GOES AGREES TO FIVE-YEAR COMALAPA CSL EXTENSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 000301 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS MARR ES SUBJECT: GOES AGREES TO FIVE-YEAR COMALAPA CSL EXTENSION Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Minister of Foreign Affairs Marisol Argueta publicly presented Charge a note April 2 in reply to the Embassy's note of July 2, 2008 agreeing to a five-year extension of the agreement governing counter-narcotics activities at the Cooperative Security Location at Comalapa International Airport. With this exchange of notes, the agreement is extended through August 23, 2015. Since his March 15 victory, we have kept President-elect Mauricio Funes and his team apprised of our interest in extending the agreement, noting this extension is consistent with his public and private comments during the campaign. The Foreign Minister later said Defense Minister Molina was interested in expanding the agreement to cover ports and other facilities as envisaged in Article II of the agreement. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) In a ceremonial exchange of notes before Salvadoran media, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marisol Argueta presented Charge a note (translated text at para 6; scan of original e-mailed to WHA/CEN) April 2 stating that the GOES accepts the USG offer made July 2, 2008 of a five-year extension of the agreement governing the Cooperative Security Location at Comalapa International Airport. (The original ten-year agreement took effect August 23, 2000 when the GOES notified the Embassy that it had completed all internal procedures for entry into force. With an extension of five years, the agreement will now run through August 23, 2015.) (The note delivered today by Argueta was dated April 2, 2008; we will seek a corrected copy from the Ministry.) ¶3. (SBU) In remarks to the press, Argueta noted that the agreement would extend the validity of the agreement allowing counter-narcotics cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador to continue. She noted the contribution made by both countries in this effort in order to combat illicit trafficking in the region and thanked the U.S. for its presence in El Salvador and support to El Salvador. Charge noted the successes of the CSL during its near ten years of operation and applauded the GOES for its continued support for the CSL. ¶4. (C) President-elect Mauricio Funes, along with others in his campaign and in the (left-wing) FMLN, said publicly and privately during the campaign that he supported the continued operation of the CSL. Beginning with A/S Shannon's March 18 visit and meeting with President-elect Funes, followed up by Embassy discussions with others on Funes' transition team, we have kept the incoming GOES apprised of our plans, consistent with Funes' public and private comments on the subject. Funes advisers Hugo Martinez and David Munguia Payes have acknowledged that this extension is consistent with Funes' and the FMLN's position. ¶5. (C) After the public exchange of notes, Minister Argueta told us Defense Minister Molina wants to consider amplifying the geographic scope of the existing agreement as envisaged in Article II. (Note: English text of Article II at para 7.) She suggested Charge seek a meeting with President-elect Funes, Minister of Defense Molina, and herself to discuss the operation of the CSL and its benefits to El Salvador in order to capitalize on Funes' conciliatory rhetoric since the elections. Argueta felt it would be beneficial to have the meeting before he names relevant cabinet officials. Charge suggested the mid-April high-level Defense staff talks could be a good opportunity to discuss the idea further and undertook to consider reaching out to Funes before his June 1 inauguration. ¶6. (C) Comment: While the GOES would have preferred a longer-term, more expansive agreement to the simple five-year extension, both sides are pleased to have this agreement settled after nearly a year of discussions. We expect to host several members of Funes' transition team at the CSL during a previously planned Open House in mid-April and plan to offer a briefing and visit to the President-elect. We will follow up with the GOES on the specifics of the Defense Minister,s proposal to expand the geographical scope of the agreement beyond that already allowed in Article II. At first glance, it appears the existing agreement provides full access to airports, ports and other governmental facilities for counter-narcotics activities. Consistent with an earlier GOES counterproposal, we believe the Defense Minister wants a permanent U.S. military presence beyond Comalapa -- as a way to obtain more resources for the El Salvador Armed Forces. End Comment. ¶7. (U) Begin text of Article II: Article II (Purposes of Agreement; Authorization) The Government of the Republic of El Salvador agrees to allow United States personnel, United States contractors, and contractor employees access to and use of the International Airport of El Salvador as well as to ports and other governmental facilities in connection with aerial detection, monitoring, tracking, and control of illegal narcotics trafficking operations. Accordingly, aircraft, vessels, and vehicles operated by or for the United States in connection with this agreement are authorized to use such airport facilities as well as ports and other governmental facilities. End text of Article II. ¶8. (C) Begin informal translation of text of GOES Note agreeing to five-year extension: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR Secretariat of State DGAJDH/DNT/JB/No. 188-2009 THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of AMERICA accredited in this country and has the honor to refer to note No 299 dated July 2nd, 2008 relating to the Agreement concerning United States Access to and Use of Facilities at the International Airport of El Salvador for Aerial Counter-Narcotics Activities, done March 31, 2000, expressed in the following terms: &8No. 299 The Embassy of the United States of AMERICA presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of El Salvador and has the honor to refer to the Agreement of Cooperation between the Government of the United States of AMERICA and the Government of the Republic of El Salvador concerning United States Access to and Use of Facilities at the International Airport of El Salvador for Aerial Counter-Narcotics Activities, done March 31, 2000, hereafter "the Agreement," and to recent discussions between officials of our two governments. As a result of these discussions, the Embassy has the honor to propose a five-year extension of the Agreement, as provided for under Article XXIII of the Agreement. If the foregoing is acceptable to the Government of the Republic of El Salvador, the Embassy proposes that this note, together with the Ministry's reply to that effect shall constitute an Agreement between the two Governments that shall enter into force upon the date of the Ministry's notification to the Embassy that the Government of the Republic of El Salvador has completed all its legal internal procedures necessary to bring this Agreement into force. The Embassy of the United States of AMERICA avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of El Salvador, the assurances of its highest and most distinguished consideration. Embassy of the United States of America, San Salvador, July 2, 2008.88 THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United States of AMERICA that the proposal stated in the Embassy note No 299 dated July 2nd, 2008, is acceptable for the Government of the Republic of El Salvador, and that the referred note from the Embassy of the United States of America along with the present note, will constitute an Agreement between the two Governments, which will enter into force immediately after the conclusion of the original period of validity. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR avails itself of this occasion to renew the Honorable Embassy of the United States of AMERICA the assurances of its highest and most distinguished consideration. Antiguo Cuscatlan, at two days of the month of April of year two thousand and eight. (SIC) End text of GOES note. BLAU