(C/NF) ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUEST: PARAGUAY'S

id: 208372 date: 5/22/2009 14:44 refid: 09STATE52767 origin: Secretary of State classification: CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN destination: 09ASUNCION222|09ASUNCION259 header: VZCZCXYZ0006 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #2767 1421457 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 221444Z MAY 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 0724 -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 052767 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL PA SUBJECT: (C/NF) ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUEST: PARAGUAY'S POLITICAL SITUATION AND NEW FOREIGN MINISTER (C-AL9-01126) REF: A. ASUNCION 000259 ¶B. ASUNCION 000222 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) SENIOR POLICYMAKERS ARE INTERESTED IN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN PARAGUAY IN LIGHT OF RECENT POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND CABINET CHANGES. WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE REPORTING TO DATE ON LUGO'S TRAVAILS AND THEIR IMPACT SO FAR ON PARAGUAY,S POLITICAL CLIMATE AND FOREIGN POLICY. ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE POST'S ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND TOPICS BELOW, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. IF POST'S ANSWERS ARE RECEIVED BY 6/05/2009, ANALYSTS WILL BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO FINISHED ANALYTIC PRODUCTS FOR SENIOR US POLICYMAKERS IN THE JUNE-JULY TIMEFRAME. MANY THANKS FOR POST'S CONTINUALLY EXCELLENT COVERAGE OF PARAGUAYAN POLITICS, AND BEST REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C) ANALYSTS APPRECIATED REF A, WHICH PROVIDED VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO FOREIGN MINISTER LACOGNATA. REPORTING ON THE NATURE OF LACOGNATA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH VENEZUELA AND ANY ACTIVITIES LACOGNATA HAS HELPED ORGANIZE IN PARAGUAY FOR VENEZUELA WOULD ALSO BE USEFUL. ¶B. (C) WHAT HAS LUGO SAID PRIVATELY TO US DIPLOMATS ABOUT HIS ATTENDANCE TO THE ALBA SUMMIT IN VENEZUELA JUST BEFORE THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS? HAS LUGO EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN JOINING ALBA, AND IF SO, WHAT IS HIS TIMELINE FOR PARTICIPATING? ¶C. (C) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF PARAGUAYAN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ADVISOR GUSTAVO CODAS' RELATIONSHIP WITH VENEZUELAN LEADERS? ¶D. (C) ANALYSTS APPRECIATE POST'S INSIGHT INTO THE DYNAMICS OF LUGO'S &ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE8 COALITION, SUCH AS IN REF B, AND WOULD APPRECIATE CONTINUED COVERAGE OF LUGO AND HIS ADVISORS' STRATEGY FOR PROMOTING COALITION UNITY. ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-01126 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON =======================CABLE ENDS============================