Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ3290
2007-12-19 20:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
BOLIVIA: EU BROKERED DIALOGUE FAILS TO MATERIALIZE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 003290
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: EU BROKERED DIALOGUE FAILS TO MATERIALIZE
REF: LA PAZ 3268
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 003290
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: EU BROKERED DIALOGUE FAILS TO MATERIALIZE
REF: LA PAZ 3268
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The publicly announced dialogue between opposition
prefects and President Evo Morales brokered by the European
Union (EU) has failed to materialize and most likely will not
happen until after the holiday season, if at all. German
Charge Johannes Lehne expressed his frustration at the lack
of will from both sides to talk to each other. Lehne feels
Evo is emboldened by recent Mercosur statements of support
and radical elements of the MAS and sees no need to give an
inch. Charge Lehne predicts both sides will continue to
posture with punches to follow come January. End summary.
--------------
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
--------------
2. (C) After EU Ambassadors met with Evo Morales on
December 14 and brokered an agreement for the president and
opposition governors to meet on December 19, the meeting
failed to materialize. German Charge Johannes Lehne told DCM
that the publicly announced meeting which the EU planned to
observe would not take place and most likely will not happen
in the near future. Lehne complained that neither Evo nor
Minister of Government Juan Ramon Quintana had sent the
governors invitation letters as was agreed upon with the EU.
Lehne feels Evo is emboldened by recent Mercosur declarations
of support and by radical elements with his MAS party to not
give an inch. The opposition does not seem in a hurry for
dialogue either. Lehne said he spoke with Santa Cruz
Secretary General Roly Aguilera who told him there would be
SIPDIS
no meeting. The opposition has made clear it will not sit
down with Evo unless all issues are on the table, including
the "illegal" draft constitution and the government's cut of
resources to the departments.
--------------
KEEP PLAYING WITH FIRE
--------------
3. (C) Lehne predicted that both sides would keep up public
posturing throughout the holiday season with neither one
willing to dialogue. He fears that things will heat up again
in January, with both sides even more entrenched. Charge
Lehne also said he had taken a call from Peruvian Ambassador
Fernando Rojas, who said the EU shouldn't be involved in
brokering dialogue and to let the Latins handle things in
their own neighborhood and implied that other neighboring
countries felt the same way.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Evo's offer to enter into talks with the opposition,
with the EU present as observers, seems to have been a savvy
public relations ploy to portray himself as open to dialogue.
However, Evo's polarizing rhetoric and his MAS party's
steamrolling the opposition to get a new constitution draft,
has few believing that the government is open to compromise.
Evo will certainly point to the opposition for refusing to
dialogue but at least it seems that EU realizes that on this
occasion, Evo is to blame. The fact that Evo and Minister
Quintana did not follow through with a formal invitation to
the prefects is true to form. End comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: EU BROKERED DIALOGUE FAILS TO MATERIALIZE
REF: LA PAZ 3268
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The publicly announced dialogue between opposition
prefects and President Evo Morales brokered by the European
Union (EU) has failed to materialize and most likely will not
happen until after the holiday season, if at all. German
Charge Johannes Lehne expressed his frustration at the lack
of will from both sides to talk to each other. Lehne feels
Evo is emboldened by recent Mercosur statements of support
and radical elements of the MAS and sees no need to give an
inch. Charge Lehne predicts both sides will continue to
posture with punches to follow come January. End summary.
--------------
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
--------------
2. (C) After EU Ambassadors met with Evo Morales on
December 14 and brokered an agreement for the president and
opposition governors to meet on December 19, the meeting
failed to materialize. German Charge Johannes Lehne told DCM
that the publicly announced meeting which the EU planned to
observe would not take place and most likely will not happen
in the near future. Lehne complained that neither Evo nor
Minister of Government Juan Ramon Quintana had sent the
governors invitation letters as was agreed upon with the EU.
Lehne feels Evo is emboldened by recent Mercosur declarations
of support and by radical elements with his MAS party to not
give an inch. The opposition does not seem in a hurry for
dialogue either. Lehne said he spoke with Santa Cruz
Secretary General Roly Aguilera who told him there would be
SIPDIS
no meeting. The opposition has made clear it will not sit
down with Evo unless all issues are on the table, including
the "illegal" draft constitution and the government's cut of
resources to the departments.
--------------
KEEP PLAYING WITH FIRE
--------------
3. (C) Lehne predicted that both sides would keep up public
posturing throughout the holiday season with neither one
willing to dialogue. He fears that things will heat up again
in January, with both sides even more entrenched. Charge
Lehne also said he had taken a call from Peruvian Ambassador
Fernando Rojas, who said the EU shouldn't be involved in
brokering dialogue and to let the Latins handle things in
their own neighborhood and implied that other neighboring
countries felt the same way.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Evo's offer to enter into talks with the opposition,
with the EU present as observers, seems to have been a savvy
public relations ploy to portray himself as open to dialogue.
However, Evo's polarizing rhetoric and his MAS party's
steamrolling the opposition to get a new constitution draft,
has few believing that the government is open to compromise.
Evo will certainly point to the opposition for refusing to
dialogue but at least it seems that EU realizes that on this
occasion, Evo is to blame. The fact that Evo and Minister
Quintana did not follow through with a formal invitation to
the prefects is true to form. End comment.
GOLDBERG