GOES CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001264 SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/ES-CR AND S/ES-O, WHA/CEN HILLARY THOMPSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ES SUBJECT: GOES CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA REF: STATE 118192 ¶1. The Government of El Salvador circulated a press release November 6 regarding President Elias Antonio "Tony" Saca's call to the Obama campaign. Saca congratulated the campaign and instructed Salvadoran Foreign Minister Marisol Argueta to coordinate a call with the President-elect. ¶2. Text follows. THE GOVERNMENT OF EL SALVADOR CONGRATULATES THE UNITED STATES PEOPLE ON THE ELECTIONS The President of the Republic Elias Antonio Saca congratulated the people and government of the United States of America for the presidential and congressional elections and has arranged a telephone call between the Salvadoran President and the President-elect of the United States in the coming hours. Yesterday evening, communication was established with the campaign office of Senator Barack Obama, which was celebrating the electoral victory in the city of Chicago. President-elect Obama's advisors expressed that he gladly accepted the congratulatory message from the Salvadoran President and that he wished to be in direct contact soon. The Salvadoran President, in addition to relaying the most sincere wish of success during this period, in the same call, expressed his desire to continue developing the excellent relations that exist between the two nations. Foreign Minister Marisol Argueta de Barillas congratulated the &maturity and democratic culture demonstrated by the people of the United States during this new and historic election8 and she highlighted that &El Salvador will continue strengthening and deepening the excellent relations that exist with the United States and we will continue to work with the new government in order to advance issues of interest, such as the immigration status of our compatriots that reside in the United States, the cooperation of the Millennium Challenge Account, and the development of the commercial relations.8 President Saca instructed Minister Argueta de Barillas to coordinate a telephone call with the future President of the United States in order to speak directly about the important agenda between both countries. End text. BLAU