CHILEAN SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION CRITICIZING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 000060 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV CI MX SUBJECT: CHILEAN SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION CRITICIZING "WALL" ALONG U.S.-MEXICO BORDER REF: 06 SANTIAGO 2323 Classified By: E/POL Counselor Juan A. Alsace. Reasons: 1.4 (B and D). ¶1. (C) On January 17, Foreign Ministry North American Affairs Desk Officer Francisco del Campo called Poloff to the Foreign Ministry to convey the Chilean Senate's concern about the reported establishment of a "wall" along the U.S.-Mexico border, as expressed in a non-binding resolution passed by the Chilean Senate on January 2. Del Campo noted that the Senate resolution asked President Bachelet to instruct Foreign Minister Foxley to convey to the USG the Senate's "strong protest" of the matter. Del Campo went on to say, however, that the Foreign Ministry considers the matter "a bilateral issue" between the U.S. and Mexico. Poloff replied that the USG remains one of the most open countries in the world. The USG supports legal migration that is consistent with our right to control our borders. ¶2. (U) Socialist Party Senators Jaime Naranjo and Pedro Munoz were the driving forces behind the resolution. Of the 20 senators present for the vote, 13 voted in favor -- including 10 Socialist or Radical Socialist senators. One senator voted against the resolution, and six abstained. Prior to the vote, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee recommended unsuccessfully that the full Senate not take up the resolution on the grounds that the matter was "a bilateral issue." ¶3. (C) Comment: Del Campo -- the Foreign Ministry's Americas desk officer and thus lowest ranking official who works the U.S.-Chile bilateral relationship -- was noticeably uncomfortable in conveying the Senate's concern. After having done so, however, he openly acknowledged the openness of the U.S. and our right to regulate immigration. SIMONS