URUGUAY: PRESIDENT VAZQUEZ SEEKS MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000444 SIPDIS FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY STEINBERG WHA FOR CRAIG KELLY, CHRIS MCMULLEN, WHA/BSC, AND WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV UY SUBJECT: URUGUAY: PRESIDENT VAZQUEZ SEEKS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA Classified By: CDA Alfred Schandlbauer, for reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 7. ¶2. (C) On July 16, Foreign Minister Gonzalo Fernandez passed along to Charge a second request for President Vazquez to meet with President Obama in September (the first request was made in March 2009 and reiterated in Fernandez, meeting with Secretary Clinton on April 6). Vazquez is currently planning to come to Washington September 15-18, prior to going to New York for the UN General Assembly. However, Vazquez,s schedule is flexible and he could come to DC earlier (or later) if that better fits the President,s schedule. Fernandez underscored that Uruguay is one of the countries in the region that the USG can count on for support. ¶3. (C) Embassy Montevideo strongly endorses this request, as the visit would be a critical way to reinforce Uruguay,s consistent partnership with the U.S. Uruguay,s left-of-center government enjoys considerable regional credibility and holds leadership roles in multi-lateral organizations. We have had strong cooperation from the GOU on a broad range of issues, such as international peacekeeping, managing the economic crisis, furthering trade liberalization, and quietly moderating anti-Americanism in the region. ¶4. (C) As the largest per-capita contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, Uruguay's role in Haiti, Congo and elsewhere continues to be crucial in stabilizing these countries. As a new member of the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Uruguay joined us in supporting the election of Amano as Director General, and has taken responsible stances on Iran. The GOU also voted for the USG candidate for the Human Rights Council and worked with us on the declarations on Sudan. Uruguay was constructive in the OAS General Assembly deliberations on Cuba, working with us to achieve the final compromise. In regional fora such as ALADI, Rio Group, UNASUR, and Mercosur, Uruguay has been a voice reinforcing democratic institutions, prudent economic policies, and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Most recently, in relation to the Honduran crisis, Uruguay has distinguished itself within Mercosur in promoting the Arias process and discouraging intervention by other countries. ¶5. (C) In world trade and agricultural talks, ranging from the Doha Round to Codex, Uruguay has been among the USG,s allies. Similarly, the GOU has worked closely with Treasury on macroeconomic and financial policy in the wake of the global economic crisis. Military-military cooperation has been blossoming in the past year and a half, with Uruguay taking an increasingly important role in regional exercises such as Panamax. Embassy Montevideo has also been working closely with Uruguay on counternarcotics and money laundering, and encouraging reduction in restrictive sanitary-phytosanitary measures. Respect for labor rights is among the strongest in the world, and Uruguay is a supporter of stronger environmental protection. ¶6. (C) In short, under President Vazquez,s leadership, Uruguay has been a consistent and constructive partner, a stabilizing force in the region, and an ally in a range of international discussions of strategic importance. A POTUS meeting would be a valuable investment in this partnership at a critical time. ¶7. (C) Action Request: Embassy requests guidance to respond to the Uruguayan government request for a meeting in Washington in September between President Vazquez and President Obama. Schandlbauer