Unofficial Emissary Suggests Possibility for Improved

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000185 SIPDIS AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PASS TO AMEMBASSY GRENADA AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PASS TO AMCONSUL QUEBEC AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PASS TO AMCONSUL RECIFE AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL LEIPZIG AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/02/12 TAGS: PGOV PREL VE SUBJECT: Unofficial Emissary Suggests Possibility for Improved Bilateral Dialogue CLASSIFIED BY: Robin D. Meyer, Political Counselor, State, POL; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Rene Arreaza, who is closely tied to senior Chavista officials, told the Ambassador on February 3 that, despite President Chavez' hostile rhetoric, the GBRV was willing to have a dialogue with the United States. Arreaza noted two initiatives promoting dialogue, one bilateral and one regional, sponsored by the Carter Canter. Carter Center Director Hector Vanolli said the Andean Forum, which President Carter will inaugurate on February 23-24 in Atlanta, had the blessing of Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States Bernardo Alvarez but not yet of Foreign Minister Maduro. Arreaza and Chavez-allied National Assembly Deputy Jose Albornoz indicated that Foreign Minister Maduro might be replaced with Vice Minister Francisco Arias Cardenas. End Summary. Some Like Dialogue ¶2. (C) On February 3, Rene Arreaza, the former Director General of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, met with the Ambassador, a meeting Arreaza said he had been authorized to request by Jose Vicente Rangel, and through him Chavez. Arreaza urged the Ambassador to listen to the Venezuelan government (GBRV) message that was more "convenient," rather than only Chavez' hostile rhetoric (likening this approach to President Kennedy's decision to accept the first rather than the second message from Khruschev during the Cuban Missile Crisis). Arreaza suggested the Ambassador focus on the positive messages showing a willingness to cooperate, such as the GBRV's decision to deport drug traffickers to the United States. He offered to serve as a channel for the Ambassador to the GBRV. ¶3. (C) Arreaza noted two new initiatives to improve the bilateral and regional dialogue. The first, a U.S.-Venezuela Friendship Group, had been proposed by Ambassador Alvarez as a "non political, non-business" group composed of representatives from universities, cultural institutions, business, and think tanks. According to Arreaza, the ultimate purpose of this group is to facilitate government-to-government dialogue. ¶4. (C) Arreaza said the second initiative was the Carter Center's new Andean Forum, in which Arreaza will participate and which President Carter will inaugurate in Atlanta on February 23-24. Hector Vanolli, the Carter Center Director in Venezuela, told Polcouns on February 11 that the Andean Forum had the enthusiastic support of Ambassador Alvarez, who had even proposed potential Venezuelan participants. Alvarez reportedly met with Maduro on February 9 to seek his support for the Forum. According to Vanolli, Jose Vicente Rangel is the leading advocate for dialogue with the United States within Chavista circles; Chavez, according to Vanolli, does not believe he needs dialogue - with the United States or anyone else - in order to advance his "Bolivarian" project. The Carter Center's Search for Dialogue ¶5. (C) According to the Carter Center's Latin America Director Jennifer McCoy, who met with Polcouns in November, President Carter had raised with President Chavez and other Andean leaders the idea of an Andean Forum to establish unofficial channels of communication between and among the Andean countries and the United States. The proposal is based on the Carter Center's experience facilitating dialogue between Ecuador and Colombia through groups of opinion-makers in both countries. The proposal envisions the establishment of "core groups" of 5-6 opinion-makers who would meet over a 2-year period to discuss issues that affect regional relations as well as the relationship between the region and the United States. CARACAS 00000185 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) Vanolli said the presidents of the four other Andean governments (Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador) had all personally agreed to this proposed Forum. Foreign Minister Maduro, however, had refused to meet with McCoy during her November visit to Caracas. Nevertheless, President Carter decided to go ahead with the proposal. Because of the polarization in Venezuela, the Carter Center decided it would only consider Chavistas for membership in Venezuela's delegation since they believed the inclusion of "opposition" representatives would prevent Chavistas interested in dialogue from participating. The Embassy has consistently urged the Carter Center to include non-Chavistas in the Venezuelan delegation. ¶7. (C) Vanolli said Ambassador Alvarez' suggestions for possible participants had largely coincided with their own list and includes: a. Rene Arreaza, former Director General of the Foreign Ministry b. Maria Clan Stelling, Executive Director of CELARG (Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos Romulo Gallegos) and Director of Global Watch Media c. Eleazar Diaz Rangel, a prominent Chavista journalist and Director of "Ultimas Noticias," the highest-circulation newspaper, owned by the opposition Capriles family d. Ana Maria Sanjuan, director of the Peace Center at the Universidad Central de Venezuela e. Bishop Mario Moronta, a priest who apparently had opposed the 2002 coup ¶8. (C) Vanolli said the Carter Center was considering other Venezuelan participants, including possibly Alberto Vollmer, a member of the family that owns Santa Teresa Rum and runs rehabilitation and training programs for former gang members. Maduro Out? ¶9. (C) Both Arreaza and National Assembly Second Vice President Jose Albornoz said that Foreign Minister Maduro would likely be joining the "campaign" (for the September legislative elections) and that Francisco Arias Cardenas, currently the Vice Minister for Latin America, would become the Foreign Minister. Albornoz noted that Arias Cardenas and Maduro "clashed." Comment ¶10. (C) With the currently proposed Venezuelan participant list, the Embassy is concerned that the Carter Center's Andean Forum could burnish the reputation of the Chavista "project" and undermine the democratic opposition and regional partners, since the Peruvian and Colombian delegations will include both government supporters and critics while the Venezuelan delegation will be solely Chavista. Embassy believes that official U.S. participants in the February 23-24 event should encourage a more balanced Venezuelan delegation that better reflects the range of views within Venezuela. DUDDY