URUGUAY: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FM FERNANDEZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000270 SIPDIS FOR WHA/BSC MARY DASCHBACH E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD ECON UY SUBJECT: URUGUAY: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FM FERNANDEZ REF: MVD 0193 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: POL/ECON ALFRED SCHANDLBAUER, FOR REASON 1.4(b) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a May 5 meeting with Charge, Uruguayan FM Gonzalo Fernandez formally requested that President Obama visit Uruguay in August 2009, in conjunction with a possible trip to Brazil. Charge and Fernandez also discussed preparations and possible dates for an upcoming U.S.-Uruguay Trade and Investment Committee (TIC) meeting; Fernandez,s views on the importance of the issues being discussed at the OAS General Assembly meeting in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, (June 2-3); the visit this month of Senator Lugar's staffer Carl Meacham concerning possible inclusion of Uruguay in the trade preference program; Uruguay's participation in the inauguration of Salvadoran President-elect Funes; and possible Uruguayan involvement in any future meetings on the Pathways to Prosperity initiative. End Summary. Possible Obama Visit -------------- ¶2. (C) FM Fernandez stressed that his top priority is to arrange for President Obama to visit Uruguay in August. Fernandez said that while talking to President Tabare Vazquez on the margins of the T&T Summit, President Obama mentioned the likelihood that he would accept an invitation by President Lula to visit Brazil in August. President Vazquez has told his Cabinet that President Obama was amenable in principle to visiting Uruguay at that time (assuming the trip to Brazil occurs). For Fernandez and Vazquez, arranging a visit by Obama is now a &top goal." Charge promised to pass on the invitation and the importance that the GOU attaches to this potential visit. Upcoming Trade and Investment Committee Meeting -------------- -- ¶3. (U) Fernandez said that he will lead the Uruguayan delegation to the upcoming Trade and Investment Committee meeting (TIC),scheduled for June 5 in Washington. He will include chief negotiator Alvaro Ons, one or two Ministry of Agriculture officials, and a representative from the Ministry of the Environment in that delegation. As a side note, the Charge mentioned that the TIC will be an excellent opportunity to advance on sanitary/phyto-sanitary (SPS) issues important to both countries. USG officials are looking at ways to be responsive to Uruguay's chief veterinary official,s recent offer to discuss ways to move forward on removing SPS hurdles to U.S. beef exports to Uruguay, as well as access for Uruguayan boneless lamb into the U.S. market. She also encouraged the GOU to provide its oft-promised ideas for moving forward on the e-commerce agreement soon, and to approve some language conformity fixes on the customs facilitation agreement. OAS General Assembly -------------- ¶4. (C) Fernandez noted that he will also be attending the June 2-3 OAS General Assembly meeting in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He said it was important to be there because the OAS will decide at that meeting whether to fully incorporate countries that hitherto have held observer status (he mentioned Spain as an example). Fernandez framed that as a significant development that would take the steam out of initiatives from elsewhere in Latin America to create a parallel OAS-like organization that excludes the U.S. and Canada. Staffdel Meacham -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Fernandez agreed to meet with Staffdel Carl Meacham while he is in Uruguay May 26-28. Meacham informed post that he will be looking at the possible inclusion of Uruguay in a preference program, modeled on the benefits provided under the Andean Trade Preferences Act, and will use his time in country to determine how best to focus such preferences. Note: the Embassy is also arranging meetings for Meacham with Minister of Economy Alvaro Garcia; Minister of Industry Daniel Martinez; chief trade negotiator Alvaro Ons; the AmCham; media; and site visits to textile/apparel plants. Funes Inauguruation -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Charge asked whether Fernandez planned to attend the June 1 inauguration of Salvadoran President-elect Funes, mentioning the possibility that the GOES will organize a Pathways to Prosperity event on May 31. Fernandez replied that President Vazquez usually asks Vice President Nin Novoa to represent Uruguay at inaugurations. Fernandez said there is a possibility he could attend as well if there is a Ministerial meeting in San Salvador at that time. Matthewman