2008 DEMARCHE FOR THE MAJORS LIST REPORT TO THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000320 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2033 TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL VE SUBJECT: 2008 DEMARCHE FOR THE MAJORS LIST REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF VENZUELA REF: A. STATE 3532 ¶B. 07 CARACAS 2099 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT RICHARD DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) POLCOUNS met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for North American and Multilateral Affairs, Yaneth Arocha on March 5 to encourage counternarcotics cooperation and to deliver the points in Ref A, among other matters. The Embassy had been trying unsuccessfully to deliver the demarche at a higher level. Referring to the October 29, 2007 meeting between Ambassador and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, where Chavez agreed to discuss increased cooperation (Ref B),POLCOUNS expressed USG concern over the lack of any tangible movement since that time. The BRV has been unresponsive to Embassy efforts to secure meetings for the Ambassador with senior Venezuelan Foreign Affairs, Interior and Justice and counternarcotics officials to discuss counternarcotics cooperation since the October meeting. It has also thus far been unresponsive to efforts to secure visas for USG law enforcement officials assigned to Embassy Caracas. (Embassy and Department are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice and the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington to have these visas issued.) ¶2. (C) Arocha reacted negatively to the demarche, calling it "hostile and counter-productive". She said the BRV would not be either "threatened" or "ordered about". POLCOUNS noted the seriousness of the drug problem and the damage it is doing to both nations. He again requested more senior level bilateral discussions on this issue. Arocha said the BRV would review the demarche, but did not view it as a constructive means of dialogue. ¶3. (C) In response to a question regarding the status of the U.S. funded cargo inspection facility at Puerto Cabello, Arocha confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had convened a meeting with tax, counternarcotics and port authority officials. She said the group discussed which BRV entity would control the facility and whether or not it would be devoted to counternarcotics purposes. POLCOUNS pointed out that, per the 2001 Letter of Agreement and subsequent amendments, the warehouse must be used to support counternarcotics activities. Arocha said the group would meet again, but provided no further details as to the results or tenor of the discussions. DUDDY