Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAPAZ435
2008-02-27 23:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
IRANIAN DCM: U.S. CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH
VZCZCXYZ0011 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLP #0435 0582319 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 272319Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6596 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 7642 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 5006 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8916 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 6131 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3346 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 3563 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 5282 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5975 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0597 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0951 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000435
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PINR IR BL
SUBJECT: IRANIAN DCM: U.S. CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH
REF: A. LA PAZ 373
B. 2007 LA PAZ 2510
C. 2007 LA PAZ 2526
D. 2007 LA PAZ 2456
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000435
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PINR IR BL
SUBJECT: IRANIAN DCM: U.S. CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH
REF: A. LA PAZ 373
B. 2007 LA PAZ 2510
C. 2007 LA PAZ 2526
D. 2007 LA PAZ 2456
1. (U) Charge d'Affaires Hojjatollah Soltani arrived in
Bolivia February 25 to open the Iranian Embassy. The
building is nearly ready and staff will move in next week.
Soltani discussed plans to establish a television station in
the Chapare region with the Bolivian media. Although the
station will be called "Radio and Television of Iran,"
Soltani insisted it would be a Bolivian channel "for the
Bolivian people," and would serve to counter the
misinformation of U.S.-controlled media. Soltani said the
amount of Iranian assistance for the station would depend on
whether the station will transmit nationally, regionally,
intercontinentally, or globally -- a decision to be made by
the Bolivian government.
It Begins: Iranian DCM Blasts U.S. Commitment to "Truth"
-------------- --------------
2. (U) Soltani said he did not understand why the project had
"generated fear" in the United States, likely a reference to
concerns expressed by Representative Jerry Weller
(R-Illinois) following a February 19 visit between Bolivian
President Evo Morales and Codel Engel (reftel a). AFP
mentioned the Codel's concerns in its coverage of Soltani's
remarks. Soltani noted he found the concerns confusing
because of the United States "talks all over the world about
liberty of expression, thought, and liberty to exchange
information. ... The United States fears that through these
transmissions the public will receive the truth about the
world; they do not want people to search for truth."
3. (SBU) Soltani's public statements play into the GOB's
portrayal of relations with Iran as a counter to U.S.
influence in the country. The GOB announced formal
diplomatic relations with Iran on September 11, 2007. During
a much-publicized September 27 trip by Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran signed $1.1 billion in cooperation
agreements. Other proposals for Bolivian-Iranian cooperation
include a petrochemical factory and milk processing plants.
The Bolivian opposition is skeptical about the viability of
these plans and about Iran's motives, including the suspicion
that Iran has designs on Bolivian uranium.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PINR IR BL
SUBJECT: IRANIAN DCM: U.S. CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH
REF: A. LA PAZ 373
B. 2007 LA PAZ 2510
C. 2007 LA PAZ 2526
D. 2007 LA PAZ 2456
1. (U) Charge d'Affaires Hojjatollah Soltani arrived in
Bolivia February 25 to open the Iranian Embassy. The
building is nearly ready and staff will move in next week.
Soltani discussed plans to establish a television station in
the Chapare region with the Bolivian media. Although the
station will be called "Radio and Television of Iran,"
Soltani insisted it would be a Bolivian channel "for the
Bolivian people," and would serve to counter the
misinformation of U.S.-controlled media. Soltani said the
amount of Iranian assistance for the station would depend on
whether the station will transmit nationally, regionally,
intercontinentally, or globally -- a decision to be made by
the Bolivian government.
It Begins: Iranian DCM Blasts U.S. Commitment to "Truth"
-------------- --------------
2. (U) Soltani said he did not understand why the project had
"generated fear" in the United States, likely a reference to
concerns expressed by Representative Jerry Weller
(R-Illinois) following a February 19 visit between Bolivian
President Evo Morales and Codel Engel (reftel a). AFP
mentioned the Codel's concerns in its coverage of Soltani's
remarks. Soltani noted he found the concerns confusing
because of the United States "talks all over the world about
liberty of expression, thought, and liberty to exchange
information. ... The United States fears that through these
transmissions the public will receive the truth about the
world; they do not want people to search for truth."
3. (SBU) Soltani's public statements play into the GOB's
portrayal of relations with Iran as a counter to U.S.
influence in the country. The GOB announced formal
diplomatic relations with Iran on September 11, 2007. During
a much-publicized September 27 trip by Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran signed $1.1 billion in cooperation
agreements. Other proposals for Bolivian-Iranian cooperation
include a petrochemical factory and milk processing plants.
The Bolivian opposition is skeptical about the viability of
these plans and about Iran's motives, including the suspicion
that Iran has designs on Bolivian uranium.
GOLDBERG