First-Ever Cabinet Level Visit to Suriname:

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARAMARIBO 000543

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C O R R E C T E D - C O P Y OF PARAMARIBO 540
(CHANGES IN PARA 5 AND ADDEE ADDED)

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From Ambassador Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND WHA/PPC
DEPT FOR INR BOB CARHART
DEPT FOR ISN/FO FOR JOAN CORBETT

E.O. 12958; DECLASSIFY 10/13/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP NS
SUBJECT: First-Ever Cabinet Level Visit to Suriname:
Secretary Gates meets President Venetiaan

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REF: (A) Paramaribo 501 (Scenesetter and Read-Ahead)
(B) Paramaribo 509 (Briefer Gates/Fernald)
(C) Paramaribo 510 (Briefer Gates/Venetiaan)
(D) SOUTHCOME FOR LEWIS AMSELEM AND COL PAT RICHARDSON


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

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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 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 Suriname's 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, 15% 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
such agreements can be politically delicate, stated that
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
Secretary Gates meets President Venetiaan

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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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Ambassador's Comment
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10. (C) The importance for Suriname of Defense Secretary
Gates' 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 50's 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 foundation for this long-term
strategy. End comment.


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


SCHREIBER HUGHES