PORTUGAL WELCOMES ENGAGEMENT ON LATIN AMERICA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 000036 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2019 TAGS: PREL ETRD PO XM SUBJECT: PORTUGAL WELCOMES ENGAGEMENT ON LATIN AMERICA DURING WHA A/S SHANNON VISIT LISBON 00000036 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Dana M Brown, Pol-Econ Officer, Embassy Lisbon, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On January 7, WHA A/S Thomas A. Shannon visited Lisbon as part of a series of visits to international partners engaged in Latin America. Shannon met with Portuguese officials in the Prime Minister's office, the Foreign Ministry, and with Ambassadors from European and Latin American partners to discuss the Bush Administration's accomplishments in Latin America and encourage Portugal to remain engaged going forward. In particular, he outlined successes in trade promotion, reinforcement of democracy, and law enforcement in several nations. He discussed long-term challenges including narcotics trafficking and crime in Mexico and Guatemala, as well as Cuba's transition to democracy. Portuguese officials responded that the GOP would remain active by hosting the November 2009 Ibero-American summit and with a high-level visit to Mexico to promote trade. The Prime Minister's Diplomatic Advisor reiterated Portugal's willingness to serve as an intermediary between the United States and Cuba or Venezuela as needed. -------------- A Positive Agenda and New Outreach -------------- ¶2. (C) WHA A/S Tom Shannon visited Portugal and Spain in early January in order to meet with international partners with interests in Latin America. As he met with Portuguese officials in the Prime Minister's office, the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, and members of Lisbon's diplomatic corps, he outlined the accomplishments of the Bush Administration and offered an overview of the US cooperation in the region. In a meeting with Portuguese MFA Deputy DG for Foreign Policy Jorge Cabral, A/S Shannon said Latin America was establishing ties outside the region for trade and development projects. As a result, the United States has established regular meetings with China, South Korea, and Japan to ensure we cooperate with international partners as much as possible. Russia is also expressing growing interest in the region and Russian officials told A/S Shannon that they were hoping to work with the USG to combat transnational crime and narcotics trafficking destined for Russia. ¶3. (C) A/S Shannon likewise encouraged Portugal to remain 
engaged on Latin American issues, both bilaterally and through the European Union. He praised Portugal's engagement in establishing the first EU-Brazil summit in July 2007, saying this had strengthened Brazil's position as an international player. Portuguese Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister Jorge Roza de Oliveira agreed and said he was pleased the EU-Brazil meetings were now part of the EU's annual consultations, in line with the other BRIC nations. MFA official Cabral noted that Portugal would also remain involved by hosting the Ibero-American Summit meeting in November 2009. ¶4. (U) Shannon underscored the US's decision to focus on positive engagement rather than get involved in negative agendas with some Latin American nations. He offered an overview of the unprecedented cooperation with Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile on a range of economic, political, and law enforcement initiatives. Oliveira said Portugal was also looking to expand bilateral trade ties with Mexico in 2009 by way of a high-level visit by Prime Minister Socrates. -------------- The Latin Naysayers -------------- ¶5. (C) In response to questions about the US's relationships with Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia, A/S Shannon stressed that the U.S. stands ready to support a productive agenda if and when those nations show interest. He mentioned the example of Cuba's unwillingness to accept humanitarian assistance from the USG in the wake of the 2008 hurricanes as an LISBON 00000036 002 OF 002 illustration of Cuba's not being ready to engage productively with the United States. The Cuban government is making changes, A/S Shannon said, but Raul Castro is not taking the critical steps of releasing political prisoners and beginning a national dialogue with the Cuban people about Cuba,s future. Oliveira reiterated his suggestion that the US end the embargo against Cuba as a way to move forward but conceded that the political prisoners remained a central barrier. On Venezuela, Oliveira reiterated that Chavez "is a crazy man" but offered Portugal as an intermediary for dialogue with Venezuela, as needed. ¶6. (C) A/S Shannon voiced concerns that Bolivia's decision to expel Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials would lead to increased cocaine trafficking to Europe and Africa. He explained that DEA officials were working closely with neighboring nations (Brazil, Peru, ParagufQ|-OKs}&en and cooperation with the United States and seemed somewhat surprised by the level of US-Asian coordination. While the GOP supports our democracy and human rights promotion agenda and welcomed the update, Portugal is clearly more comfortable voicing political concerns through the EU and sticking with trade promotion in bilateral discussions. End comment. ¶9. (U) This message has been cleared by Assistant Secretary Shannon. STEPHENSON