BOLIVIA: ENERGY AND CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000586 FOR WHA/EPSC: FAITH CORNEILLE AND FRANCES COLON; DOE: LINDSAY EINSTEIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 TAGS: KSUM ECON ENRG SENV BL KGHG SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: ENERGY AND CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP OF THE AMERICAS: DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH REF: STATE 34126 Classified By: A/Ecopol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (U) Econoff spoke with both General Director of Multilateral Affairs in the Foreign Ministry Cecilia Chacon and General Director on Climate Change Issues Jaime Villanueva on April 15. Chacon will attend the Summit of the Americas (SOA) as the Multilateral Representative. Villanueva has previously worked with the Embassy and USAID on coordinating resources. ¶2. (C) Chacon expressed her satisfaction with the new USG approach to climate change and energy. Bolivia very much supports the U.S. commitment to re-engage the international community on these issues. Chacon said she would brief the Summit delegation on the Partnership proposal, but her initial reaction is that Bolivia would participate. She said nearly all of the issues brought forth in reftel are applicable to Bolivia, but their main interest would lie in energy infrastructure, hydrocarbons development and particularly energy poverty. (NOTE: Access to electricity and telecommunications are currently "rights" of the people under the newly-passed Bolivian constitution. END NOTE.) Bolivia has been highly focused on climate change, Post would anticipate this would be another area for which the Bolivians would have a major interest. Econoff and Chacon agreed to meet again post-Summit to discuss further participation. ¶3. (C) In a more candid part of the conversation, Chacon admitted that there are "many" in the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who want to improve bilateral relations with the United States. She said that the Summit, and particularly themes such as climate change, could be a new opportunity for cooperation. Her initial thought is that Bolivia would also be interested in sending a delegation to the June Symposium in Peru. ¶4. (C) Director Villanueva expressed similar satisfaction with a U.S. change in energy policy. Although Villanueva will not attend the Summit, he could potentially be part of the delegation to the Peruvian Symposium if Bolivia were to send one. He mentioned that during the proposed dates for the Symposium, there is a Climate Change workshop in Germany, so he would suggest perhaps switching the dates. Villanueva said that climate change is a major theme for the Bolivian government and that he very much looks forward to working on the issue in a multilateral fora with the U.S. URS