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

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Classified By: Dana M Brown, Pol-Econ Officer, Embassy Lisbon,
Reason 1.4 (b) and (d)

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Summary
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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.

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A Positive Agenda and New Outreach
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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.

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The Latin Naysayers
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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

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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