VENEZUELAN PLANNING FOR SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000478 SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2029 TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV VE SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN PLANNING FOR SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS REF: STATE 036854 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) engaged post on the subjects of an UNASUR-Obama meeting at the Summit of the Americas (SOA),and de-confliction of the air space near Venezuela in support of the SOA. However, the working level GBRV interlocutors did not seem to have the most recent information. There has been no response to the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) A/DCM conveyed reftel points April 15 to MFA North America Director Yaneth Arocha and the staff of the Vice Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean. The latter confirmed that the GBRV had received President Bachelet's invitation for the UNASUR meeting on Saturday, April 18. The MFA could not confirm, however, that President Chavez would attend. In responding to a reporter's query during the April 16 ALBA summit, Chavez affirmed that he would attend with the other UNASUR members. ¶3. (C) Venezuela's Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) President Jose Martinez and three Venezuelan Air Force (FAV) colonels representing Air Operations, Air Space Control/Intelligence and Air Defense met early April 16 with Charge and DATT in response to the Embassy's long-standing request to consult on logistical arrangements related to civil and military air traffic going to and from nearby Trinidad and Tobago for the SOA. Martinez acknowledged that they had received instructions to hold the meeting late April 15 from the office of Vice President/Defense Minister Ramon Carrizalez. The reaction of Venezuelan civil and military officials following the DATT brief was relaxed and gracious compared to their formal opening. ¶4. (C) Martinez recommended that during the SOA, FAV and the DATT office communicate directly rather than going through the MFA. Air Operations LTCOL Puente Garcia and DATT immediately exchanged phone numbers and made arrangements to exchange phone lists. Martinez said he appreciated the spirit of the briefing and that the USG was seeking to avoid misunderstandings and deal constructively with any emergencies and that Venezuela shared that interest. When asked by the Charge if Chavez would fly directly to Trinidad from the ALBA summit or first return to Caracas, Martinez claimed no knowledge and apologized that the head of the presidential flight detail was unable to attend because he was out of town. (Note: President Chavez is meeting with his ALBA counterparts in Cumana today. End Note.) ¶5. (C) Embassy conveyed via dipnote the USG's intent to invite the nations of the hemisphere to join in an Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). The GBRV did not respond. ¶6. (C) Comment: The lack of Venezuelan engagement in bilateral and multilateral issues is the routine. Their willingness to receive the briefing connected with the SOA is the type of routine engagement we rarely see. End Comment. CAULFIELD