Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANTODOMINGO1207
2007-05-22 19:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
IRAN-VENEZUELA TIES: MEASURED DOMINICAN RESPONSE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0017 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHDG #1207 1421934 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221934Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8305 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PRIORITY 2059 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0769 RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 0971 RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 2744 RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO PRIORITY 1105 RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4616 RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN PRIORITY 1805 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUMISTA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 001207
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/AND, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO
FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR VE IR DR
SUBJECT: IRAN-VENEZUELA TIES: MEASURED DOMINICAN RESPONSE
REF: STATE 61378
Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Michael A. Meigs, Reasons 1
.4(b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 001207
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/AND, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO
FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR VE IR DR
SUBJECT: IRAN-VENEZUELA TIES: MEASURED DOMINICAN RESPONSE
REF: STATE 61378
Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Michael A. Meigs, Reasons 1
.4(b),(d)
1. (SBU) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Dominican Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alejandra Liriano, emphasizing
the talking points on nuclear ties, weapons technology
cooperation, and terrorism concerns.
2. (C) In her reply, Liriano commented that Venezuela has
close bilateral relationships with a number of radical
regimes, relationships which are unusual for a Latin American
state. Liriano said that all countries have responsibilities
in the fight against terrorism and that the Dominican
Republic takes the issue very seriously.
3. (C) The Deputy ForMin asked POLOFF if the U.S. planned to
introduce a resolution in the UN General Assembly concerning
Venezuela's ties with Iran. POLOFF replied that he had no
information regarding a General Assembly resolution.
Finally, Liriano pledged to convey the content of the
demarche to Foreign Minister Morales Troncoso. The Embassy
will report any subsequent Dominican response.
4. (C) COMMENT: The Dominican Republic and Venezuela have
long-standing political, economic, and cultural ties,
including the current Petrocaribe program. We were
encouraged by the Liriano's comment that it is unnatural for
a Latin American country to have close ties to regimes such
as Iran, Belarus, and Libya. She also appeared to take
special note of the indictments of former Iranian officials
for the AMIA terrorist attack, which took place in Latin
America (Argentina). As for her motivation in asking about a
General Assembly resolution, we can only speculate. Liriano
may have been looking for multilateral political cover, or
perhaps she wished to contrast what she viewed as the value
of General Assembly action versus the Security Council
sanctions cited in our demarche.
(U) This report and extensive other material can be consulted
on our SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/AND, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO
FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR VE IR DR
SUBJECT: IRAN-VENEZUELA TIES: MEASURED DOMINICAN RESPONSE
REF: STATE 61378
Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Michael A. Meigs, Reasons 1
.4(b),(d)
1. (SBU) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Dominican Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alejandra Liriano, emphasizing
the talking points on nuclear ties, weapons technology
cooperation, and terrorism concerns.
2. (C) In her reply, Liriano commented that Venezuela has
close bilateral relationships with a number of radical
regimes, relationships which are unusual for a Latin American
state. Liriano said that all countries have responsibilities
in the fight against terrorism and that the Dominican
Republic takes the issue very seriously.
3. (C) The Deputy ForMin asked POLOFF if the U.S. planned to
introduce a resolution in the UN General Assembly concerning
Venezuela's ties with Iran. POLOFF replied that he had no
information regarding a General Assembly resolution.
Finally, Liriano pledged to convey the content of the
demarche to Foreign Minister Morales Troncoso. The Embassy
will report any subsequent Dominican response.
4. (C) COMMENT: The Dominican Republic and Venezuela have
long-standing political, economic, and cultural ties,
including the current Petrocaribe program. We were
encouraged by the Liriano's comment that it is unnatural for
a Latin American country to have close ties to regimes such
as Iran, Belarus, and Libya. She also appeared to take
special note of the indictments of former Iranian officials
for the AMIA terrorist attack, which took place in Latin
America (Argentina). As for her motivation in asking about a
General Assembly resolution, we can only speculate. Liriano
may have been looking for multilateral political cover, or
perhaps she wished to contrast what she viewed as the value
of General Assembly action versus the Security Council
sanctions cited in our demarche.
(U) This report and extensive other material can be consulted
on our SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN