EL SALVADOR: DEMARCHE RESPONSE ON COMMUNITY OF

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001452 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR G/JOAQUIN FERRAO AND DRL/MLGA/LYNN SICADE AND IO/RHS/RACHAEL LEATHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM UNGA ES TW SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: DEMARCHE RESPONSE ON COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES MINISTERIAL REF: STATE 98670 ¶1. (U) Poloffs met with Mario Rivera, Director of Multilateral Affairs for the Salvadoran Ministry of foreign Affairs (MFA) to raise reftel points. Rivera responded that El Salvador is fully supportive of the US position on the participation in the Community of Democracies. ¶2. (U) Rivera agreed that it was important that full participant status be reserved for fully democratic countries. He also agreed that, in light of developments in the country, it was appropriate that Venezuela not be invited. He further supported the position that Nigeria and Russia be invited only as observers. ¶3. (U) El Salvador has traditionally maintained strong relations with Taiwan, and Rivera confirmed that El Salvador supports "Special Guest" status for Taiwan. In a separate conversation, the MFA confirmed that they would be willing to jointly invite Taiwan to the meeting along with the Czech Republic. ¶4. (U) MFA staffers also confirmed that at least two senior officials rom the MFA planned to attend the meeting in Novmber along with the Salvadoran Ambassador to the Uited States, Rene Antonio Leon. Glazer