GOE PEACE OVERTURES, THEN ANTI-U.S. JABS

S E C R E T QUITO 000176 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS TAGS: PREL SNAR KCRM PTER EC SUBJECT: GOE PEACE OVERTURES, THEN ANTI-U.S. JABS REF: A. QUITO 160 ¶B. QUITO 153 ¶C. QUITO 145 Classified By: Ambassador... id: 196191 date: 3/10/2009 22:56 refid: 09QUITO176 origin: Embassy Quito classification: SECRET//NOFORN destination: 09QUITO145|09QUITO153|09QUITO160 header: VZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHQT #0176/01 0692256 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 102256Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY QUITO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0161 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8030 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4101 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3449 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR LIMA 3095 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4185 RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 2274 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC -------------- header ends -------------- S E C R E T QUITO 000176 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS TAGS: PREL SNAR KCRM PTER EC SUBJECT: GOE PEACE OVERTURES, THEN ANTI-U.S. JABS REF: A. QUITO 160 ¶B. QUITO 153 ¶C. QUITO 145 Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The past week has seen President Correa veer from an awkward attempt to propose a new relationship with the U.S. to outbursts against the use of polygraphs and insinuations that the U.S. Embassy activities did not square with the Obama administration's policy. He also reiterated that one of the expelled U.S. Embassy officers was the CIA station chief. The anti-polygraph remarks may be a roadblock to future bilateral counternarcotics cooperation, while the GOE rhetoric overall is harmful to Ecuadorian public perceptions of the U.S. global role. End Summary. A CHARM OFFENSIVE OF A SORT ¶2. (C) In line with the MFA meetings with the Ambassador (Refs A and C),President Correa appeared to be trying to send a positive message on March 5 about his interest in a constructive relationship with the Obama Administration. Speaking at the inauguration of the Prosecutor General's "justice house" facility, located in the former U.S. Embassy building, he first quoted Abraham Lincoln on having confidence in the justice of the people. Correa said that no one in his right mind would underestimate the value of brotherly relations with an admirable and generous people like those of the U.S. Noting that many Ecuadorians have studied in U.S. universities, he recognized the creativity and contributions of Whitman, Faulkner, Edison, Martin Luther King, Angela Davis, Lincoln, and so many other Americans that had contributed to the progress of humanity. ¶3. (SBU) Correa said such Americans were very different from those that had caused conflicts, such as what recently happened with U.S. officials. He insisted that the U.S. Embassy officials offended Ecuador with "foul practices of agencies and departments that contradicted the policy stated by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton." He described Obama/Clinton policy as one of "peace, reconciliation, consensus, and respect for the self-determination and especially sovereignty of the peoples of the world." ¶4. (SBU) Correa then quoted from the response POTUS sent to Correa's letter of congratulations: "I am confident that we can work together in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a more secure world." He said the GOE desires a brotherly relationship while, at the same time, reaffirming its determination never to permit violation of its sovereignty, demands for information, foreign military bases, or false protectorates. Correa called for a "relationship of respect between our peoples," separately from the power they enjoyed. He appeared to be reading from a prepared text, which was unusual for him. ¶5. (SBU) In a similar vein, Foreign Minister Fander Falconi highlighted the GOE's interest in a solid and stable relationship with the U.S. and briefly referred to inappropriate U.S. interference during a March 4 television interview. He called for a positive agenda with the U.S. focused on migration, poverty, inequality, and human rights. Falconi emphasized, "We want relations with the U.S. that are not only based on issues of security and counternarcotics, which is very important, but it is not the only issue." While acknowledging that GOE actions were tough, he said the Correa government did not want to generate a climate of belligerency with the U.S. Falconi stressed the GOE's desire to build a relationship with the U.S. based on mutual respect and transparency in all international agreements. WEEKEND REMARKS COMPLICATE COUNTERNARCOTICS COOPERATION ¶6. (C) The GOE "charm offensive" did not last through the weekend. First President Correa, recounting his appearance at the inauguration of the Prosecutor General's new facility during his March 7 radio/TV address, claimed he saw the polygraphs which the U.S. Embassy used to test Ecuadorian policemen in armored areas of the building. He made clear he would not tolerate the use of polygraphs, saying, "What shame! Never again!" (Note: Obviously no polygraph equipment was left at the former U.S. Embassy building. USG officials who visited Ecuador to do polygraphs used other locations and carried their equipment with them. End Note.) ¶7. (S/NF) In a radio interview on March 8, Correa sounded even more stridently anti-American. Again calling expelled U.S. Embassy official Mark Sullivan the CIA head, he claimed Sullivan had met with him after arrival, very polite and friendly, to discuss cooperation with police and military units. Correa said he was willing at that time to continue cooperation, although the principal beneficiary would be the U.S. He alleged that he told Sullivan that the GOE would not allow use of polygraphs. Correa also reiterated during the interview allegations that the computers returned to the U.S. Embassy by the Specialized Operations Unit contained national security information of the Ecuadorian State. (Note: GRPO reporting indicates that these statements are inaccurate. End Note.) ¶8. (C) Correa's statements ruling out the use of polygraphs contradicts the message we took away from the Ambassador's meetings during the past two weeks with Coordinating Minister of Internal and External Security Miguel Carvajal and FM Falconi (Refs B-C). Neither of them had expressed objections when the Ambassador made clear that vetting, including polygraphs, remained a condition for much of our counternarcotics cooperation. To test the GOE's stated commitment to return to meaningful cooperation in counternarcotics, the Embassy will continue to pursue promised discussions with the GOE on a written agreement that includes Drug Enforcement Administration vetting. ECUADORIAN PUBLIC'S CONCLUSION: USG GUILTY ¶9. (C) The public relations dynamic in Ecuador is not working in our favor. Correa's continued condemnation of U.S. Embassy actions, combined with our lack of response since the Department statement on February 19, have led many Ecuadorians to conclude that U.S. Embassy officials were caught doing wrong and deserved expulsion. Meanwhile, the Ambassador has continued doing business as usual, including inaugurations in Carchi province on March 6 of USAID projects and barracks for military who do counternarcotics work. Unfortunately, heavy media coverage of these routine events appeared to feed into the inaccurate public perception that the U.S. continues assisting the GOE because the expulsions of U.S. Embassy officials were warranted. In the absence of U.S. clarification (via retaliation, explicit statements, or otherwise),Ecuadorians do not understand that U.S. Embassy officials were acting appropriately, consistent with verbal agreements and law enforcement best practices, and that GOE actions were out of line and harmed bilateral relations. COMMENT ¶10. (C) The GOE is trying to have it both ways: look like it seeks good relations with the U.S. (which most Ecuadorians favor),while at the same time insisting that the new relationship would not resemble the old and that the Obama administration would not condone the actions of the two expelled Embassy officials. HODGES =======================CABLE ENDS============================