DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S JUNE 2 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 002068 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2018 TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL ECON MX CO SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S JUNE 2 MEETING WITH MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Deputy Secretary Negroponte met with Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa Fernandez on June 2. Espinosa advocated OAS budget reform, underscoring the significant financial support the OAS receives from both the U.S. and Mexico. She voiced concern regarding the scheduled execution of Mexican citizen Jose Medellin in the state of Texas for first degree murder. The Deputy said Secretary Rice could send a letter to the governor of Texas to request he "consider international implications" before the state carries out the execution. Espinosa said even a delay of the execution would assist the GOM, as the highly unpopular execution comes at time the Mexican congress is debating an important energy bill. Espinosa thanked the Deputy for planned U.S. assistance under Merida Initiative, but said tying too many "unilateral" conditions to the initiative would create political complications in Mexico. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Participants: U.S.: Deputy Secretary John D. Negroponte U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS Hector E. Morales Ambassador William R. Brownfield Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Craig A. Kelly Mary Sue Conaway, D Staff Kelly Hapka Carrillo, notetaker Mexico: Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa Fernandez Deputy Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean Geronimo Gutierrez Mexican Ambassador to Colombia Florencio Salazar MFA Communications Director Victor Aviles FM Personal Assistant Marcelina Cruz ¶3. (C) Deputy Secretary Negroponte met with Mexican FM Patricia Espinosa Fernandez June 2 on the margins of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly. Espinosa advocated OAS budget reform, underscoring the significant financial support the OAS receives from both the U.S. and Mexico. She requested U.S. participation in working groups to separate the "wheat from the chaff" within the organization, saying the OAS should be required to work "at least at a minimally effective level". The Deputy agreed to work together on this issue before the next OAS special general assembly meeting in September; he did not commit to supporting an increase in funding. ¶4. (C) Espinosa voiced concern regarding the planned execution of Mexican citizen Jose Medellin in the state of Texas. The Deputy said Secretary Rice and Attorney General Michael Mukasey were weighing sending a letter to the governor of Texas to request he "consider international implications" before the state carries out the execution. Espinosa said the execution is scheduled for the week the Mexican congress would consider an important GOM-supported energy bill. At a minimum, a delay in the execution would greatly assist the GOM. The GOM was contemplating taking the case to the International Court of Justice. The Deputy said that might complicate the environment surrounding the Secretary's letter. Espinosa said the key issue for the GOM was delaying the execution. The Deputy underscored executive branch limitations in the U.S. federalist system, but asked that Mexico not make a move until the governor of Texas could react to the letter from the Secretary of State. Espinosa will discuss this proposal with President Calderon. ¶5. (C) Espinosa described the recent wave of drug-related violence in Mexico, including decapitations of police officers. 40 police were killed in the month of May alone. She said the drug-lords are becoming more assertive. The Chief of intelligence was killed in his home, and the cartels recently used bazookas to destroy two federal vehicles and kill their occupants. She was appreciative of planned U.S. assistance under the Merida Initiative, noting POSITIVE dialogue in the U.S. Congress. Still, she said tying highly unpopular "unilateral" conditions to the Merida Initiative would cause the GOM political difficulties at home. The Deputy said he understood the concern, noted the frequency with which Congress imposes conditions on foreign assistance, and described the waiver process. He said we were working with Congress on the precise language about conditions. ¶6. (U) Cleared by D staff. BROWNFIELD