Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAPAZ1840
2008-08-29 20:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
EVO'S UNGA DELEGATION DESPERATELY SEEKING OBAMA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001840
SIPDIS
IO/UNP FOR SUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL OTRA OVIP KESP UNGA BL
SUBJECT: EVO'S UNGA DELEGATION DESPERATELY SEEKING OBAMA
REF: A. LA PAZ 1824
B. LA PAZ 1655
C. STATE 72078
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001840
SIPDIS
IO/UNP FOR SUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL OTRA OVIP KESP UNGA BL
SUBJECT: EVO'S UNGA DELEGATION DESPERATELY SEEKING OBAMA
REF: A. LA PAZ 1824
B. LA PAZ 1655
C. STATE 72078
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) An MFA insider and senior staffer of the Bolivian
MFA's Policy Planning Section provided PolOff with
information about the Bolivia's UNGA delegation August 29
that contradicts some publicly released information and
discounts the possibility of a substantive bilateral meeting
on the margins. Our contact will be flying to New York
September 1 as advance party for UNGA delegation,
particularly to help hone and fact-check President Morales'
UNGA speech. He said, as in prior years, the speech would be
drafted by the staff of Presidency Minister Juan Ramon
Quintana, a strong critic of the United States, and senior
palace advisors, such as Pablo Salon. Although the content
will assuredly be anti-U.S., it will be narrowly focused at
criticism of the current administration in order to "make
sure President Obama is not offended."
Evo Wants to meet "President Obama," not us
--------------
2. (C) Our contact claimed he had not heard of "any interest"
on the part of the Bolivian delegation to meet on the margins
with State Department officials. Although he claimed the GOB
has a favorable opinion of A/S Thomas Shannon, and a meeting
might be possible, he said the Bolivian delegation did not
think such a meeting would be productive. The delegation
was, rather, pinning their hopes on a meeting with Democratic
Presidential Nominee Barack Obama, or, barring that with Vice
Presidential Nominee Joseph Biden. Our contact asserted the
Bolivian delegation has had "no luck" in this endeavor and
that "Obama's people do not seem very enthusiastic about a
meeting." Instead of trying to make progress with the
current administration, the MFA officer said "they are
waiting for Obama to take over, when they think everything
will change." He said the MFA is taking a similar "freeze"
stance generally, waiting to press their agenda and engage
with the USG until after a change in administrations.
Morales' Proposed U.S. Meetings
--------------
3. (C) Morales is scheduled to meet with "all east coast"
union leaders in a major meeting organized by United
Healthcare Worker East (1911 SEUI) leader Dennis Rivera. He
will also have meetings with many of the same political
leaders (including members of the New York City Council) as
he has in past UNGAs. Our contact suggested we make the
point that the Bolivian government protests when our
Ambassador meets with opposition leaders, while President
Morales is allowed "the freedom to talk to everyone and go
anywhere in the United States." He added that we should
point out that the United States allows the Bolivian
Ambassador in Washington the freedom to visit whomever he
wants, including leaders opposed to the current
administration, a right "anyone should have in a free
country." (Note: The Ambassador made exactly these points in
the a meeting with Foreign Minister Choquehuanca on August
26. End Note.)
North to Alaska Sept. 19; UNGA Sept. 21-23
--------------
4. (C) The MFA insider said Morales' party would travel to
Alaska September 19 and 20 to meet with more than 30
indigenous chiefs, some from Canada. The meeting would be
used as a publicity event to convey Morales' credibility as
the "spokesman" for all indigenous and a springboard for his
elements of his UNGA speech dealing with environmental and
sovereignty issues. Morales would stay in New York September
21-23, according to our contact. This contradicts dates
announced by Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca (reftel a).
Evo's Dream Team
--------------
5. (C) The delegation would consist principally of Morales,
Minister of the Presidency Quintana, Foreign Minister
Choquehuanca, Special Advisor Salon, and Director of
Bilateral Affairs Jean Paul Guevara. Although there is a
legal requirement that both the Foreign Minister and Minister
of the Presidency cannot be away from the country at the same
time, our contact said the Morales Administration "does not
care about such things."
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
IO/UNP FOR SUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL OTRA OVIP KESP UNGA BL
SUBJECT: EVO'S UNGA DELEGATION DESPERATELY SEEKING OBAMA
REF: A. LA PAZ 1824
B. LA PAZ 1655
C. STATE 72078
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) An MFA insider and senior staffer of the Bolivian
MFA's Policy Planning Section provided PolOff with
information about the Bolivia's UNGA delegation August 29
that contradicts some publicly released information and
discounts the possibility of a substantive bilateral meeting
on the margins. Our contact will be flying to New York
September 1 as advance party for UNGA delegation,
particularly to help hone and fact-check President Morales'
UNGA speech. He said, as in prior years, the speech would be
drafted by the staff of Presidency Minister Juan Ramon
Quintana, a strong critic of the United States, and senior
palace advisors, such as Pablo Salon. Although the content
will assuredly be anti-U.S., it will be narrowly focused at
criticism of the current administration in order to "make
sure President Obama is not offended."
Evo Wants to meet "President Obama," not us
--------------
2. (C) Our contact claimed he had not heard of "any interest"
on the part of the Bolivian delegation to meet on the margins
with State Department officials. Although he claimed the GOB
has a favorable opinion of A/S Thomas Shannon, and a meeting
might be possible, he said the Bolivian delegation did not
think such a meeting would be productive. The delegation
was, rather, pinning their hopes on a meeting with Democratic
Presidential Nominee Barack Obama, or, barring that with Vice
Presidential Nominee Joseph Biden. Our contact asserted the
Bolivian delegation has had "no luck" in this endeavor and
that "Obama's people do not seem very enthusiastic about a
meeting." Instead of trying to make progress with the
current administration, the MFA officer said "they are
waiting for Obama to take over, when they think everything
will change." He said the MFA is taking a similar "freeze"
stance generally, waiting to press their agenda and engage
with the USG until after a change in administrations.
Morales' Proposed U.S. Meetings
--------------
3. (C) Morales is scheduled to meet with "all east coast"
union leaders in a major meeting organized by United
Healthcare Worker East (1911 SEUI) leader Dennis Rivera. He
will also have meetings with many of the same political
leaders (including members of the New York City Council) as
he has in past UNGAs. Our contact suggested we make the
point that the Bolivian government protests when our
Ambassador meets with opposition leaders, while President
Morales is allowed "the freedom to talk to everyone and go
anywhere in the United States." He added that we should
point out that the United States allows the Bolivian
Ambassador in Washington the freedom to visit whomever he
wants, including leaders opposed to the current
administration, a right "anyone should have in a free
country." (Note: The Ambassador made exactly these points in
the a meeting with Foreign Minister Choquehuanca on August
26. End Note.)
North to Alaska Sept. 19; UNGA Sept. 21-23
--------------
4. (C) The MFA insider said Morales' party would travel to
Alaska September 19 and 20 to meet with more than 30
indigenous chiefs, some from Canada. The meeting would be
used as a publicity event to convey Morales' credibility as
the "spokesman" for all indigenous and a springboard for his
elements of his UNGA speech dealing with environmental and
sovereignty issues. Morales would stay in New York September
21-23, according to our contact. This contradicts dates
announced by Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca (reftel a).
Evo's Dream Team
--------------
5. (C) The delegation would consist principally of Morales,
Minister of the Presidency Quintana, Foreign Minister
Choquehuanca, Special Advisor Salon, and Director of
Bilateral Affairs Jean Paul Guevara. Although there is a
legal requirement that both the Foreign Minister and Minister
of the Presidency cannot be away from the country at the same
time, our contact said the Morales Administration "does not
care about such things."
GOLDBERG