IMO DEMARCHE DELIVERED - MEXICO

UNCLAS MEXICO 003160

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR IO/T THOMAS JOHNSON
LONDON FOR JOHN WHITTLESEY
USCG CG-52 AND INTL AFFAIRS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC IMO EWWT PHSA UK MX
SUBJECT: IMO DEMARCHE DELIVERED - MEXICO

REF: STATE 98012


1. (U) Coast Guard Attache and Econoff delivered reftel demarche in
support of the U.S. candidacy for Category A reelection to the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council on 29 October.
Captain Marco Antonio Vinaza, director general of the Mexican
Merchant Marine, and Captain Luis Muriel, director of nautical
education and formerly Mexico's representative to the IMO, received
the demarche on behalf of the Secretariat for Communications and
Transportation. Emboffs separately sent the diplomatic note and
aide-memoire to the Secretariat of Foreign Relations.


2. (SBU) Vinaza and Muriel were favorable to the U.S. candidacy but
did not commit Mexico's vote. They solicited U.S. support for
Mexico's reelection in Category C. They made their case on three
grounds. First, the Council needs an equitable regional
representation. From Latin America, only Chile and Mexico are up
for election in Category C. Second, reciprocity: Mexico has a
history of supporting U.S. positions and proposals at the IMO. They
noted the creation of the Hawaiian marine reserve in 2006 in
particular. Finally, Gulf of Mexico oil tanker traffic between
Mexican ports such as Tuxpan and the U.S. Gulf Coast is of critical
import to U.S. energy security and Mexican economic well-being.
Mexico is the number three supplier of oil to the United States and
re-imports much of its gasoline from U.S. refineries. U.S. cruise
ship traffic is also very substantial in this area, with many ships
calling in Cozumel, Mexico's primary cruise destination (1,008
arrivals in 2008) and one of world's busiest.

PASCUAL