Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE103113
2009-10-02 20:43:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

U/S BURNS' SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 CONVERSATION WITH

Tags:  BR CU HO NU OVIP PE PINS PM PREL SNAR VE OAS 
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S E C R E T STATE 103113 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2029
TAGS: BR CU HO NU OVIP PE PINS PM PREL SNAR VE OAS
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 CONVERSATION WITH
PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSE ANTONIO GARCIA BELAUNDE

Classified By: WHA Assistant Secretary Thomas A. Shannon.
Reason 1.4 (d)

S E C R E T STATE 103113

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2029
TAGS: BR CU HO NU OVIP PE PINS PM PREL SNAR VE OAS
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 CONVERSATION WITH
PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSE ANTONIO GARCIA BELAUNDE

Classified By: WHA Assistant Secretary Thomas A. Shannon.
Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (U) September 25, 2009; 4:00 p.m.; New York City, NY, USA.


2. (U) Participants:

UNITED STATES
U/S Willian J. Burns
DAS Christopher J. McMullen
Sara Mangiaracina (WHA Notetaker)

PERU
FM Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde
Luis Valdivieso, Peruvian Ambassador to the United States
Luis Chavez, Peruvian Deputy PermRep to the UN


3. (S) SUMMARY. U/S Burns and Peruvian FM Garcia Belaunde
discussed the threat posed to Peru by a resurgent Shining
Path movement working with narcotraffickers, internal
political concerns, and the situation in Honduras. Regarding
Honduras, Garcia Belaunde called for further action from the
USG and the UN; he also cautioned that President Zelaya's
radical inner circle poses a problem in attempts to craft a
viable solution to the crisis. END SUMMARY.

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SHINING PATH AND NARCOTRAFFICKERS POSE SERIOUS THREAT
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Highlighting concerns of collaboration between
narcotraffickers and mercenary remnants of the Shining Path
(SP) Movement, Garcia Belaunde raised the need for more
equipment, training, and greater intelligence sharing.
Narcotraffickers are using SP mercenaries to bring chemical
precursors into Peru to produce cocaine, Garcia Belaunde
explained. He said Peru would be able to preempt a revival
of the SP threat within two or three years if increased
bilateral cooperation were to begin now. Otherwise, the SP
movement will increase to 500 core members from the current
150-200.


5. (C) Garcia Belaunde specifically requested helicopters
and night vision goggles, as well as increased intelligence
sharing and security training.

--------------
BAGUA VIOLENCE: "A TRAGEDY OF ERRORS"
--------------


6. (C) Touching upon the Bagua deaths in June, Garcia

Belaunde noted the incident was a tragedy, resulting from the
lack of adequate information about the seriousness of social
discontent in the indigenous community, which ultimately led
to the deaths of 34 individuals, 24 of whom were policemen.
He said Peruvian forces are better prepared now for any new
disturbances, and the dialogue with the indigenous community
seems to have defused some of the prior discontent. In this
regard, he said the GOP had received threats of further
uprisings for September but nothing had materialized,
suggesting that the ongoing dialogue between the GOP and the
indigenous community was having a salutary effect.

--------------
UPCOMING ELECTIONS
--------------


7. (U) Garcia Belaunde noted President Garcia leaves office
in two years but there is no clear front-runner to replace
him. He said the opposition, including indigenous leader
Ollanta Humalla, has not shown much strength in recent polls,
indicating that the ruling APRA party has a good chance of
retaining power in the 2011 elections.

--------------
HONDURAS: "A FRANK AND OPEN CONVERSATION"
--------------


8. (C) Commenting that while the USG has acted on principle
and custom by not mixing trade issues and politics, Garcia
Belaunde stated Micheletti has not felt the full pressure of
the U.S. dissatisfaction with the actions of the de facto
regime. He indicated more needs to be done, on the part of
the United States as well as the UN.


9. (S) Garcia Belaunde said the situation in Honduras has
grown more complicated since President Zelaya returned. He
stated that the Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
organized Zelaya's return, hoping to bypass the OAS/Arias
mediation effort and thus force an alternative resolution to
the crisis. Garcia Belaunde maintained that Zelaya's
original destination was the UN office; however, because that
building was being observed, he went to the Brazilian Embassy
instead, which Belaunde said was an astute move on Zelaya's
part. Garcia Belaunde commended the Brazilians for their
admirable performance under difficult circumstances.


10. (S) Garcia Belaunde also expressed concern over the
resolution of the crisis, stating that while Zelaya seems
willing to accept the San Jose Accords (SJA),neither his VP
nor his FM would likely do so. He said Zelaya's weak
personality is dominated by stronger forces around him, which
is why FM Rodas has called for the SJA to require not only
the return of Zelaya to office, but also the members of his
cabinet.


11. (S) Garcia Belaunde concluded by expressing Peruvian
support for the proposed OAS mission to Honduras. He
indicated the Panamanians need to be less vocal publicly in
their approach, adding that the OAS mission's success would
depend upon Micheletti's ability to act independently of
other sectors (e.g., the military, private sector, et al.),
which Garcia Belaunde thought might be problematic.
CLINTON