AMBASSSADOR MEETS QUITO MAYOR MONCAYO

UNCLAS QUITO 000934 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PGOV EC SUBJECT: AMBASSSADOR MEETS QUITO MAYOR MONCAYO ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a September 11 courtesy call Quito Mayor Paco Moncayo avoided controversial political issues and focused on a review of ongoing municipal projects. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Mayor Moncayo warmly welcomed the Ambassador and commented on his good relations with the Embassy over the years. He focused his comments largely on explaining municipal responsibilities, including water, park and airport management (noting that the city does not maintain a police force and that the central government is responsible for security). He mentioned that Quito has two sister-cities in the United States, Louisville and Atlanta, and talked a bit about how Quito was chosen as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Moncayo expressed firm support for technical exchanges of expertise between sister cities and distaste for charity relationships. He also thanked Ambassador for the recent expansion of $20,000 worth of English language scholarships for local students and USAID assistance in making two city parks accessible to persons with disabilities. ¶3. (SBU) Moncayo described how Quito's unified municipal government (a city council and a single mayor for eight administrative districts) makes the city's management strong in comparison to that of many others in Latin America. Finally, he and his advisor for International Affairs, Rene Pinto, both stressed that they hoped the municipality's close relationship with the Embassy would continue, and invited the Ambassador to participate in Quito's twice annual cultural history course. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The tone of the meeting was very pleasant. Moncayo, who is an Ecuadorian war hero and strong political figure, did not delve into any of the currently politically sensitive topics such as the new Quito airport, or the upcoming referendum on Ecuador's draft Constitution. He did mention the need for closer cooperation with the central government, particularly in the area of municipal security, but focused on providing a cordial welcome for the Ambassador. HODGES