DEMARCHE ON THE GROWING IRAN-VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000717

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/AND
STATE FOR NEA/IRAN
ADDIS ABABA FOR ANTHONY FISHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM MASS ECON PTER VE IR XL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON THE GROWING IRAN-VENEZUELA
RELATIONSHIP DELIVERED

REF: STATE 61378

Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) We delivered reftel demarche to six countries in the
Eastern Caribbean. Officials of all six countries expressed
concern about the growing ties between Venezuela and Iran,
but as is typical for the Eastern Caribbean, they refused to
commit to speaking out or taking action in international
fora. Embassy Grenada will report on their demarche septel.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
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2. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Ambassador Colin Murdoch told
PolOff that his nation has not yet developed an opinion on
the growing Iranian-Venezuelan relationship. He stated that
the GOAB would probably adopt the CARICOM position toward the
relationship, once one was formulated. PS Murdoch did
express concern about Venezuela helping Iran circumvent U.N.
Security Council resolutions, and asked the USG to forward
any information it had in this regard to his government.

BARBADOS
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3. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Ambassador Teresa Marshall,
former Barbados Ambassador to Venezuela, was strongly
critical of the current situation in Venezuela. She shared
U.S. concerns about the growing relationship between
Venezuela and Iran, which she viewed as a negative
development for the region. However, she indicated that
Barbados would not go so far as to oppose Venezuela on this
issue in international fora.

DOMINICA
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4. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Steve Ferrol stated that his
government was monitoring the Iran-Venezuela relationship.
He was confident that, if this relationship were to deepen
and impact the region, the CARICOM heads of government would
focus on the issue.

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
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5. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Theresa Nisbitt said her
government was unaware of the growing relationship between
Iran and Venezuela. She thanked the USG for bringing this to
the attention of her government.

ST. LUCIA
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6. (C) Permanent Secretary for External Affairs Ambassador
Anthony Severin stated that St. Lucia was also concerned with
the long-term implications of the deepening Iran-Venezuela
relationship and that St. Lucia would be watching this
closely. He further stated, however, that while St. Lucia
saw this relationship as risky, St. Lucia would not involve
itself in anyway that would infringe on Venezuela's
sovereignty.

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
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7. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Patricia Martin reminded
PolOff of St. Vincent's good relations with Venezuela, but
stated that it would not let its strong relationship with
Venezuela blind it from supporting basic principles of
democracy. PS Martin stated that she was confident that
multilateral bodies, such as the UN Security Council, would
keep this situation under control.

COMMENT
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8. (C) The Eastern Caribbean responded to this demarche in a
typical fashion: while they may share USG concerns about
Venezuela's growing ties with Iran, they will take no action
in international venues that could undermine their generally

friendly -- and for some, lucrative -- relations with
Venezuela. Betraying the region's sensitivities with regard
to Venezuela, a few of our interlocutors were defensive and
concerned until they realized that the demarche did not
concern their relations with Venezuela. The references to
CARICOM consensus and the principle of sovereignty are also
standard default responses in the region, which may pay lip
service to our shared goals and concerns but is rarely
willing to stand up and be counted when it matters.
GILROY