COSTA RICA CONFIRMS DELEGATION FOR PATHWAYS TO

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000958 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA, WHA/CEN, WHA/EPSC AND EEB; PANAMA PLEASE PASS TO SECRETARY'S PARTY AND BNARANJO AND JREIFMAN; DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR AMALITO AND DOLIVER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CS ECON ETRD OVIP PGOV PREL SUBJECT: COSTA RICA CONFIRMS DELEGATION FOR PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY; MINISTER ARIAS TO JOIN DELEGATION REF: A. STATE 125622 ¶B. SAN JOSE 823 ¶1. (U) The Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Trade for the GOCR confirmed the following attendees for the Pathways to Prosperity meeting in Panama on December 10 (Ref A): -- Minster of the Presidency Rodrigo Arias -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Stagno -- Minister of Foreign (COMEX) Trade Marco Vinicio Ruiz -- Director-General for Foreign Trade Gabriela Castro -- the GOCR's Ambassador to Panama ¶2. (U) Minister Arias is a last-minute addition. On December 9, President Oscar Arias asked the Minister (who is also his brother) to join Ministers Stagno and Ruiz at the Pathways meeting. Minister Ruiz is traveling to Panama on December 9. Ministers Stagno and Arias will arrive together the morning of December 10. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the GOCR Embassy in Washington all confirmed Minister Arias, plans to attend Pathways. ¶3. (SBU) The responsibilities of Minister Arias are similar to a prime minister. We believe that he will request "special understanding" for Costa Rica as it finalizes work with USTR on the CAFTA entry into force details for January ¶1. Such a request would emulate what President Arias did with Commerce Secretary Gutierrez in late September (Ref B). As USTR, COMEX and we are well aware, a delay to come to a "special understanding" could jeopardize the already very tight schedule for CAFTA to enter into force for Costa Rica on January 1. ¶4. (SBU) Foreign Minister Stagno accepted Secretary Rice's invitation for a pull aside. We anticipate that Minister Arias will want to join the pull aside with S and will want to meet with DUSTR John Veroneau as well, since CAFTA is his primary agenda item. ¶5. (SBU) We have urged the GOCR to lead the working group on the environment (a component of Pillar Four). The GOCR responded with interest but did not formally confirm to lead the working group. BRENNAN