CHILE GIVES THUMBS UP TO OBAMA'S SUMMIT MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SANTIAGO 000435 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2019 TAGS: PREL XM XL XS CI SUBJECT: CHILE GIVES THUMBS UP TO OBAMA'S SUMMIT MEETING WITH UNASUR LEADERS Classified By: Political Officer Jennifer Spande for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Top MFA officials described the Summit of the Americas as a success notable for its positive atmosphere and frank exchange of views, and were relieved that their fears of possible outbursts by Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, or others never came to pass. Even these polemical presidents were on good behavior during President Obama's meeting with UNASUR heads of state. While nearly all speakers at the UNASUR meeting raised U.S. policy towards Cuba, and Chavez and Morales criticized the U.S., everyone interacted respectfully and seemed pleased to have the opportunity to meet with President Obama. President Bachelet's conversations with President Obama over dinner and with two Codels were also quite positive, leading Flisfisch to assess that, in general, Chile's relations with both the U.S. executive branch and the legislature are "very, very positive." End Summary. ¶2. (U) Charge Urban, accompanied by E/Pol Chief and Poloff, met April 29 with Ambassador Angel Flisfisch, Director of the MFA's Planning Division, to get Flisfisch's readout on the Summit of the Americas, held in Trinidad and Tobago April 17-19. Flisfisch was accompanied by MFA North American Affairs Director Isauro Torres; Patricio Powell, the Chief of OAS/Hemispheric Affairs; and Patricio Rojas, the Chief of Staff for MFA Foreign Policy Director General Juan Pablo Lira. Flisfisch attended President Obama's meeting with UNASUR nations and Torres and Powell attended portions of the plenary sessions. Summit a Success -------------- ¶3. (C) Flisfisch summarized his assessment by saying that the Summit was a success, with the most critical achievements being the simple fact of gathering the hemisphere's leaders together; the positive atmosphere that pervaded the Summit; and the frankness with which leaders spoke. In the end, the failure to reach consensus over a summit declaration did not matter, he said, noting that biofuels was the main point of contention. In an apparent reference to hopes for dramatic changes in U.S. policy towards Cuba, Flisfisch noted that all the heads of state present had a sophisticated political understanding of U.S. domestic constraints, recognizing that the pending issues are "very complicated" and "it takes two to tango." However, there will be a vigorous push to get Cuba admitted to the OAS in time for the next general assembly, he warned. UNASUR Meeting with President Obama -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Flisfisch reported that, overall, the UNASUR meeting with President Obama had gone quite well, with fears about the behavior of some of the region's more polemic personalities unrealized. President Bachelet opened the session with a short speech describing UNASUR's structure, including the defense, health, and energy councils; and explaining that the organization, which represents a diverse group of governments and countries, seeks to respect each others' perspectives and find common ground. She signaled that reducing tension in Bolivia following the Pando killings was one of the group's key achievements during its first year. President Obama followed President Bachelet, with remarks echoing the themes of hope and moving forward that had been the hallmarks of his speech to the plenary session. His remarks were "exactly what everyone wanted to hear," Flisfisch commented. ¶5. (C) Flisfisch summarized key leaders' remarks as follows: --Bolivian President Evo Morales, the first UNASUR head of state to speak, talked about the alleged role of recently expelled DEA agents and Ambassador Goldberg in Bolivia. Morales was respectful and civilized -- but still frank -- in his delivery and other interactions during the session. Other than the DEA reference, he did not make many direct references to the U.S., but did say that each of Obama's statements about the region was helping to build better relations. --Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez alleged U.S. involvement in the 2002 attempted coup against him, and highlighted a history of failed U.S. policies towards Cuba. "History is history, you can't deny it," Chavez told the group. Chavez welcomed President Obama's positive and different approach, but warned against the actions of lower-level U.S. officials. --Colombian President Alvaro Uribe delivered what Flisfisch SANTIAGO 00000435 002 OF 003 described as a "very conventional" speech, emphasizing his concern about narcotrafficking and signaling his commitment to partnership with the U.S. --President Rafael Correa of Ecuador echoed many of Chavez's remarks, including the need to own up to difficult historical moments, but added that he was very happy that Obama had traveled to the region to meet with Latin American leaders. --Brazilian President Lula da Silva's short statement focused on his belief that a president can make a real difference in shaping his country's foreign policy ("It's not just Pepsi vs. Coke") and how the world perceives his country. It was "refreshing" to have Obama as the new U.S. president, and should open up new opportunities to build relationships. On the other hand, four years is not a very long time, and Obama will have to move quickly to have an impact. Flisfisch described Lula's presentation as similar to a professor before his pupils. --President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina synthesized others' remarks, agreeing that presidents can make a difference, such as President Carter did during Argentina's transition to democracy. ¶6. (C) Flisfisch also noted that nearly all the leaders mentioned Cuba in their speeches. He said that leaders' expectations of possible changes to U.S. policy towards Cuba had shifted substantially in the weeks leading up to the election. Heads of state had adopted a more pragmatic outlook, and recognized the domestic political resonance of Cuba policy in the U.S. The topic was discussed by Chavez-oriented leaders at the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) Summit held in advance of the Summit of the Americas. Obama's announced changes to Cuba policy were well-received at the Summit of the Americas, although the leaders had still hoped for more dramatic changes, including an end to the embargo and the inclusion of Cuba in the OAS. Getting Along Famously: Bachelet and Obama at Dinner, Bachelet with Codels -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Presidents Obama and Bachelet were seated next to each other at dinner, and the two had an extended and cordial conversation, Flishfisch reported. They talked at length about Chavez and expressed relief that he hadn't generated friction during the meetings. Obama praised Chile for its clear ability to "dialogue with the whole world" (in Flisfisch's words). Bachelet spoke of the vision that Chile and the U.S. share and her confidence in Obama's leadership. ¶8. (SBU) President Bachelet had very positive meetings with both Codel Engel and Codel Baucus, Flisfisch offered. Representative Engel expressed his admiration for Bachelet and said that he had told his congressional colleagues about Chile's unique partnership with California and its ambitious program to provide scholarships for overseas study. With Codel Baucus, the Chilean president discussed the success of the Summit, peacekeeping cooperation in Haiti, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Bachelet and Senator Baucus had "good chemistry," Flisfisch noted. ¶9. (C) Meanwhile, Secretary Clinton and Chilean Foreign Minister Fernandez spoke at length during the summit, establishing what Flisfisch described as "good personal relations" and discussing a potential Bachelet trip to the U.S. Bachelet is likely to seek meetings with members of Congress and the National Security Council during her proposed trip to Washington. Flisfisch also revealed that Bachelet's conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper focused on their positive assessments of President Obama. Flisfisch summarized the bilateral relationship post-Summit by saying that all of Chile's relations with the U.S. -- both with members of Congress and with the Executive Branch -- are "very, very positive." Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) Flisfisch was obviously pleased -- and relieved -- that the Summit had been so successful and that Chavez and other potential loose cannons had been on good behavior. Bachelet and many other leaders in the region strongly favor enhanced U.S. and multilateral relations with Cuba. Given this, it is noteworthy that Chile and other countries were so pleased with the Summit despite their perception that the recent changes in U.S. policy toward the island are limited in scope. Their satisfaction likely stems from their overall very positive assessment of President Obama, their understanding that Cuba is a highly complex political issue SANTIAGO 00000435 003 OF 003 in the U.S., and their knowledge that any major change in Cuba policy would need congressional approval. SIMONS