Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS424
2007-03-01 14:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONDEMNS U.S. "WAR PREPARATIONS"

Tags:  PREL KNNP PTER IR VE 
pdf how-to read a cable
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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


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