EL SALVADOR ON VENEZUELA/IRAN RELATIONSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 001071 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/AND AND NEA/IRAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017 TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM MASS ECON PTER VE IR ES SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR ON VENEZUELA/IRAN RELATIONSHIP REF: A. SAN SALVADOR 273 ¶B. SAN SALVADOR 588 ¶C. STATE 61378 Classified By: Ambassador Charles L. Glazer, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On May 31, poloff raised reftel C points with MFA Multilateral Affairs Chief Mario Rivera. (Note: The GOES has repeatedly raised with Post their misgivings about the growing Iran-Venezuela relationship, as well as potential Iran-Nicaragua ties; see reftels A and B. End note.) Rivera said that the GOES shares USG concerns about Venezuela-Iran ties, and would be very interested if we could provide them with more information about the weaknesses of Venezuelan travel documents and the nationalities of non-Venezuelans who may have obtained such documents. They are also concerned that in the future, the Government of Nicaragua may begin to issue travel documents to non-Nicaraguans, or that their travel document security will be weakened. As the Salvadorans are part of the CA-4 border agreement that allows free travel of the citizens of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua among member countries, Rivera says the GOES worries that extremists could potentially use Nicaraguan travel documents to travel throughout the area. Rivera said the GOES was considering appropriate fora in which they could voice such concerns about the Venezuela-Iran and Nicaragua-Iran relationship with neighbors and other allies. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: The GOES is an excellent ally on this issue and indeed had already raised many of these same concerns with Post on various occassions, including a presentation on the topic for the Ambassador by the Salvadoran National Security Council. President Saca raised his concerns as well with AG Gonzales in his February visit to El Salvador, and with President Bush during their Oval Office meeting in April. The Department can continue to rely on the GOES as a possible interlocuter and messenger to other governments on the topic. END COMMENT. Glazer