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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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