2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM: NICARAGUA SENDS PROTEST

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000469 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND CA/FO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC OVIP NU SUBJECT: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM: NICARAGUA SENDS PROTEST DIPNOTE ¶1. (U) On May 4, we received dip note number MRE/0050/05/09 from Nicaragua Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) responding to the 2009 Country Report on Terrorism published on April 30. It was signed by Orlando Gomez, Director General for American Affairs. The Embassy's unofficial English translation appears below. We have pouched the original to WHA/CEN. ¶2. (U) BEGIN OF UNOFFICIAL ENGLISH TRANSLATION Ministry of Foreign Relations Republic of Nicaragua MRE/0050/05/09 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua - Office of North America - presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America, and makes reference to document published by the Department of State on April 30 of the present year as "2008 Country Report on Terrorism." On this point, this Ministry clarifies that although this report includes Nicaragua, it does not link our country to terrorism in any sense. Nicaragua has its own points of view regarding the conduct of the government of the United States at the international level; however, being respectful of the states' sovereignty, it abstains from expressing its criticism. Nicaragua rejects all reports or declarations which seek to link Nicaragua with terrorism. On the contrary, its political will to fight this scourge is evident by being a member-State of all international legal instruments before the United Nations and the Inter-American covenants on this subject, as well as participating diligently in activities of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE, Acronym in Spanish). In the same manner, Nicaragua rejects the opinions given in the report regarding the performance of its judicial system and other national institutions; these value judgments should rest solely with national authorities as they affect internal affairs and the exercise of national sovereignty and self-determination, as well as the right to establish and maintain diplomatic relations with all the countries of the world, without exception. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua - Office for North America - avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Honorable Embassy of the United States the assurance of its highest consideration. Managua, May 4, 2009 To the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America Managua END OF UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION CALLAHAN