POLAND: DELIVERY OF DEMARCHE ON THE GROWING

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001165

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM MASS ECON PTER IR VE PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: DELIVERY OF DEMARCHE ON THE GROWING
IRAN-VENEZUELA RELATIONSHIP

REF: STATE 061378

Classified By: Mary T. Curtin, Political Counselor, reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) Political Counselor delivered reftel on May 17 to
Jacek Hinz, Deputy Director of the America,s Division
responsible for Latin AMERICA at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. PolCouns reviewed U.S. concerns over increasing
ties between Iran and Venezuela, emphasizing growing economic
and political ties, links to terrorism, and military
cooperation, and taking special note of our concerns about
anti-Semitism on both sides, something of particularly
concern to the Poles. Hinz, who has previously shared with
us his concerns over problems of democracy in Venezuela, said
he believed the potential terrorism links were the most
worrisome and the most likely to pose a real danger. He
noted Iran's previous involvement in terrorism in the western
hemisphere, and thought the air links suspicious in this
regard. He also noted Venezuela's leading role at last
year's Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Cuba in promoting a
resolution supporting Iran's nuclear program. Hinz expressed
appreciation for the information, and said Poland would be
attentive to the issues raised.


2. (C) Hinz noted that Poland does not have particularly
broad relations with Venezuela, and that it is other EU and
Western Hemisphere countries with broad commercial relations
such as Spain, Mexico, and Columbia, that make it difficult
to reduce Chavez's influence or curtail his negative
behavior. He said Poland wanted to do what it could to
advance democratic forces in Venezuela, and noted the effort
to organize a video conference between former president and
Solidarity hero Lech Walesa and labor leaders in Venezuela.
ASHE