Private Sector Plans Prior to the Summit of the Americas

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000152 SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHA FOR DAS ROBINSON US OAS FOR HECTOR MORALES USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/PEACHER AND SABOTTA AND LEBLANC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EIND KSUM AR SUBJECT: Private Sector Plans Prior to the Summit of the Americas Ref: Port of Spain 54 and previous ¶1. (U) Ernesto Gutierrez, President of the Private Sector of the Americas (PSA),met with Ambassador February 5 to discuss his organization's preparations for the April 15-16 Second Hemispheric Private Sector Forum, a prelude to the April 17-19 Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). PSA is the official organizer of the Forum. ¶2. (SBU) Gutierrez noted T&T's poor infrastructure and the difficulty that will create for hosting such a large group of visitors. He stated that PSA was looking into renting a cruise ship to host the Forum, so as not to interfere with security preparations for the arriving heads of state, and also to not to be constrained by limited hotel space. He also expressed hopes of organizing a brief meeting for up to fifty leading businesspeople from the hemisphere with President Obama prior to the Summit to discuss possible economic solutions for the region. Gutierrez said he looked forward to working with USG officials to make the private sector part of the Summit a success. ¶3. (U) Ernesto Gutierrez, who is also CEO of Aeropuertos Argentinas 2000, the private concessionaire that operates most of Argentina's airports, has been PSA President since he was elected in September of 2005. The PSA functions under the Organization of American States with the goal of establishing a hemispheric network with the most relevant business leaders in the Americas and the Caribbean as well as governments and lending organizations. It was created as a result of a recommendation of the XXXV OAS General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale in June of 2005 where the First Forum took place (following an initiative of the USG). The PSA has since organized several highly successful Private Sector Fora, including the IV Hemispheric Summit in Mar del Plata in November 2005 and during every OAS General Assembly. WAYNE