Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAPAZ707
2008-03-31 22:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

BOLIVIA COMPLIANCE WITH UNSCRS, BUT DEFENDS IRAN; UN TO STAY IN NY

Tags:  PGOV PREL KNNP PARM NSG IR BL ECON MNUC 
pdf how-to read a cable
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7004
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 7773
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RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 9041
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 1034
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000707 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE ISN/RA FOR RICHARD NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP PARM NSG IR MNUCECON BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA COMPLIANCE WITH UNSCRS, BUT DEFENDS IRAN;
UN TO STAY IN NY

REF: A. STATE 19694

B. STATE 29464

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 000707

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE ISN/RA FOR RICHARD NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP PARM NSG IR MNUCECON BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA COMPLIANCE WITH UNSCRS, BUT DEFENDS IRAN;
UN TO STAY IN NY

REF: A. STATE 19694

B. STATE 29464

Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Poloff relayed reftel speaking points and non-papers.
Director of Bilateral Relations Jean Paul Guevara told poloff
Bolivia would abide by United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1803 restrictions on transfer of dual use items.
Although Guevara said he could not go into technical details
concerning Bolivian compliance with UNSCR 1803, he assured
"we will always comply with the will of international
communities to which we are a part." Guevara added, however,
that the UNSC is "undemocratic" and is unfairly slanted to
"the interests of Western governments." Guevara said Bolivia
would be working to democratize the UN, but in the meantime
would abide with its resolutions.


2. (C) Despite his assurances about UNSCR 1803 and his
personal view that nuclear power is an environmental
"poison," Guevara used the opportunity to clarify that
Bolivia supports Iran's right to peaceful development of
nuclear energy. He added that Bolivia has been consistent
about separating peaceful and bellicose support of Iran,
citing language in the September 2007 agreement to establish
formal diplomatic relations with Iran. "We will never
support nuclear war in any country."


3. (C) Guevara did not dispute Iran's past compliance
failures (outlined by IAEA Secretariat; ref a) nor its links
to terrorism, but said it was hard for Bolivia to take
Western concerns about Iran's links to terrorism seriously
when "the U.S. considered our President a terrorist in the
past." Guevara said the word terrorism has been misapplied
so often by world governments, "including our own," that it
has lost all meaning. Guevara assured Poloff that the
Iranian relationship would remain commercial in nature, "just
like Brazil or any number of other Latin American countries
that have relations with Iran." Guevara said it was the
government's "duty" to seek out any allies which might help
alleviate Bolivian poverty.


4. (C) Guevara confirmed Bolivia had given up its
international campaign to move the UN out of New York,
confiding that it was a "only a public reaction" to the
perceived poor treatment of President Evo Morlales at Newark
Airport in advance of the 2007 general session. Poloff
explained the airport delay was caused by a rerouting of the
plane from its original destination, JFK Airport, due to a
misunderstanding on the part of the Venezuelan plane's
pilots, who did not understand the English landing
instructions from the control tower. Guevara shrugged his
shoulders, chuckled under his breath, and said "we all make
mistakes. Don't worry, the UN will stay where it is."
GOLDBERG