Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ370
2007-02-09 20:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
U.S. MINING COMPANIES EXPRESS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLP #0370/01 0402008 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 092008Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2430 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6519 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3843 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7728 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4971 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2212 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2307 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3307 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4393 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0104 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4855 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9443 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0284 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0133 RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000370
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV ECON PREL PGOV BL
SUBJECT: U.S. MINING COMPANIES EXPRESS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
REF: A. LA PAZ 137
B. LA PAZ 363
-------
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000370
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV ECON PREL PGOV BL
SUBJECT: U.S. MINING COMPANIES EXPRESS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
REF: A. LA PAZ 137
B. LA PAZ 363
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) Coeur d'Alene executives told the Ambassador
February 8 that GOB officials may move away from proposed
across-the-board tax hikes (ref A) in favor of negotiating
increases with individual firms. An Apex Silver executive
later told Econoff that Vice President Garcia Linera promised
February 6 to establish a technical team to prepare new
mining legislation, as he understood that the original draft
had failed to meet companies' expectations. Company
representatives said they would readily accept individual
negotiations and noted that they viewed GOB officials' new,
potentially more moderate tone with cautious optimism. End
summary.
--------------
A NEW DIRECTION?
--------------
2. (SBU) Coeur d'Alene CEO Dennis Wheeler told the Ambassador
February 8 that GOB officials had hinted at the possibility
of moving away from across-the-board tax hikes (ref A) in
favor of negotiating tax increases with individual firms.
Executives at Comibol, the state-owned mining company,
reportedly indicated that the GOB may be willing to consider
each company's unique situation, potentially engaging in
firm-specific discussions to determine appropriate tax
increases. Wheeler viewed the news favorably, noting that
Coeur d'Alene is not in principle opposed to tax hikes but is
worried that excessive increases will make it impossible to
earn sufficient investment returns.
3. (SBU) Apex Silver Vice President Gerardo Garrett later
told Econoff that Vice President Garcia Linera promised
February 6 to establish a technical team (housed in the
presidential palace) to prepare new mining legislation, as he
understood that the original draft had failed to meet
companies' expectations. Garcia Linera reportedly invited
Apex representatives to brief team members on the firm's
concerns, opening the door to private sector participation in
the drafting process and declaring that he hoped to speak to
each firm individually.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (SBU) Company representatives said they would readily
accept individual negotiations and noted that they viewed GOB
officials' new, potentially more moderate tone with cautious
optimism. While executives are pleased with the GOB's
apparent shift away from a "one size fits all" approach and
are eager to take advantage of GOB openness in what may be a
new drafting process, they note that drawn-out negotiations
will do little to resolve lingering uncertainty. According
to one executive, companies may NOW be where they were ten
months ago, with little ability to predict the outcome of GOB
moves to modify the industry's tax structure.
5. (SBU) Comment continued: Company representatives also
noted that they have little means of predicting how
cooperative-affiliated miners' February 6-7 protests and
subsequent "reconciliation" with the GOB (ref B) will affect
the industry, as GOB officials have given no indication of
how they intend to address the tax issue with cooperatives.
Executives point out, however, that the disappearance of one
of the industry's strongest sources of opposition to proposed
tax hikes will likely weaken firms' negotiating positions.
End comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
TREASURY FOR SGOOCH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV ECON PREL PGOV BL
SUBJECT: U.S. MINING COMPANIES EXPRESS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
REF: A. LA PAZ 137
B. LA PAZ 363
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) Coeur d'Alene executives told the Ambassador
February 8 that GOB officials may move away from proposed
across-the-board tax hikes (ref A) in favor of negotiating
increases with individual firms. An Apex Silver executive
later told Econoff that Vice President Garcia Linera promised
February 6 to establish a technical team to prepare new
mining legislation, as he understood that the original draft
had failed to meet companies' expectations. Company
representatives said they would readily accept individual
negotiations and noted that they viewed GOB officials' new,
potentially more moderate tone with cautious optimism. End
summary.
--------------
A NEW DIRECTION?
--------------
2. (SBU) Coeur d'Alene CEO Dennis Wheeler told the Ambassador
February 8 that GOB officials had hinted at the possibility
of moving away from across-the-board tax hikes (ref A) in
favor of negotiating tax increases with individual firms.
Executives at Comibol, the state-owned mining company,
reportedly indicated that the GOB may be willing to consider
each company's unique situation, potentially engaging in
firm-specific discussions to determine appropriate tax
increases. Wheeler viewed the news favorably, noting that
Coeur d'Alene is not in principle opposed to tax hikes but is
worried that excessive increases will make it impossible to
earn sufficient investment returns.
3. (SBU) Apex Silver Vice President Gerardo Garrett later
told Econoff that Vice President Garcia Linera promised
February 6 to establish a technical team (housed in the
presidential palace) to prepare new mining legislation, as he
understood that the original draft had failed to meet
companies' expectations. Garcia Linera reportedly invited
Apex representatives to brief team members on the firm's
concerns, opening the door to private sector participation in
the drafting process and declaring that he hoped to speak to
each firm individually.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (SBU) Company representatives said they would readily
accept individual negotiations and noted that they viewed GOB
officials' new, potentially more moderate tone with cautious
optimism. While executives are pleased with the GOB's
apparent shift away from a "one size fits all" approach and
are eager to take advantage of GOB openness in what may be a
new drafting process, they note that drawn-out negotiations
will do little to resolve lingering uncertainty. According
to one executive, companies may NOW be where they were ten
months ago, with little ability to predict the outcome of GOB
moves to modify the industry's tax structure.
5. (SBU) Comment continued: Company representatives also
noted that they have little means of predicting how
cooperative-affiliated miners' February 6-7 protests and
subsequent "reconciliation" with the GOB (ref B) will affect
the industry, as GOB officials have given no indication of
how they intend to address the tax issue with cooperatives.
Executives point out, however, that the disappearance of one
of the industry's strongest sources of opposition to proposed
tax hikes will likely weaken firms' negotiating positions.
End comment.
GOLDBERG