NEW EMBASSY BRANCH OFFICE OPENS IN CARTAGENA; RECEIVES

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000856

SIPDIS

STATE FOR: WHA/MWELLS; WHA/PDA FOR DICKSON/DUBOIS, IIP/WHA FOR
COZZENS, LAC/SA FOR MCKECHNIE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO PGOV CASC SNAR CO
SUBJECT: NEW EMBASSY BRANCH OFFICE OPENS IN CARTAGENA; RECEIVES
POSITIVE REVIEWS DESPITE OFFERING LIMITED SERVICES


1. Summary: The Ambassador inaugurated a new Embassy Branch Office
(EBO) in Cartagena on March 3 with an opening ceremony that included
the participation of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Clemencia
Forero, the Governor of Bolivar, Joaco Hernando Berrio, and the
Mayor of Cartagena, Judith Pinedo Florez. About 100 guests attended
the event, which was followed by a private luncheon for key Embassy
contacts from the north coast. The opening for the first U.S.
diplomatic mission outside Bogota since Barranquilla closed in 1994,
received tremendous positive press coverage. End Summary.


2. The Ambassador inaugurated EBO Cartagena on March 3, accompanied
by Vice Foreign Minister Forero and numerous Colombian government
and local officials as well as representatives from then private
sector. Ambassador Brownfield's welcome remarks noted the
importance of the EBO opening, given it is the first diplomatic
mission outside of Bogota since the Barranquilla Consulate was
closed in 1994. Among the reasons for choosing Cartagena as the
site for a new EBO, the Ambassador cited the increasing number of
U.S. tourists, the initiation of direct flights between Cartagena
and the U.S. in 2008, and the historical ties between the North
Coast of Colombia and the U.S.


3. Services to be offered by the EBO will be very limited for now.
In his remarks, the Ambassador stated that during the course of the
year the EBO will offer cultural, educational, commercial, and
administrative support. He also noted that limited consular
services will be provided by the consular agent in Barranquilla in
systematic visits to Cartagena. The Ambassador expressed the
personal hope that eventually, in the coming years, more consular
services will be established. However, he stressed that this is a
gradual process.


4. The EBO opening received extensive and positive media coverage
by all the leading radio, TV and print media outlets, regionally and
nationally, resulting in numerous media placements. These included
Caracol TV (11 million viewers),Caracol Radio (400,000 listeners),
RCN TV (11 million viewers),RCN Radio (720,000 listeners),CM&
(580,000 viewers),Cablenoticias (220,000 viewers),Telecaribe
(550,000 viewers),El Tiempo (1.2 million readers),El Espectador
(155,000 readers),Barranquilla's leading daily El Heraldo (123,000
readers),and Cartagena's leading daily El Universal (105,000
readers). El Tiempo's headline read, "First diplomatic branch of
U.S. Embassy outside of Bogota inaugurated in Cartagena". El
Heraldo's headline read, "Cartagena has a U.S. Office". In
addition, the Ambassador gave a one-on-one interview to El Heraldo,
which resulted in a separate article, in which he further clarified
the limited services to be offered, as well as the process for
eventually offering full consular services. For example, he
mentioned that the EBO would also work with judicial authorities and
armed forces, and that the limited consular services would include
notarials and assistance to U.S. tourists.


5. The initiation and frequency of the Barranquilla consular
agent's visits to the EBO have yet to be coordinated. As such,
there are currently no consular services being offered in Cartagena.
Post issued a press release distributed to North Coast media
informing the public that, for the time being, limited consular and
American Citizen Services are only available in Barranquilla and
full consulr services are only available in Bogota.
NICHOLS