COSTA RICA SIGNS SEARCH AND RESCUE MOU; POST

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000585 SIPDIS DEPT FOR L/T, L/OES, WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT PBTS PHSA CS US SUBJECT: COSTA RICA SIGNS SEARCH AND RESCUE MOU; POST REQUESTS PERMISSION TO SIGN REF: STATE 003027 ¶1. On July 2, Minister of Public Security Janina Del Vecchio signed Reftel Search and Rescue Memorandum of Understanding (SAR MOU) between Costa Rica and the United States. The GOCR made no changes to the text. ¶2. As per Para 3c of Reftel, Post requests authority for our Chief of the Office of Defense Representative (ODR), Commander Mark Camacho, USCG, to sign the agreement on behalf of the United States Coast Guard. (He is the senior, and only, U.S. Coast Guard rep. in country.) ¶3. Conclusion of this SAR MOU would fulfill the respective SAR Convention obligations of the U.S. and Costa Rica, as well as the goals of the 1997 IMO Pacific Ocean Regional Conference. This SAR MOU will directly support and improve coordination and cooperation between the USG and GOCR in SAR operations in both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. CIANCHETTE