U.S. expansion request. In any case, the Paraguayan government appears to want to work on critical infrastructure protection outside the Three Plus One, preferring to continue addressing that issue via U.S. and multilateral cooperation. We have attempted to reach the authors of the diplomatic note (currently traveling out of country) to question them regarding Paraguay's intent without success. Yet. END COMMENT. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion CASON