FIRST-EVER CABINET LEVEL VISIT TO SURINAME, SECRETARY GATES MEETS PRESIDENT VENETIAAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARAMARIBO 000540



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FROM AMBASSADOR LISA BOBBIE SCHREIBER HUGHES



SECSTATE FOR WHA/CAR AND WHA/PPC

INR FOR BOB CARHART

ISN/FO FOR JOAN CORBETT

SOUTHCOM FOR LEWIS AMSELEM AND COL PAT RICHARDSON



E.O. 12958: DECLAS: 10/14/2017

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, OVIP, NS

SUBJECT: FIRST-EVER CABINET LEVEL VISIT TO SURINAME, SECRETARY GATES MEETS PRESIDENT VENETIAAN





CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR LISA BOBBIE SCHREIBER HUGHES,

REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D)



REF: (A) PARAMARIBO 501

(B) PARAMARIBO 509

(C) PARAMARIBO 510



1. (C) SUMMARY. In this unprecedented half-hour meeting

in Paramaribo between Defense Secretary Robert Gates and

Surinamese President Ronald Venetiaan, participants

discussed the overwhelmingly positive week-long visit of

the hospital ship, USNS Comfort, as well as the importance to

Suriname of this first-ever U.S. Cabinet level visit.

Venetiaan also mentioned the historically friendly bilateral

relationship dating from WWII, and current difficulties

associated with changing times: the global war on terror,

economic issues associated with accession to the WTO, and

global environmental concerns. Both Venetiaan and SecDef Gates

expressed satisfaction with the positive state of USG/GOS

military-to-military relations, with Secretary Gates noting

the planned New Horizons infrastructure support mission in

2008. Gates also pledged continued support through IMET

and FMF. Secretary Gates expressed hope that the GOS would

sign an article 98 agreement with the USG if, as Venetiaan

stated in his October 1 annual speech to Parliament, Suriname

would become a signatory to the International Criminal Court

(ICC) in 2008. Although acknowledging his desire to sign a

bilateral agreement (Article 98) with the USG prior to

becoming an ICC signatory, Venetiaan emphasized that this

would be politically sensitive, and entreated Gates for

flexibility. Gates also raised the U.S. Army Yuma Proving

Grounds proposal to establish a tropical test center in Suriname.

The discussion closed with both Gates and Venetiaan

acknowledging Suriname's dark days of 1980s military

dictatorship, the importance of democracy and respect for

the rule of law, and the further professionalization of Suriname's

military. End Summary.



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First-Ever U.S. Cabinet Level Visit to Suriname

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2. (SBU) Conducted in the Presidential Palace in Paramaribo,

Suriname, the half-hour October 6, 2007 meeting between

Secretary Gates and Surinamese President Venetiaan was the



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fortunate consequence of USNS Comfort being present in Suriname

for the final leg of its 4-month, 12-country deployment. As

the Defense Secretary had traveled to Suriname to express

appreciation to the staff, crew and medical personnel

aboard the Comfort, the Republic of Suriname reaped the

unprecedented benefit of a U.S. Cabinet level visit to

this tiny South American nation.



U.S. participants:

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates



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LTG Peter Chiarelli (USA) Senior Military Assistant

Paul McHale, ASD, Homeland Defense & American Security Affairs

Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes, U.S. Ambassador to Suriname (notetaker).



Surinamese participants:

President Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan

Defense Minister Ivan Fernald

MinDef Permanent Secretary Dennis Kamperveen

Central Intelligence and Security Agency (CIVD)

Chief Colonel Johan Ceder



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That was then; this is now: Surinamese President describes

the bilateral relationship

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3. (SBU) President Venetiaan joined Defense Minister Fernald in

praising the visit of the hospital ship USNS Comfort, noting that

many Surinamers had benefited in a good, positive way.

Venetiaan further acknowledged the honor of such a high-level

U.S. delegation visiting Suriname, noting that the MOD was very

pleased with the SecDef visit, and that Suriname's military

looks to continue good cooperation, particularly through

the U.S. Southern Command. (Note: indicative of the importance

he placed on the Gates visit, Venetiaan had elevated security

arrangements by assigning responsibility to the Chief of

Surinamese Defense Forces Colonel Ernst Mercuur, an unprecedented

step.)



4. (SBU) Reaching back through history, President Venetiaan

highlighted SurinameQs strategic importance to the United

States starting from WWII and continuing through the Korean War,

when U.S. aircraft landed at the (U.S.-built) international

airfield at Zanderij, 48 kilometers south of Paramaribo.

Economically, Suriname's rich bauxite deposits allowed

partnership with the U.S. through ALCOA subsidiary SURALCO

(Surinamese aluminum had been critical to the war effort).



5. (C) Turning to the present, Venetiaan let his political

biases show, noting that times have changed: global strategies

and the war against terror bring expensive requirements for

airport and harbor security. Economically, Suriname struggles

to cope with WTO rules and requirements, and encounters

difficulty with subsidies on commodities (e.g., rice)

imposed by richer economies. Also of concern for Suriname

is maintenance of the global environment. In this context

the GOS is pleased that the U.S. is now joining the global

environmental struggle; more industrialized countries still

have to come forward to do their part. As for Suriname, 50%

of the forest interior is being preserved for biodiversity

and oxygen production.



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The U.S. is here to help, but also needs Surinamese cooperation:

Secretary Gates describes the relationship, future opportunities



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6. (SBU) In response, Secretary Gates noted that the crew of

USNS Comfort had been proud to partner with the Ministries of

Health and Defense to provide health care to the community.

It was fitting that Suriname was the last stop on the

Comfort's 4-month, 12-nation deployment, during which over

100,000 people were helped. Of course, programs such as FMF

and IMET continue to help; the SecDef assured Venetiaan and

Fernald that he wants to continue these programs. The New

Horizons infrastructure support program will be the next

big humanitarian mission to Suriname, scheduled for 2008.

Partnership with Suriname also included collaboration in the

fight against narcotics and arms trafficking, and terrorism.

Also proposed for President Venetiaan's approval is a tropical

test facility in Suriname, where the U.S. Army Yuma Proving

Grounds would be able to study how army equipment and vehicles

are able to function in a jungle environment. This would be

a limited facility, but could provide additional opportunities

to strengthen the relationship. Secretary Gates went on to

note that one obstacle to further mil-to-mil collaboration

comes from the U.S. Congress and its requirement that the

USG sign Article 98 agreements with all countries that are

signatories to the International Criminal Court (ICC). He

acknowledged the USG understands that such agreements can

be politically delicate, stated the USG is prepared to be

patient, and assured Venetiaan that DoD humanitarian

support programs would continue, even in the absence of

an Article 98 agreement.



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President Venetiaan: Suriname needs the U.S., and wants to

cooperate on Article 98, but the issue is politically difficult

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7. (SBU) Venetiaan confirmed that Suriname is, in fact,

in the process of joining the International Criminal Court

(ICC): Members of Parliament are pushing for it; given our

recent history (a reference to the military dictatorship

of the 1980's),we also think we must join. The Surinamese

President confirmed that he and others (likely Minister of

Defense Fernald) advocated signing an Article 98 agreement

before acceding to the ICC, but cautioned that any such

decision would first require Parliamentary approval.

Venetiaan noted that the GOS will look to the USG for

assistance to help Suriname through this process, and

relayed his understanding that some countries had received

a waiver from the U.S. in their discussions on possible

constructs for the agreement; what factors could be included,

and what could perhaps be excluded.



8. (C) By way of explanation for his willingness to accede to

an Article 98 agreement (something which otherwise would appear

to run counter to his natural predispositions),Venetiaan

admitted that Suriname needs the United States if the country

encounters heavy weather. This was probably a reference to

the flooding emergency that Suriname encountered in 2006, and

for which the USG provided assistance. From experience with

its traditional donor, the Dutch, the GOS knows that lengthy

GON parliamentary procedures impede quick action. Consequently,

Suriname needs to keep the United States as a partner.

The Surinamese President went on to note that his annual

October 1 statement to Parliament recognized the good initiatives

from the U.S. military in the area of health care. Venetiaan

coyly maintained that his reference to U.S. support balanced his

public recognition in that same speech of other support

(i.e., Cuban-provided, Venezuelan-funded eye care through

Operacion Milagro).



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Gates and Venetiaan: Partnership to further strengthen democracy

in Suriname is good; both recall 1980s military dictatorship

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9. (SBU) The SecDef observed that it was interesting to be in

Suriname, reminiscing that he had been Deputy Director of the

CIA when Suriname was not a democracy, prior to 1992. Gates

congratulated Venetiaan on the progress made in establishing

a democracy, and acknowledged that the military is working hard

to become ever more professional. Venetiaan agreed that his

country had gone through dark times, noting that Suriname must

still take care of some aspects left unresolved from that period

(referring to the upcoming December 1982 murder trial, now

scheduled to begin November 30). The Surinamese President

said that the accused would (finally) be brought before the

court, and taken to task for their part in those dark moments.

But, he added, we are still pleased that our country

has an army serving a democracy. So far, since 1988-1992,

we've kept things (democracy) on track. We place great

importance on democratic rule and the rule of law. We think

your visit also will be seen in that context Venetiaan was

likely alluding to the Gates visit as possibly useful to the

GOS in sending a message to Desi Bouterse, infamous ex-military

dictator, current Parliamentarian, and prime suspect in the

December 1982 murders, that there is international support

for the long-delayed trial to go forward).



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AmbassadorQs Comment

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10. (C) The importance for Suriname of Defense Secretary

GatesQ meeting with President Venetiaan, although admittedly

not the primary reason for the visit, cannot be overstated.

In this tiny nation which hasn't received high level USG

policy attention since the dark days of the 1980's and

Desi Bouterse's military dictatorship, Suriname's

democratically-elected government has consistently maintained

a standoffish, subtly disapproving attitude towards the U.S.

Significantly, President Venetiaan reached back to the 1940's

and 50Qs for examples of close, collaborative relations

between our two countries. Today, he is more likely to

highlight positive relations with Cuba, Venezuela, and China.



11. (C) It is precisely for this reason that the

goodwill visits of Secretary Gates and the USNS Comfort

are so important for Suriname, and the region. Although

tiny, Suriname is a participating member of the UN, OAS,

CARICOM, NAM, and the Islamic Conference. The attitude

of the Surinamese President is likely replicated in many

other tiny, similarly-situated nations. Although biases

such as Venetiaan's will not change in the short term, our

longer term strategy is to demonstrate our goodwill through

deeds. Our ultimate objective is to transform our bilateral

relationship into an overall positive partnership. The visits of

Secretary Gates and the USNS Comfort provide important bricks in the



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foundation for this long-term strategy. End comment.



12. (U) ASD HD & ASA Paul McHale has reviewed this cable.





SCHREIBER HUGHES