GOE RESPONSE TO DNI MCCONNELL'S TESTIMONY

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000138

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EC
SUBJECT: GOE RESPONSE TO DNI MCCONNELL'S TESTIMONY

Classified By: DCM Jefferson Brown for reason 1.4 (D)


1. (C) The GOE took issue with Director of National
Intelligence McConnell's testimony of February 7 in a
diplomatic note dated February 8. The Foreign Minister told
the Ambassador that President Correa was personally upset
when he read press accounts citing the testimony and report,
and had instructed the ministry to send the following note.


2. (C) Begin Text:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration
presents its compliments to the honorable Embassy of the
United States of America, and refers to the Report presented
to the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee by the U.S.
Director of National Intelligence, J. Michael McConnell, on
February 7, 2008.

The Report says that the Government of Ecuador, inspired by
Cuba and Venezuela, is pursuing an agenda aimed at
undercutting checks and balances on presidential power,
lengthening the term of office of the Chief of State, and
weakening media and civil liberties, as well as "emphasizing
economic nationalism at the expense of market-based economic
approaches." The report also indicates that the Ecuadorian
Government employs "anti-U.S. rhetoric" and that it has
aligned with other countries on international issues against
American initiatives.

The Government of Ecuador has received the Report with deep
annoyance and rejects the referenced assertions, whose
vagueness and lack of perspective reveal a distorted image of
Ecuador and its democratically elected Government. The
Government of Ecuador deeply regrets that such distortions
come from an important agency of the Executive branch of the
United States and believes that they show imprecision and
prejudice against Ecuador and its Government.

As the Embassy of the United States (in Quito) knows well,
the current political process that Ecuador is experiencing
originated in the overwhelming citizen response to the
popular referendum on April 15, 2007, in which 81.72% of
Ecuadorians decided to call the National Constituent
Assembly. The elections for the Assembly were carried out on
September 30, 2007, with very high voter participation and
transparent and clear results, endorsed by independent
national and foreign observers.

The Report in question strangely neglects to mention this
subject, nor does it refer to, as a result of the political
process under way, the strengthened, more genuine democracy
that has been seen in Ecuador. The National Government,
since January 2007, has oriented the Ecuadorian State and its
institutions toward the search for and protection of the
collective interest, and has fought determinedly to eliminate
from the public sphere the illegitimate influence of lobbies,
vested interests, and dishonest politicians.

Additionally, it is surprising that the Report censures the
Government of Ecuador,s approach favoring a healthy economic
nationalism, and at the same time praises neo-liberal market
policies. First, it is important to remember that the United
States of America and all other industrialized countries, in
various moments of their history, applied radical policies of
economic nationalism and protectionism, which suited their
interests, whereas countries that implement similar policies
today are censured, which suggests the use of a double
standard. Secondly, and most importantly, the Government of
Ecuador is deeply annoyed that the Report questions the
country's freedom to exercise its sovereignty and the right
of self-determination, central pillars of international law,
to choose the economic model that best harmonizes with the
interests of the Ecuadorian society.

On the other hand, Ecuador has received with great annoyance
the Report's statement that the policies of the Ecuadorian
Government are "inspired and supported" by other states. We
consider this statement a serious affront to the dignity of
the country. Ecuador is an independent and sovereign country
that maintains diplomatic relationships with dozens of
nations, and prides itself on maintaining with all of them a
dynamic of friendship and mutual respect. Ecuador has never
supported or inspired unfriendly or violent acts against
other States; it has never in its history intervened in the
internal affairs of other countries, and has never affected
the freedom of other peoples. In the same manner, Ecuador
does not and will not accept other countries' intervention in
its internal and sovereign affairs, nor allow them to impose
policies that only Ecuadorians should define.

Finally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must express its
total disagreement with the suggestion that Ecuador uses
"anti-United States rhetoric" in its international actions.
On repeated occasions, the President and senior government
officials of Ecuador have voiced positive opinions in regard
to the present and future of relations with the United
States; of course, this does not prevent the two countries
from having differences on specific issues, bearing in mind
their sovereign interests. The Government of Ecuador has had
the impression that relations with the United States have
developed within the framework of mutual respect, in
accordance with the traditional friendship between the two
countries and within the framework of international law.
Ecuador will continue to express its point of view on
relations with the United States with respect and courtesy,
and expects the same line of conduct from the United States
and all parts of the U.S. Administration.

From the Report in question, we conclude that in certain
parts of the U.S. Government there is clear ignorance of the
nature of the processes of profound democratic change that
are currently taking place in Ecuador and in Latin America, a
lack of knowledge that the Government of Ecuador regrets
deeply.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this
opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States the
assurances of its highest and most distinguished
consideration.

Quito, February 8, 2008
JEWELL