AMBASSADOR, PM'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR DISCUSS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 000247 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO PO SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR, PM'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR DISCUSS RENDITIONS INVESTIGATION, 2008 NATO SUMMIT, AND POTUS-SOCRATES MEETING REF: LISBON 153 Classified By: Ambassador Alfred Hoffman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) At a January 25 meeting with Ambassador Hoffman, Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister Jorge Roza de Oliveira discussed the media attention and government response to Ana Gomes' vocal investigation of alleged CIA rendition flights through Portugal. He noted that Foreign Minister Amado would discuss Portugal's desire to host the 2008 NATO Summit with Secretary Rice during the January 26 NATO Ministerial in Brussels. Roza de Oliveira also reiterated the GOP desire for a meeting between President Bush and PM Socrates, especially as Portugal assumes the European Council Presidency in July. End Summary. Rendition Flight Investigation -------------- ¶2. (C) In a January 25 meeting with the Ambassador, the Prime Minister's senior diplomatic advisor, Jorge Roza de Oliveira, could not predict how far Socialist Party (PS) Eurodeputy Ana Gomes or the media would continue to press the Portuguese government on the issue of CIA rendition flights through Portugal. At the moment, the GOP is awaiting the release of the European Parliament's final report before taking further action. Roza de Oliveira assumed that some flights had passed through Portugal but questioned the value of publicly punishing those involved. He referred to Gomes as a "very excited lady who is worse than a rottweiler let loose," and stressed that she did not enjoy the support of her peers or the Socialist Party. Roza de Oliveira further opined that Gomes was using this issue to grind a political axe with others in the PS, including FM Amado, as a result of previous intra-party battles over other issues. 2008 NATO Summit -------------- ¶3. (C) According to Roza de Oliveira, FM Amado planned to speak with Secretary Rice during the January 26 NATO Ministerial in Brussels about Portugal's candidacy to host the 2008 NATO Summit. While Roza de Oliveira was aware that the United States supports Romania's candidacy, he stated that Portugal did not intend to withdraw its own candidacy. He noted that eighteen countries support Portugal's candidacy but acknowledged that the United States and other select countries play the key roles in making the final decision. He also pondered the possibility of a third country entering the competition but did not elaborate. POTUS-Socrates Meeting -------------- ¶4. (C) Roza de Oliveira reiterated the GOP's desire for a Bush-Socrates meeting, especially as Portugal will assume the EU Presidency in July. He reported that PM Socrates would be available to meet either before or during the EU Presidency in accordance with President Bush's schedule and offered early July as one possibility, when the Prime Minister is considering attending the Smithsonian exhibition of Portuguese art. The Ambassador reaffirmed his desire for this meeting to occur and recommended that Roza de Oliveira visit D.C. and meet with the NSC to lay the groundwork for a meeting. Roza de Oliveira expressed his willingness to visit D.C. in February or March and requested Embassy and State assistance in scheduling the appropriate appointments. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Roza de Oliveira's assumption that CIA flights had transited through Portugal was the first such acknowledgment to us by a GOP official, but the diplomatic advisor did not seem concerned about the potential fall-out from Gomes' investigation. From the Portuguese perspective, more pressing items in the trans-Atlantic relationship continue to be Portugal's candidacy for the 2008 NATO Summit and a Bush-Socrates meeting. Hoffman