URUGUAY: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FM VAZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000578 SIPDIS FOR WHA/BSC MARY DASCHBACH E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019 TAGS: PLEC PREL UN EAGR HA KPKO UY SUBJECT: URUGUAY: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FM VAZ Classified By: CDA ROBIN MATTHEWMAN, FOR REASON 1.4 (B) Summary - - - - ¶1. (SBU) Charge Matthewman called on Foreign Minister Pedro Vaz October 1 to discuss the trip to the U.S. that President Vazquez, FM Vaz, and Economy Minister Alvaro Garcia made from September 13-25. Vaz said all members of the Uruguayan delegation was very satisfied with their reception and with all their meetings. The meeting of leaders of the top peacekeeping force contributors hosted by President Obama was especially fruitful, according to Vaz, as was the Secretary's meeting with the Haiti Key Players group. Other topics included Vazquez's subsequent trip to Venezuela; the September 15 UNASUR Defense Council meeting; the situation in Honduras; the possibility of an upcoming bilateral meeting on agriculture; and pending legislation of interest to the Embassy. End Summary. The Trip - - - - ¶2. (U) Vazquez headed an Uruguayan delegation that traveled to Washington from September 13-18, and New York from September 18-25. Other GOU principals on the trip included FM Vaz and Economy Minister Alvaro Garcia. Notable events included a September 15 meeting with the Secretary; a September 16 breakfast at the Council of the Americas, at which Vazquez was the featured speaker; Vazquez's participation in a September 23 meeting of leaders of top peacekeeping force contributors hosted by President Obama, during which the views on peacekeeping expressed by Obama and Vazquez were congruent, according to Vaz ; and Vaz's participation in the September 25 Haiti Key Players meeting, which Vas described as having gone "very well." Vaz and/or Garcia also met with G U/S Otero; acting U/S EEB Nelson; USTR's Everett Eisenstatt; USDA U/S Philbrook; Treasury Deputy Secretary Wolin and DAS Lee; and OSD DAS Mora. Vaz said that each of the meetings was valuable. ¶3. (SBU) After departing the U.S. September 25, Vazquez stopped off for a night on Venezuela's Margarita Island, where he participated in a summit of African and South American leaders. There he also joined Presidents Lula, Fernandez de Kirchner, Lugo, Morales, and Correa in signing the charter to the Bank of the South, and held a meeting with UN Food and Agricultural Organization head Jaques Diouf. Vaz declined to characterize the Venezuela portion of the trip, saying only that Uruguay views the Bank of the South as "another option for Uruguay's development," and that Uruguay plans to meet its capital and other obligations to the bank. UNASUR - - - - ¶4. (C) Vaz characterized the September 15 UNASUR Defense Council summit in Quito as a disappointment, saying that he had hoped participants would have been able to come to some sort of agreement that would promote confidence among members. That the ministers adjourned without such an agreement was problematic, Vaz said. He went on to note that UNASUR is still defining itself, and that Uruguay has confidence that it can help make the mechanism work. Vaz agreed with the Charge that keeping discussion of the U.S.-Colombia DCA at the level of the UNASUR Defense Council served to defuse tensions in the region. Honduras - - - - - ¶5. (C) Vaz said the GOU is very worried about the situation in Honduras, which he said was a completely anomalous situation that could portend negative change in the region. Vaz believes the Brazilians are improvising, saying that he doubted they planned for the situation they find themselves in now, with Zelaya and his followers in their embassy. The GOU sees the Arias plan as the only solution, Vaz added, but as time goes on there is less and less chance of that plan effecting a satisfactory resolution to the crisis. Agriculture - - - - - - ¶6. (SBU) Charge noted that USDA has proposed a meeting of the U.S.-Uruguay Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA) in Uruguay in mid-November. Although the timing is awkward, coming as it would between the general election and a widely expected runoff, she encouraged the GOU to agree, ati it would provide an important way to continue to make progress on agricultural issues. Vaz agreed the CCA would be an important opportunity, and said he would speak with the agriculture minister about it. Legislation of Interest - - - - - - - - - - - - 7.(SBU) The charge took the opportunity to ask Vaz about the status of two pieces of legislation pending in the Uruguayan legislature: a civil aviation bill that is a necessary step toward Uruguay regaining FAA Category 1 Flight Safety Status; and a ratification of the U.S.-Uruguay bilateral Science and Technology Framework Agreement, signed April 29, 2008 by Condoleeza Rice and then-FM Gonzalo Fernandez. Vaz promised to look into the status of both bills. The timing is not particularly propitious, Vaz said, noting that Uruguay's congress is adjourned and its members campaigning before the October 25 general elections. However, special sessions in the Uruguayan congress take place frequently, and that if there is enough interest it may be possible to convene one to pass one or both of the bills. Matthewman