THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000727

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN; ISN/MNSA;
GENEVA FOR CD; UNVIE FOR IAEA; USUN/POL; USNATO/POL;
USEU/POL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP AORC ENRG MNUC PARM PGOV PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW
CONFERENCE: COSTA RICA'S VIEWS

REF: SECSTATE 83600


1. (SBU) Summary: Costa Rica, which abolished its military
over fifty years ago, considers itself a leader on
non-proliferation and disarmament issues. President Oscar
Arias recently wrote an op-ed piece in the Washington Post
calling for the abolition of all Latin American militaries.
Costa Rica has long called for international disarmament and
has strongly supported efforts to halt Iranian and North
Korean efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. However, due in
part to historical differences with its neighbors, Costa Rica
is often only minimally effective in persuading others on
disarmament issues. End Summary


2. (U) Per reftel, we met with Costa Rican MFA Disarmament
officials Carlos Cordero and Randolph Coto on August 19 to
discuss GOCR views on non-proliferation issues. According to
Cordero, the GOCR is committed to the Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty, the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, and the
Non-Proliferation Treaty, and welcomes the "reinvigorated"
U.S.-Russian arms control efforts. The GOCR "believes not
only in horizontal disarmament, but also the vertical
disarmament of all countries." The destruction of not just
nuclear but also conventional weapons, including chemical and
biological arms, is a high priority for the GOCR.


3. (U) The MFA is the lead agency within the GOCR on
non-proliferation issues and Cordero and Coto specifically
head up the MFA disarmament office. FM Bruno Stagno is
deeply involved in guiding arms control issues and the MFA
issues directives to its Mission in New York on various
non-proliferation issues. Costa Rica is currently the
co-president of the Preparatory Commission for the
Comprehensive Nulcear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, a
founding member of the Oslo Process of February 2007, and a
member of the Executive Committee of the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.


4. (U) Costa Rica is a member of the Group of 77 (but not the
Nonaligned Movement),however, on arms control issues they
operate independently of the G77 or any regional
organizations (OAS, SICA, etc). Their missions abroad
generally receive direct instructions from the Costa Rican
MFA on non-proliferation issues, as the GOCR puts such an
emphasis on these issues.


5. (SBU) Comment: Costa Rica is an eager partner on
non-proliferation issues, and has long tried to serve as a
regional and international leader on disarmament in general.
However, in part due to regional perceptions of Costa Rican
arrogance, Costa Rica is often limited in its ability to
influence regional partners. This has been shown most
recently by the near-complete silence over Arias' call for
the demilitarization of Latin America. Costa Rica often sees
itself as an 'exception' within Central America, and many of
its neighbors tend to agree. However, this sometimes stunts
Costa Rica's capacity to lead within the region on
international issues, including disarmament.
WILSON