CHARGE MEETING WITH FM CHOQUEHUANCA

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000470 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019 TAGS: ASEC BL OPDC PGOV PREL SUBJECT: CHARGE MEETING WITH FM CHOQUEHUANCA REF: SECSTATE 21862 Classified By: CDA Krishna Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Per Reftel Charge met with Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca on March 25 to deliver correspondence from Secretary Clinton. The FM again confirmed assurances provided by UN Charge Solon in New York that the GOB would first seek to resolve bilateral issues through diplomatic channels and would not take actions designed to embarrass the U.S. Administration. Choquehuanca also suggested that a meeting between Potus and President Morales either during or after the SOA would be very useful to improving the bilateral relationship. The FM also suggested that Planning Minister Noel Aguirre make a trip to D.C. to discuss USAID issues. End Summary. -------------- YOU UNDERMINE US BUT WE PROMISE TO BEHAVE -------------- ¶2. (C) Foreign Minister Choquehuanca greeted the Charge by saying this is an electoral year and that his government is facing "the mother of all battles." Choquehuanca said he is pleased the Bolivian people have opted for peace and not violence and that "we will resolve our problems in the voting booth". The Charge then referred to the recent meeting between A/S Shannon and Charge to the Bolivian UN Mission Pablo Solon. Charge said he wanted to reconfirm what was agreed upon in both that meeting and a subsequent phone call from Solon: that the Bolivians would not take actions designed to embarrass our administration and that problems or concerns with the activities of our Mission staff would be handled via diplomatic channels. Choquehuanca responded that the Bolivian government did not want to see further deterioration in the relationship further "but that some times we have to react." The FM said that the GOB has information that the USG is implementing programs via NGOs in Bolivia "that are not supportive of our government of change." Choquehuanca alluded to MilGrp's humanitarian programs in Pando state that "are not in line with the Evo Delivers (Cumple) program." The Charge mentioned a conversation with VFM Hugo Fernandez last week in which a meeting between Embassy officials, a visiting officer from F, and Minister of Planning Aguirre could review USG assistance programs in Bolivia. FM Choquehuanca agreed to follow up with Aguirre to confirm the meeting. "In Aymaran culture," said the FM, "there is no such thing as lukewarm. Either we have good relations or we do not have relations." Choquehuanca said he had spoken with Solon about the A/S Shannon meeting and that "we agree with what was communicated." -------------- REQUEST FOR POTUS MEETING -------------- ¶3. (C) Choquehuanca then made a plea for a meeting between Potus and President Evo Morales. "We would like a meeting at the highest level," said the FM, "between our two presidents. We want a meeting so that my president can express himself to your president in a respectful manner and have your president hear him out. We would also listen to what your president has to say." Choquehuanca again said that the GOB does not want to see further deterioration in the relationship but that it also could not be maintained in its current state. The FM said that the meeting between Potus and Morales could take place at the SOA or even after if things were too busy in Trinidad and Tobago. -------------- HOW ABOUT A CHANGE IN TONE? -------------- ¶4. (C) The Charge replied that the USG wants better relations as well but that the relationship has deteriorated to such a point that it will take time to reconstruct. The Charge emphasized that for there to be a change in the relationship there needs to be a change in tone from the GOB. He assured the FM that the USG is not plotting against the GOB and again asked that the GOB bring any concerns or suspicions about our Mission to us before making accusations in the media. -------------- WHERE TO START? -------------- ¶5. (C) The Charge raised the possibility of a bilateral dialogue as mentioned in Secretary Clinton's letter. FM Choquehuanca replied that he liked Secstate's letter and to please make sure to thank her for it. The FM said that Charge Pablo Solon and Bolivia's Charge in Washington, Ericka Duenas, are authorized to conduct such meetings and that they would be in touch with the Department. Choquehuanca also thought that having Planning Minister Noel Aguirre travel to the States for a meeting would be another option. -------------- LET US BE DIPLOMATS -------------- ¶6. (C) The Charge mentioned that he planned to travel to Santa Cruz to participate in the USAID sponsored ExpoForest fair and that there would be Santa Cruz political and civic leaders present at the event. The FM replied that "these types of trips create susceptibilities within the GOB". Choquehuanca said that on his recent trip to Nicaragua ex-Contras told him of how the CIA used to bring in briefcases full of cash. The FM said that he wanted to believe those types of things were in the past but that "there are susceptibilities within my government and some authorities exaggerate those fears in order to make some believe that those things happen here." The Charge assured Choquehuanca that "there is no cold war in Bolivia" and reminded him that under the Vienna convention diplomats can and do meet with Bolivians of every political stripe. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) While Choquehuanca did reconfirm assurances given by Charge Solon, ultimately only President Morales can control (or not) his remarks and actions. Perhaps a pull-aside between Potus and Morales would change the later's perception of the USG as Choquehuanca suggests. End Comment. URS