NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONDEMNS U.S. "WAR PREPARATIONS"

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000424 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA (RNEPHEW),S/CT, AND NEA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KNNP PTER IR VE SUBJECT: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONDEMNS U.S. "WAR PREPARATIONS" AGAINST IRAN/BRV OFFICIALS DENY AL QAEDA THREAT CARACAS 00000424 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) anti-American foreign policy recently reached new rhetorical depths. The National Assembly unanimously passed a February 22 resolution that condemns U.S. "war preparations" against Iran (sic) and exhorts all countries to "confront this new aggression." The National Assembly resolution comes one week after BRV officials accused the United States government of planting a false al Qaeda threat against Venezuela to "prepare the ground" for US-sponsored terrorist acts. A member of President Chavez' General Staff even suggested that it would be illogical for al Qaeda to threaten the BRV because Venezuela is "also fighting against U.S. imperialism." End Summary. -------------- National Assembly Resolution on Iran -------------- ¶2. (U) Two days before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued its report on Iranian non-compliance with UNSCR 1737, the National Assembly unanimously passed a February 22 resolution entitled "Agreement to Reject United States Government War Preparations Against the Islamic Republic of Iran." The operative paragraphs of the resolution state common agreement to: -- reject these and other outrageous plans of aggression against the self-determination of people, specifically in the case of the Islamic Republic of Iran. -- urge all countries of the world to confront this new escalation of aggression that endangers world peace. -- call on the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, in order to take the necessary steps to prevent another crime of state terrorism by the political class in the White House, which has definitely become the world's largest terrorist cartel. -- deliver this resolution to all diplomatic missions in the country and to publicize this resolution. ¶3. (U) The introductory paragraphs of the resolution also make numerous additional unfounded accusations against the United States. Specifically, the introductory "Whereas" clauses read: -- The American empire once again is preparing a plan of aggression for the world stage, in this case against the Islamic Republic of Iran (sic); 
-- The international community has reacted energetically before this extremely dangerous situation for world security (sic); -- The accusations of the United States of America contradict the reports presented by the IAEA, which assure the peaceful nature of the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran (sic); -- In all the IAEA reports there is no evidence whatsoever of a nuclear arms program in the Islamic Republic of Iran (sic); -- The true reason (for U.S. war preparations) is the intention of the United States of America to control the energy sources in the world in order to impose on the world its plans and new map for the Middle East, as announced by the United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2006 (sic - the original resolution also misspelled the Secretary's first name as "Condolezza"); SIPDIS -- It is customary for imperialism, confronted by its own contradictions, to foment world crisis in order to reorder international relations to support its plans for hegemony (sic). -------------- CARACAS 00000424 002.2 OF 002 Al Qaeda Threat -------------- ¶4. (U) Numerous Venezuela media outlets reported February 14 that al Qaeda members in Saudi Arabia had via their website called for attacks on energy installations of leading oil exporters to the United States, including Venezuela. The initial reaction of BRV officials was to deny the validity of the reported threats. Admiral Luis Cabrera, a member of President Chavez' General Staff, told the local media February 15 that it sounds "illogical" for al Qaeda to threaten the BRV because the BRV is also "fighting, although in a different manner, against (U.S.) hegemony, against (U.S.) imperialism." Perhaps realizing he had come dangerously close to calling al Qaeda an ally of the BRV, Cabrera clarified that the BRV "fights with the Constitution, with legality, with morality and the truth in front, not with acts of terrorism." ¶5. (U) National Assembly Foreign Policy Commission President Saul Ortega told the media February 15 that he believed the reported al Qaeda threats were part of a U.S. strategy to "prepare the ground" for terrorist attacks and intervention in Venezuela (sic). He suggested the CIA had put out a false translation of a non-existent al Qaeda threat as part of an "American terrorist strategy" of intimidation (sic). Other BRV officials, including Defense Minister Baduel, subsequently moderated the BRV's tone and told the local media that the BRV was well prepared to meet any potential threats of terrorism. BROWNFIELD