EL SALVADOR MAKES STRONG CASE FOR MERIDA

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 000082 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA/CEN FOR BRIAN DOHERTY AND HILLARY THOMPSON; INL FOR DAS MCCAMPBELL AND INL/LP AIMEE MARTIN. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ES PREL SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR MAKES STRONG CASE FOR MERIDA INITIATIVE ASSISTANCE REF: 2007 SAN SALVADOR 2402 ¶1. (U) Summary: On January 17 and 18, U.S. interagency validation teams and SICA member country representatives met in San Salvador to discuss Central American security needs. The Salvadoran delegation, which included high-level representation from civilian government, the police, and the armed forces, presented compelling justification for providing El Salvador with Merida Initiative assistance. End summary. ¶2. (U) The Salvadoran delegation was the best prepared amongst SICA member countries present at the validation meetings. Headed by Ambassador Guillermo Melendez, the Director General of Foreign Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Salvadoran group also featured Vice Minister of Public Security and Justice Astor Escalante and National Civilian Police (PNC) Director Rodrigo Avila. In addition to these high-level interlocutors, the Salvadorans assembled an impressive team of working-level technical experts drawn from various units of the PNC, the armed forces, the Attorney General's office, and the Ministry of Public Security and Justice. The Salvadorans identified the security challenges they face, summarized equipment shortfalls, and explained how they would use Merida Initiative assistance to improve public security. The Salvadoran participants in the maritime and communications/police equipment working groups turned in particularly strong performances. Salvadoran delegation members also actively engaged other SICA country teams, and used conference coffee breaks and lunches to discuss security issues with SICA regional counterparts. Perhaps most importantly, the Salvadorans demonstrated that they understand that any assistance they receive under the Merida Initiative will be part of a concerted regional effort to counter transnational security threats. ¶3. (U) On the diplomatic front, Salvadoran assistance proved invaluable in facilitating the Merida Initiative validation meetings. Capitalizing upon their holding the rotational SICA Presidency, the Salvadorans pushed hard to assemble the best possible representative sampling of SICA members. Acting on short notice, Ambassador Melendez and his staff worked closely with the SICA secretariat to convince member countries to come to the meetings prepared to roll up their sleeves and engage U.S. technical experts on a wide variety of security issues. The strong showing from SICA member countries, as well as the high-quality dialogue that ensued, are illustrative of the efforts the Salvadorans put into ensuring that the validation meeings were as useful as possible for all concerne. ¶4. (U) Comment: El Salvador's strong showingat the Merida Initiative validation meetings areyet another indication that the GOES is prepared o put USG assistance to good use in support of ehanced regional security. Mission hopes that ths Salvadoran demonstration of professionalism and seriousness of purpose will translate into signifcant Merida Initiative funding. End comment. BUTLER