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AA AADP AALC ABDALLAH FETHI ABDULHADI ABDULRAHMEN ABER ABLD ABLDG ABLG ABMC ABT ABUD AC ACABQ ACAO ACBAQ ACCELERATED ACCOUNT ACDA ACEC ACKM ACOA ACOTA ACS ACTION ADANA ADB ADCO ADCP ADEL ADEP ADIP ADM ADMIRAL ADPM ADRC AE AEC AECL AEGR AEIR AEM AEMED AEMR AER AESC AF AFAF AL HOURANI AFARI AFDB AFDIN AFFAIRS AFGHAN AFGHANISTAN AFIN AFL AFLU AFOR AFR AFSA AFSI AFSN AFU AFZAL AG AGAO AGENCIES AGENDA AGENGA AGIT AGMT AGOA AGR AGRI AGRIC AGRICULTURE AGS AGUILAR AGUIRRE AHMED AI AIAG AID AIDAC AIDS AIEA AIHRC AIN AINF AINFCY AINR AINT AISG AIT AJ AK AL ALAB ALAMI ALANAZI ALBE ALEXANDER ALI ALIREZA ALJAZEERA ALL ALNEA ALOUNI ALOW ALOWAR ALVAREZ AM AMAT AMB AMBASSADOR AMCHAM AMCHAMS AMCT AME AMED AMEDI AMEMR AMER AMERICAS AMEX AMG AMGE AMGMT AMGT AMIA AMLB AMPR AMT AMTC AMTG AN ANARCHISTS ANC AND ANDREW LEE WATKINS ANET ANTITERRORISM ANTOINE GHONDA ANTONIO ANTXON AO AOCR AODE AOIC AOMS AOPR AORC AORD AOREC AORG AORL AOWC AP APCS APDC APEC APECO APER APR APRC APRM AQ AR ARAB ARABBL ARABL ARABLEAGUE ARAS ARC ARCH ARENA AREP ARF ARG ARM ARMITAGE ARMS ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS AROC ARR ARRMZY ARSO AS ASA ASAC ASC ASCC ASCE ASCEC ASCH ASE ASEAN ASEC ASECARP ASECE ASECM ASECSI ASECVE ASED ASEDC ASEG ASEK ASES ASEX ASFC ASIC ASIG ASIR ASJA ASO ASOC ASPA ASR ASSEMBLY ASSK ASSSEMBLY ASUP AT ATFN ATPDEA ATRA ATRD ATRN AU AU-1 AUC AUNR AUSGR AUSTRALIAGROUP AV AVERY AVIAN AVIANFLU AVIATION AW AX AY AZ AZE B. BA BAGHDAD BAIO BAKOYANNIS BALKANS BAPOL BARACK BASHAR BATA BAYS BB BBG BBSR BC BCW BCXP BD BE BEAN BELLVIEW BEN BERARDUCCI BESP BEXB BEXP BEXPC BEXPPLM BEXT BF BFIF BFIN BFIO BG BGD BGMT BH BHUM BI BIC BIDOON BIH BILAT BIMSTEC BINR BIO BIOS BIOTECH BIOTECHNOLOGY BIT BITO BK BL BLR BLUE BLUNT BM BMENA BMGT BMOT BN BNUC BO BOIKO BOL BOND BOQ BORDER BOSNIA BOU BOUCHAIB KAKA BOUTERSE BP BPIS BPTS BR BRIAN BRITNEY BRITNY BRPA BRUSSELS BS BSSR BT BTA BTC BTIO BTIU BTRA BTT BU BUD BULGARIA BURMA BURNS BUSH BUY AMERICA BV BW BWC BX BXEP BY BZ CA CAC CACM CACS CAFTA CAIO CAJC CAMBODIA CAN CAPC CARC CARE CARIB CARICOM CARSON CAS CASA CASC CASCC CASCR CASE CASTILLO CAVO CB CBC CBD CBE CBG CBIS CBM CBSA CBTH CBW CCSR CCY CD CDB CDC CDCC CDCE CDG CDI CE CEA CEC CEDAW CEN CENSUS CENTCOM CENTRIC CEUDA CF CFE CFED CFG CFIS CFSP CG CGEN CGOPRC CH CHAD CHALLENGE CHAO CHAVEZ CHELIDZE CHENEY CHERTOFF CHG CHIEF CHN CHR CHR-1 CHRISTIAN CHRISTOF CHRISTOPHER CI CIA CIAT CIC CICTE CIDA CIO CIP CIS CITEL CITES CITIBANK CITT CIVAIR CIVS CJ CJAN CJUS CK CKGR CKOR CL CLEARANCE CLINTON CLMT CLO CLOK CM CMAE CMFT CMGT CMP CMT CN CNAR CNARC CNC CNO CO CODEL COE COL COLIN COLLECTIVE COLOMBO COM COMESA COMMERCE CON CONAWAY CONDOLEEZZA CONDOLEEZZA RICE CONEAZ CONG CONGO CONGRINT CONS CONSULAR CONTROL CONTROLS CORRUPTION COSI COUNTER COUNTER TERRORISM COUNTERTERRORISM COUNTRY COUNTRYCLEARANCE CP CPA CPAS CPC CPCTC CPPT CPUOS CQ CR CRIM CRIME CRIMES CRISTINA CRM CROATIA CROS CRS CRUZ CS CSCE CSEP CSIS CSW CT CTBT CTER CTERR CTM CTR CTRYCLR CU CUCO CUIS CUL CUSTODIO CV CVIA CVIC CVIS CVISU CVPR CVR CW CWC CWCM CWG CX CY CYNTHIA CYP CYPRUSARMS CZ DA DAC DAFR DAN DANFUNG DANIEL DAO DARFR DARFUR DAVID DAVID LEE HOWES DAVID WELCH DAVID WILLIAM RAY DB DC DCDG DCG DCHA DCI DCM DCOM DCRM DE DEA DEAX DEFENSE DEFENSEREFORM DELTAVIOLENCE DEM DEMARCHE DEMARCHES DEMETRIOS DEMOCRATIC DENNIS DEOC DEPORTATION DEPT DEPT FOR DS COMMAND CENTER DESI DHA DHLAKAMA DHLS DHRF DHS DHSX DIEZ DIPLOMACY DISENGAGEMENT DJ DK DKEM DMIN DMINE DO DOC DOD DOE DOJ DOMC DOMESTIC DOMESTICPOLITICS DONALD RUMSFELD DOT DPAO DPKO DPM DPOL DPRK DR DRC DRIP DRL DS DSR DSS DTFN DTRA DTRO DU DUNCAN CAMERON DVC DY EAC EAD EADI EADM EAG EAGER EAGR EAI EAIC EAID EAIDB EAIDCIN EAIDEGZ EAIDMG EAIDNI EAIF EAIG EAIO EAIR EAIS EAIT EAOD EAP EAPC EAR EARI EASS EATO EAUD EAVI EB EBEXP EBRD EBUD EC ECA ECCP ECCT ECE ECHEVARRIA ECIN ECIP ECLAC ECN ECOIN ECOM ECON ECONCS ECONEGE ECONOMIC ECONOMICS ECONOMY ECONOMY AND FINANCE ECOR ECOS ECOSOC ECOWAS ECPC ECPN ECPO ECPS ECPSN ECRM ECTRD ECUN ED EDA EDEV EDRC EDU EDUARDO EDUC EE EEB EEC EENG EENV EEOC EET EETC EFI EFIC EFIM EFIN EFIS EFLU EFN EFND EFNI EFQ EFTA EG EGAD EGAR EGEN EGHG EGOV EGOVSY EH EI EIAD EIAID EIAR EIB EICN EID EIDE EIDN EIFN EIN EIND EINDIR EINF EING EINN EINO EINR EINT EINV EINZ EIPR EIQ EISL EISNLN EITC EITI EIVN EK EL ELA ELAB ELAD ELAINE ELAM ELAN ELAP ELB ELBA ELBR ELEC ELECTIONS ELF ELIN ELN ELND ELNT ELTD ELTM ELTN ELTRN EMAIL EMED EMI EMIN EMN EMS EMW EN END ENDURING ENEG ENER ENERG ENERGY ENFR ENG ENGR ENGRD ENGRG ENGY ENIV ENLT ENNP ENR ENRC ENRG ENRL ENTG ENV ENVI ENVIRONMENT ENVR ENVT EON EOXC EP EPA EPAT EPCS EPE EPEC EPECO EPET EPIN EPIT EPPD EPRT EPSC EPTE EPTED EPWR EQ EQRD ER ERA ERD EREL ERGR ERICKSON ERIN ERTD ES ESA ESCAP ESCI ESDP ESENV ESF ESLCO ESOC ESOCI ESPS ESS ESSO ESTH ESTN ESTRADA ET ETA ETAD ETC ETCC ETD ETDR ETEL ETER ETEX ETFN ETIC ETIO ETLN ETMIN ETR ETRA ETRAD ETRB ETRC ETRD ETRDECD ETRG ETRK ETRN ETRO ETRP ETT ETTC ETTD ETTF ETTN ETTR ETTRD ETTW ETZ EU EUC EUCOM EUE EUEAID EUFOR EUM EUMEM EUN EUR EUREM EURM EURN EV EVENTS EVN EWRG EWT EWTR EWWT EX EXBS EXEC EXIM EXO EXPORT EXTERNAL EZ FA FAA FAC FAGR FAO FARC FARM FAS FATAH FBI FCC FCS FCSC FCSCEG FCUL FDA FDIC FEDULOV FEMA FERNANDO FGM FI FIGUEROA FIN FINANCE FINE FINR FINREF FINV FIR FISO FJ FK FKFLO FKLU FLU FM FMC FMGT FMLN FMS FO FOI FOOKS FOR FORCE FORCES FOREIGN FORWHA FP FPC FR FRA FRANCIS FRANCISCO RODENAS RUIZ FRANCISCO VILLA URBALEJO FRAZER FRB FREDOM FREEDOM FRELIMO FRIED FRN FRU FSC FSI FT FTA FTAA FWS GA GAERC GAMES GANGS GAO GARCIA GASPAR GATES GATT GAZA GAZPROM GB GBSLE GC GCC GCCC GE GEF GEORGE GERARD GESKE GF GG GH GI GIPNC GIWI GJ GKGIC GL GLOBAL GM GN GO GOG GOI GOMEZ GON GOVPOI GPGOV GPI GPOI GPOV GR GREGG RENE WALTER GRQ GS GT GTIP GTMO GTREFTEL GU GUAM GUANTANAMO GUIDANCE GUILLERMO GUTIERREZ GV GWI GY GZ GZIS HA HAMID KARZAI HARRIET HARRY HAWZ HCOPIL HDP HE HEAVEN HEBRON HECTOR HELGERSON HERCEGOVINA HG HHS HI HIGHLIGHTS HIJAZI HILARY HILLARY HILLEN HIPC HIV HIZ HK HKSX HL HLSX HN HNCHR HO HOA HOSTAGES HPKO HR HRC HRCS HRICTY HRIGHTS HRKSTC HSI HSTC HSWG HT HTCG HTSC HU HUD HUM HUMAN HUMANITARIAN HUMANR HUMANRIGHTS HUMOR HUMRIT HUNRC HURI HURRICANE HYDE HYLAND HYMPSK HZ IA IACHR IACI IACO IACW IADB IAEA IAES IAHRC IAIE IAII IASA IATTC IAZ IBB IBD IBET IBPCA IBRB IBRD IC ICAC ICAO ICC ICCAT ICCROM ICES ICJ ICRC ICRS ICSCA ICTR ICTY ID IDA IDB IDLI IDLO IDP IDR IE IEA IEAB IEF IF IFAD IFC IFIN IFM IFO IFR IFRC IG IGAD IGF IHO IICA IINS IIP IK IL ILAB ILC ILEA ILO IMC IMET IMF IMMIGRATION IMO IMSO IMTS IN INAUGURATION INCB IND INDO INF INFLUENZA INL INMARSAT INNP INPFC INR INRA INRB INRD INRO INRPAZ INS INSC INT INTEL INTELLECTUAL INTELSAT INTERNAL INTERPOL INV INVI IO IOC IOM IP IPET IPGRI IPK IPPC IPR IPROP IQ IQNV IR IRAN IRAQ IRAQI IRAQI FREEDOM IRC IRCE IRDB IRE IRL IRLE IRM IRMO IRNB IRPE IRQEGION IRS IS ISA ISAAC ISAF ISCA ISCON ISLAMISTS ISLE ISN ISNV ISO ISPA ISPL ISRAEL ISRAEL RELATIONS ISRAELI ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS ISSUES ISTC IT ITA ITALIAN ITALY ITECIP ITEIND ITELTN ITER ITF ITIA ITRA ITRD ITU IUCN IV IVIANNA IWC IWI IX IZ IZAORC JA JABER JAM JAMES JAPAN JAT JAWAD JCIC JE JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA JEFFERY JEFFREY JENDAYI JHR JI JIMENEZ JIMENEZ CHILDREN JK JKUS JM JN JO JOHANNS JOHN JOHN BOEHNER JOHNNIE JONATHAN CHAMAN JOSE ANGEL ALZUGUREN PERURENA JOSE NEY MILA ESPINOSA JOSE RAMOS HORTA JOSEPH BIDEN JP JS JSRP JUAN JULIAN RENE KIRCHOFF JUS JY KA KACP KACT KACW KADM KAID KALM KALR KANSOU KAPO KARIM WADE KATRINA KAUST KAWC KAWK KAWL KAWS KAWX KAYLA KBCT KBDS KBEM KBIO KBNC KBTC KBTR KBTS KBWG KCCP KCEM KCERS KCFC KCFE KCGC KCHG KCIP KCIS KCM KCMA KCMR KCOG KCOM KCOR KCPS KCRCM KCRI KCRIM KCRM KCRN KCRO KCROM KCROR KCRP KCRS KCRT KCSA KCSI KCSY KCUL KCUM KCVM KCWI KDCM KDDEM KDDG KDE KDEM KDEN KDET KDEV KDGOV KDGR KDHS KDM KDMR KDP KDRG KDRL KDTB KDUM KE KEAI KEANE KEBG KECF KEDEM KEDM KEDU KEIM KEM KEMPI KEMR KEMS KEN KENV KERF KERG KESO KESP KESS KEVIN KFAM KFCE KFE KFEM KFGM KFIN KFIU KFLD KFLO KFLU KFOR KFPC KFRD KFRP KFSC KFTFN KFTN KG KGCC KGCN KGHA KGHG KGIC KGICKS KGIT KGIV KGKG KGLB KGOR KGOV KH KHDP KHGH KHIB KHIV KHJUS KHLS KHMN KHOURY KHPD KHSA KHSL KHUM KI KIBL KICA KICC KICCPUR KICR KICT KID KIDE KIF KIFR KIIC KIIP KIL KILS KIMMITT KIMT KIND KINF KINL KINP KINR KINT KIPR KIPT KIRC KIRD KIRF KIRL KIRP KIS KISC KISK KISL KISM KISR KITA KIVP KIVR KJAN KJRE KJU KJUS KJUST KJWC KK KKIV KKNP KKOR KKPO KLAB KLAP KLBO KLEG KLFLO KLFU KLHS KLIG KLIP KLPM KLSO KLTN KM KMAC KMAR KMCA KMCC KMCR KMDR KMEPI KMFO KMGT KMIG KMNP KMOC KMPF KMPI KMPIO KMPL KMPP KMPT KMRD KMRS KMSG KMVP KMWN KN KNAO KNAP KNAR KNDP KNEI KNEP KNET KNMP KNN KNNA KNNB KNNC KNNF KNNO KNNP KNNR KNOP KNP KNPP KNPPIS KNPR KNPT KNRG KNRV KNSD KNUC KNUP KO KOC KOCI KOCM KOEM KOGL KOLY KOM KOMC KOMCCO KOMCSG KOMH KOMO KOMS KOR KOSOVO KOUYATE KPA KPAD KPAI KPAK KPAL KPALAOIS KPAM KPAO KPAS KPBT KPDD KPEM KPEO KPER KPET KPIN KPIR KPKO KPKP KPLS KPMI KPMO KPO KPOA KPOKO KPOL KPOP KPOV KPOW KPPAO KPPD KPRD KPRM KPRO KPROG KPRP KPRV KPSC KPTD KPTS KPWG KPWR KQ KQM KQRDQ KR KRAD KRAL KRCIM KRCM KRCS KRD KRDP KREC KREF KREISLER KREL KRF KRFD KRFR KRG KRGY KRIC KRIF KRIM KRKO KRM KRMS KRV KRVC KS KSA KSAC KSAF KSCA KSCI KSCS KSCT KSEAO KSEC KSEI KSEO KSEP KSI KSIA KSKN KSLG KSMT KSOC KSOCI KSPA KSPR KSRE KSTC KSTCC KSTCPL KSTH KSTS KSTT KSUM KSUP KT KTAO KTBD KTBT KTCRE KTDB KTDD KTDM KTER KTEX KTFIN KTFM KTFN KTFR KTFS KTIA KTIP KTLA KTNBT KTNF KTPN KTRD KTRF KTSC KTSD KTTB KTTC KTTP KU KUAE KUIR KUM KUNA KUNC KUNH KUNP KUNR KUS KUWAIT KV KVBL KVIP KVIR KVIS KVPR KVRC KVRP KW KWAC KWAK KWAWC KWBC KWBG KWBW KWCI KWCR KWGB KWHG KWIC KWIM KWIR KWKN KWM KWMJN KWMM KWMN KWN KWNM KWNN KWOMN KWPA KWPB KWPG KWPR KWRC KWRF KWRG KWUN KWWT KWWW KX KY KZ LA LAB LABOR LANSANA LANTERN LARREA LARS LAS LAURA LAVIN LAW LB LBAR LBY LE LEAGUE LEB LEBIK LEGAT LEGATT LEIS LEON LEVINE LEW LG LGAT LH LI LIB LICC LIMA LINE LK LMS LN LO LOG LOPEZ LORAN LOTT LOVE LR LS LT LTG LTTE LU LV LVPR LY LZ MA MAAR MACEDONIA MACP MANUEL MANUEL SERGIO GONZALEZ MAP MAPP MAPS MAR MARAD MARANTIS MARIA MARIE MARINO MARITIME MARK MARQUEZ MARR MARS MARTIN MARV MAS MASC MASS MATT MAYA MB MBM MC MCA MCAP MCAPARR MCAPN MCAPP MCAPS MCAT MCC MCCAIN MCCONNELL MCCP MCGRAW MCRM MCTRE MD MDA MDC MDO ME MEA MED MEDIA MEETINGS MENDIETA MEP MEPI MEPN MEPP MERCOSUR MESUR MEX MF MFA MFO MG MGL MGMT MGOV MGT MGTA MH MHUC MI MIAH MIC MICHAEL MICHEL MIGUEL FELIPE CANAHUATI YACAMAN MIGUEL VARGAS MALDONADO MIK MIKE MIL MILI MILITANTS MILITARY MILLENNIUM MINURSO MINUSTAH MITCHELL MJ MK ML MLS MMAR MMED MN MNLF MNNC MNNUC MNU MNUC MNUCH MNUCWA MNUM MNUN MNUR MNUS MNVC MO MOHAMAD MOHAMED HESHAM ELDIN YOUSSEF MOHAMMAD MOLINA MONTENEGRO MONUC MONY MOOPS MOP MOPP MOPPS MOPS MORALES MORG MOROCCO MORS MOS MOTO MOTT MP MPOL MPOS MPP MPS MQADHAFI MR MRCRE MRRR MRS MRSEC MS MSG MSIG MT MTAA MTAG MTCAE MTCR MTCRA MTCRE MTRCE MTRE MTRRE MTS MU MUC MUCN MUKASEY MULLEN MUNC MURAD MURRAY MV MW MX MY MZ NA NAC NACB NADIA NAFTA NAM NAMSA NANCY NAR NARC NARCOTICS NARR NAS NASA NAT NATEU NATGAS NATIONAL NATO NATOAFGHAN NATOBALKANS NATOIRAQ NATOOPS NATOPOLICY NATSIOS NAVO NB NBTS NBU NC NCCC NCD NCT NCTC NDI NDP NE NEA NEC NEGROPONTE NEI NELSON NEPAD NERG NET NEW NFATC NFMS NFSO NG NGO NGUYEN NH NI NICHOLAS NICOLE NIH NIPP NK NKWG NL NLD NLIAEA NLO NMFS NMNUC NMUC NNPT NO NOAA NOI NOK NON NONE NORAD NOTAG NOVO NP NPA NPG NPT NR NRC NRG NRR NRRC NS NSC NSF NSFO NSG NSSP NT NTDB NTSB NTTC NU NUC NUIN NV NW NZ NZUS OA OAO OARC OAS OASC OASCC OASS OAU OBAMA OBS OBSP OCBD OCEA OCED OCHA OCII OCRA OCS OCSE ODAG ODC ODIP ODPC OECD OECS OECV OES OESC OEXC OEXP OF OFDA OFDC OFDP OFDPQIS OFFICIALS OFPD OFSO OGAC OGIV OHCHR OHI OHIP OI OIC OICCO OIE OIF OIG OIIP OIL OIM OLY OLYAIR OLYMPICS OM OMAR OMB OMIG OMS ON ONA OPAD OPBAT OPC OPCD OPCR OPCW OPDAT OPDC OPDP OPEC OPET OPIC OPID OPOC OPPC OPRC OPREC OPREP OPS OPSC OPVIP ORA ORC ORCA ORECD ORED OREG OREP ORGANIZED ORP ORTA ORUE OSAC OSCE OSCI OSD OSEC OSHA OSIC OSTA OSTRA OTA OTAR OTHER OTHERSASNEEDED OTP OTR OTRA OTRABL OTRAO OTRAZ OTRC OTRD OUALI OVIP OVP OXEC OXEM OZ PA PAARM PAC PACE PAGE PAGR PAHO PAIGH PAK PAL PALESTINIAN PAMQ PAN PANAM PAO PAR PARALYMPIC PARCA PAREL PARK PARLIAMENT PARM PARMS PARN PARP PARR PARTIES PARTM PARTY PAS PASS PATRICK WARREN MAHURIN PATTY PAUL PAUM PB PBGT PBIO PBK PBOV PBPTS PBS PBST PBT PBTS PCI PCON PCOR PCRM PCUL PD PDA PDD PDEM PDIP PDOV PDRG PE PEACE PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEDRO PEL PELOSI PEMEX PENA PENV PEPFAR PEPR PER PEREZ PERL PERM PERSONS PET PETER PETERS PETR PETRAEUS PETROL PF PFIN PFLP PFOR PFOV PG PGGOC PGIC PGIV PGKV PGO PGOC PGOF PGOG PGON PGOR PGOT PGOV PGOVE PGOVQL PGPV PGREL PGREV PGV PH PHALANAGE PHARM PHAS PHEM PHIM PHM PHSA PHU PHUH PHUM PHUMHUPPS PHUN PHUS PHYTRP PI PIA PICES PIF PIN PINB PIND PINER PINF PING PINL PINO PINOCHET PINR PINS PINT PINV PIR PIRF PIRN PJUS PK PKAO PKBL PKFK PKISL PKK PKMN PKNP PKO PKPA PKPAL PKPO PKPRP PKST PL PLAB PLAN PLEC PLN PLO PLUM PM PMAR PMAT PMDL PMIG PMIL PMIN PMR PMUC PN PNAT PNET PNG PNIR PNNL PNR PNRG PNS PNUC PNUK PNUM PO PODC POG POGV POINS POL POLG POLI POLICY POLINT POLITICAL POLITICS POLM POLMIL POLS POLUN POREL PORG POSTS POTUS POUS POV POWELL PP PPA PPAO PPD PPEF PPEL PPKO PPOL PQL PQM PRC PRE PREC PRED PREF PREG PREJ PREK PREL PRELEVU PRELM PRELPLS PRELTBIOBA PREM PREO PREP PRER PRES PRESIDENT PRESL PREV PREZ PRF PRFE PRFL PRGO PRGOV PRIL PRIVATIZATION PRL PRLE PRM PRO PROB PROCESS PROG PROL PROLIFERATION PROP PROPERTY PROTECTION PROTESTS PROV PROVE PRT PRTER PRWL PS PSA PSCE PSEC PSEPC PSHA PSI PSNR PSO PSOC PSOCI PSOE PT PTBS PTE PTEL PTEP PTER PTGOV PTIA PTR PTRD PU PUAS PUBLIC PUNE PUNR PUOS PV PVIP PVOV PVPR PVTS PWBG PWMN PY QA QADRI QEL QI QIZ QM QT QU QUAN QUOC RA RAED RAFAEL RAID RAMON RAMONTEIJELO RAS RATIFICATION RAY GUEVARA MILTON RBI RCA RCMP RE REA REACTION REALTIONS RECIN REF REFORM REFPAN REFUGEE REFUGEES REGION REGIONAL REID REIN REINEMEYER REL RELAM RELATIONS RELFREE RELIGIOUS REMON RENAMO RENE PREVAL REO REPORT REUBEN RF RFE RFIN RFREEDOM RGOV RGY RHUM RI RICE RICHARD RIGHTS RIGHTSPOLMIL RIMC RIVERA RL RLA RM RMA RO ROBERT ROBERT JOSEPH RODHAM RODRIGUEZ ROK ROME ROOD ROSS ROW ROY RP RPEL RPTS RQ RR RRB RREL RS RSO RSOX RSP RSZ RTT RU RUEHZO RV RW RWANDA SA SAAD SAARC SABAH SACU SADC SAFE SAIR SAIS SALOPEK SAMA SAN SANC SANR SAO SARB SARGSIAN SARS SASC SASEC SASIAIN SB SBA SC SCA SCCC SCE SCENESETTER SCHUL SCI SCIENCE SCNV SCOI SCOL SCOM SCPR SCRM SCRS SCRSERD SCUL SCVL SD SE SEC SECDEF SECI SECRET SECRETARY SECSTATE SECTOR SECURITY SEMAAN GABY EID SEN SENC SENG SENS SENU SENV SENVQGR SENVSPL SENVSXE SEP SERBIA SERZH SETTLEMENTS SEVN SEXP SF SFNV SG SGNV SGWI SH SHANNON SHI SHUM SI SILVASANDE SIMS SIPDI SIPDIS SIPR SIPRNET SIPRS SIUK SK SKCA SKEP SKI SKSAF SL SLM SLOVAK SM SMAR SMI SMIG SMIL SMIT SMITH SMRT SN SNA SNAP SNAR SNUC SO SOC SOCI SOCIA SOCIETY SOCIO SOCIS SOCISZX SOCR SOCY SOE SOFA SOI SOIC SOLI SOLIC SOM SOMALIA SOPN SORT SOSI SOVIET SOWGC SP SPAS SPC SPCE SPCVIS SPECI SPECIALIST SPILL SPP SPSTATE SR SREF SRIT SRS SRYI SSA SSH ST STAG START STATE STC STEINBERG STEPHEN HADLEY STET STP STR STUDENT SU SUCCESSION SUFFRAGE SULLIVAN SUMMIT SUR SUSAN SV SW SWHO SWMN SX SXG SY SYAI SYMBOL SYR SYRIA SYSI SYTH SZ TA TAGS TALAL TAUSCHER TAX TB TBI TBID TBIO TBIOZK TBKIO TBO TC TCOR TCSENV TD TDA TE TECH TECHNOLOGY TER TERAA TERFIN TERR TERROR TERRORISM TF TFIN TG TGRY TH THANH THE THERESE THIRDTERM THKSJA THOMAS THOMAS THOMMA THPY TI TIA TIBO TIFA TINT TIO TIP TITI TIUZ TJ TK TL TM TN TNDG TNGD TO TOPEC TORRIJOS TOURISM TP TPHY TPKO TPP TPSA TPSL TR TRAD TRADE TRAFFICKING TRBIO TRBY TRD TREAS TREASURY TREATY TREL TRG TRGV TRGY TRIO TRSY TRT TRV TRY TRYG TRYS TS TSA TSLP TSPA TSPL TSRL TSRY TSY TT TTFN TU TURKEY TV TVBIO TW TWRO TX TY TZ TZBY UA UAE UAID UAM UB UDEM UE UEU UG UGA UK UKR UKRAINE UM UMIK UN UNA UNAF UNAIDS UNAMA UNAMSIL UNAORC UNAUS UNBRO UNC UNCC UNCDF UNCDN UNCHC UNCHR UNCHS UNCITRAL UNCND UNCOPUOS UNCRED UNCRIME UNCSD UNCSW UNCTAD UNDC UNDEF UNDOF UNDP UNECE UNEF UNEP UNESCO UNFA UNFC UNFCYP UNFF UNFICYP UNFIYCP UNFPA UNGA UNGAPL UNGO UNHCR UNHRC UNICEF UNIDCP UNIDO UNIDROIT UNIFEM UNIFIL UNION UNKIK UNM UNMEE UNMIC UNMIK UNMIKI UNMIKV UNMIL UNMIN UNMOVIC UNO UNODC UNOMIG UNOPS UNP UNPAR UNPUOS UNRCCA UNRCR UNREST UNRWA UNSC UNSCAPU UNSCD UNSCE UNSCER UNSCR UNSCS UNSD UNSE UNTAC UNTERR UNTZ UNUS UNVIE UNYI UP UPU UPUO UR US USAID USAU USCC USCG USDA USDELFESTTWO USEU USG USGS USMS USNC USOAS USOP USPS USPTO USSC USTA USTDA USTR USTRD USTRIT USTRPS USTRUWR USUN UUNR UV UX UY UZ VA VANESSA VANG VAT VC VE VELS VEN VENZ VETTING VI VINICIO VIP VIS VISAS VISIT VM VN VO VOA VT VTEG VTFR VTIS VTPREL VTTBIO VTWCAR VXY VY VZ WA WAEMU WAKI WAR WARD WB WBEG WBG WCAR WCI WCL WCO WE WEBG WEBZ WEET WEF WEOG WET WEU WFA WFP WFPAORC WFPO WGC WGG WHA WHITMER WHO WHTI WI WILCOX WILLIAM WIPO WIR WITH WJRO WM WMD WMDT WMN WMO WOMEN WPO WRTO WS WSIS WTO WTRD WTRO WTRQ WW WWARD WWBG WWT WZ XA XAAF XB XC XD XE XF XFNEA XG XH XI XJ XK XL XLUM XM XO XP XQ XR XS XT XTAG XU XV XW XX XXX XY XZ YE YEH YI YL YM YMCS YS YU YURIY ZA ZANU ZB ZC ZCTU ZEALAND ZF ZFR ZH ZI ZIM ZJ ZK ZKGM ZL ZM ZN ZO ZOELLICK ZP ZR ZS ZT ZU ZW ZXA
AA AADP AALC ABDALLAH FETHI ABDULHADI ABDULRAHMEN ABER ABLD ABLDG ABLG ABMC ABT ABUD AC ACABQ ACAO ACBAQ ACCELERATED ACCOUNT ACDA ACEC ACKM ACOA ACOTA ACS ACTION ADANA ADB ADCO ADCP ADEL ADEP ADIP ADM ADMIRAL ADPM ADRC AE AEC AECL AEGR AEIR AEM AEMED AEMR AER AESC AF AFAF AL HOURANI AFARI AFDB AFDIN AFFAIRS AFGHAN AFGHANISTAN AFIN AFL AFLU AFOR AFR AFSA AFSI AFSN AFU AFZAL AG AGAO AGENCIES AGENDA AGENGA AGIT AGMT AGOA AGR AGRI AGRIC AGRICULTURE AGS AGUILAR AGUIRRE AHMED AI AIAG AID AIDAC AIDS AIEA AIHRC AIN AINF AINFCY AINR AINT AISG AIT AJ AK AL ALAB ALAMI ALANAZI ALBE ALEXANDER ALI ALIREZA ALJAZEERA ALL ALNEA ALOUNI ALOW ALOWAR ALVAREZ AM AMAT AMB AMBASSADOR AMCHAM AMCHAMS AMCT AME AMED AMEDI AMEMR AMER AMERICAS AMEX AMG AMGE AMGMT AMGT AMIA AMLB AMPR AMT AMTC AMTG AN ANARCHISTS ANC AND ANDREW LEE WATKINS ANET ANTITERRORISM ANTOINE GHONDA ANTONIO ANTXON AO AOCR AODE AOIC AOMS AOPR AORC AORD AOREC AORG AORL AOWC AP APCS APDC APEC APECO APER APR APRC APRM AQ AR ARAB ARABBL ARABL ARABLEAGUE ARAS ARC ARCH ARENA AREP ARF ARG ARM ARMITAGE ARMS ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS AROC ARR ARRMZY ARSO AS ASA ASAC ASC ASCC ASCE ASCEC ASCH ASE ASEAN ASEC ASECARP ASECE ASECM ASECSI ASECVE ASED ASEDC ASEG ASEK ASES ASEX ASFC ASIC ASIG ASIR ASJA ASO ASOC ASPA ASR ASSEMBLY ASSK ASSSEMBLY ASUP AT ATFN ATPDEA ATRA ATRD ATRN AU AU-1 AUC AUNR AUSGR AUSTRALIAGROUP AV AVERY AVIAN AVIANFLU AVIATION AW AX AY AZ AZE B. BA BAGHDAD BAIO BAKOYANNIS BALKANS BAPOL BARACK BASHAR BATA BAYS BB BBG BBSR BC BCW BCXP BD BE BEAN BELLVIEW BEN BERARDUCCI BESP BEXB BEXP BEXPC BEXPPLM BEXT BF BFIF BFIN BFIO BG BGD BGMT BH BHUM BI BIC BIDOON BIH BILAT BIMSTEC BINR BIO BIOS BIOTECH BIOTECHNOLOGY BIT BITO BK BL BLR BLUE BLUNT BM BMENA BMGT BMOT BN BNUC BO BOIKO BOL BOND BOQ BORDER BOSNIA BOU BOUCHAIB KAKA BOUTERSE BP BPIS BPTS BR BRIAN BRITNEY BRITNY BRPA BRUSSELS BS BSSR BT BTA BTC BTIO BTIU BTRA BTT BU BUD BULGARIA BURMA BURNS BUSH BUY AMERICA BV BW BWC BX BXEP BY BZ CA CAC CACM CACS CAFTA CAIO CAJC CAMBODIA CAN CAPC CARC CARE CARIB CARICOM CARSON CAS CASA CASC CASCC CASCR CASE CASTILLO CAVO CB CBC CBD CBE CBG CBIS CBM CBSA CBTH CBW CCSR CCY CD CDB CDC CDCC CDCE CDG CDI CE CEA CEC CEDAW CEN CENSUS CENTCOM CENTRIC CEUDA CF CFE CFED CFG CFIS CFSP CG CGEN CGOPRC CH CHAD CHALLENGE CHAO CHAVEZ CHELIDZE CHENEY CHERTOFF CHG CHIEF CHN CHR CHR-1 CHRISTIAN CHRISTOF CHRISTOPHER CI CIA CIAT CIC CICTE CIDA CIO CIP CIS CITEL CITES CITIBANK CITT CIVAIR CIVS CJ CJAN CJUS CK CKGR CKOR CL CLEARANCE CLINTON CLMT CLO CLOK CM CMAE CMFT CMGT CMP CMT CN CNAR CNARC CNC CNO CO CODEL COE COL COLIN COLLECTIVE COLOMBO COM COMESA COMMERCE CON CONAWAY CONDOLEEZZA CONDOLEEZZA RICE CONEAZ CONG CONGO CONGRINT CONS CONSULAR CONTROL CONTROLS CORRUPTION COSI COUNTER COUNTER TERRORISM COUNTERTERRORISM COUNTRY COUNTRYCLEARANCE CP CPA CPAS CPC CPCTC CPPT CPUOS CQ CR CRIM CRIME CRIMES CRISTINA CRM CROATIA CROS CRS CRUZ CS CSCE CSEP CSIS CSW CT CTBT CTER CTERR CTM CTR CTRYCLR CU CUCO CUIS CUL CUSTODIO CV CVIA CVIC CVIS CVISU CVPR CVR CW CWC CWCM CWG CX CY CYNTHIA CYP CYPRUSARMS CZ DA DAC DAFR DAN DANFUNG DANIEL DAO DARFR DARFUR DAVID DAVID LEE HOWES DAVID WELCH DAVID WILLIAM RAY DB DC DCDG DCG DCHA DCI DCM DCOM DCRM DE DEA DEAX DEFENSE DEFENSEREFORM DELTAVIOLENCE DEM DEMARCHE DEMARCHES DEMETRIOS DEMOCRATIC DENNIS DEOC DEPORTATION DEPT DEPT FOR DS COMMAND CENTER DESI DHA DHLAKAMA DHLS DHRF DHS DHSX DIEZ DIPLOMACY DISENGAGEMENT DJ DK DKEM DMIN DMINE DO DOC DOD DOE DOJ DOMC DOMESTIC DOMESTICPOLITICS DONALD RUMSFELD DOT DPAO DPKO DPM DPOL DPRK DR DRC DRIP DRL DS DSR DSS DTFN DTRA DTRO DU DUNCAN CAMERON DVC DY EAC EAD EADI EADM EAG EAGER EAGR EAI EAIC EAID EAIDB EAIDCIN EAIDEGZ EAIDMG EAIDNI EAIF EAIG EAIO EAIR EAIS EAIT EAOD EAP EAPC EAR EARI EASS EATO EAUD EAVI EB EBEXP EBRD EBUD EC ECA ECCP ECCT ECE ECHEVARRIA ECIN ECIP ECLAC ECN ECOIN ECOM ECON ECONCS ECONEGE ECONOMIC ECONOMICS ECONOMY ECONOMY AND FINANCE ECOR ECOS ECOSOC ECOWAS ECPC ECPN ECPO ECPS ECPSN ECRM ECTRD ECUN ED EDA EDEV EDRC EDU EDUARDO EDUC EE EEB EEC EENG EENV EEOC EET EETC EFI EFIC EFIM EFIN EFIS EFLU EFN EFND EFNI EFQ EFTA EG EGAD EGAR EGEN EGHG EGOV EGOVSY EH EI EIAD EIAID EIAR EIB EICN EID EIDE EIDN EIFN EIN EIND EINDIR EINF EING EINN EINO EINR EINT EINV EINZ EIPR EIQ EISL EISNLN EITC EITI EIVN EK EL ELA ELAB ELAD ELAINE ELAM ELAN ELAP ELB ELBA ELBR ELEC ELECTIONS ELF ELIN ELN ELND ELNT ELTD ELTM ELTN ELTRN EMAIL EMED EMI EMIN EMN EMS EMW EN END ENDURING ENEG ENER ENERG ENERGY ENFR ENG ENGR ENGRD ENGRG ENGY ENIV ENLT ENNP ENR ENRC ENRG ENRL ENTG ENV ENVI ENVIRONMENT ENVR ENVT EON EOXC EP EPA EPAT EPCS EPE EPEC EPECO EPET EPIN EPIT EPPD EPRT EPSC EPTE EPTED EPWR EQ EQRD ER ERA ERD EREL ERGR ERICKSON ERIN ERTD ES ESA ESCAP ESCI ESDP ESENV ESF ESLCO ESOC ESOCI ESPS ESS ESSO ESTH ESTN ESTRADA ET ETA ETAD ETC ETCC ETD ETDR ETEL ETER ETEX ETFN ETIC ETIO ETLN ETMIN ETR ETRA ETRAD ETRB ETRC ETRD ETRDECD ETRG ETRK ETRN ETRO ETRP ETT ETTC ETTD ETTF ETTN ETTR ETTRD ETTW ETZ EU EUC EUCOM EUE EUEAID EUFOR EUM EUMEM EUN EUR EUREM EURM EURN EV EVENTS EVN EWRG EWT EWTR EWWT EX EXBS EXEC EXIM EXO EXPORT EXTERNAL EZ FA FAA FAC FAGR FAO FARC FARM FAS FATAH FBI FCC FCS FCSC FCSCEG FCUL FDA FDIC FEDULOV FEMA FERNANDO FGM FI FIGUEROA FIN FINANCE FINE FINR FINREF FINV FIR FISO FJ FK FKFLO FKLU FLU FM FMC FMGT FMLN FMS FO FOI FOOKS FOR FORCE FORCES FOREIGN FORWHA FP FPC FR FRA FRANCIS FRANCISCO RODENAS RUIZ FRANCISCO VILLA URBALEJO FRAZER FRB FREDOM FREEDOM FRELIMO FRIED FRN FRU FSC FSI FT FTA FTAA FWS GA GAERC GAMES GANGS GAO GARCIA GASPAR GATES GATT GAZA GAZPROM GB GBSLE GC GCC GCCC GE GEF GEORGE GERARD GESKE GF GG GH GI GIPNC GIWI GJ GKGIC GL GLOBAL GM GN GO GOG GOI GOMEZ GON GOVPOI GPGOV GPI GPOI GPOV GR GREGG RENE WALTER GRQ GS GT GTIP GTMO GTREFTEL GU GUAM GUANTANAMO GUIDANCE GUILLERMO GUTIERREZ GV GWI GY GZ GZIS HA HAMID KARZAI HARRIET HARRY HAWZ HCOPIL HDP HE HEAVEN HEBRON HECTOR HELGERSON HERCEGOVINA HG HHS HI HIGHLIGHTS HIJAZI HILARY HILLARY HILLEN HIPC HIV HIZ HK HKSX HL HLSX HN HNCHR HO HOA HOSTAGES HPKO HR HRC HRCS HRICTY HRIGHTS HRKSTC HSI HSTC HSWG HT HTCG HTSC HU HUD HUM HUMAN HUMANITARIAN HUMANR HUMANRIGHTS HUMOR HUMRIT HUNRC HURI HURRICANE HYDE HYLAND HYMPSK HZ IA IACHR IACI IACO IACW IADB IAEA IAES IAHRC IAIE IAII IASA IATTC IAZ IBB IBD IBET IBPCA IBRB IBRD IC ICAC ICAO ICC ICCAT ICCROM ICES ICJ ICRC ICRS ICSCA ICTR ICTY ID IDA IDB IDLI IDLO IDP IDR IE IEA IEAB IEF IF IFAD IFC IFIN IFM IFO IFR IFRC IG IGAD IGF IHO IICA IINS IIP IK IL ILAB ILC ILEA ILO IMC IMET IMF IMMIGRATION IMO IMSO IMTS IN INAUGURATION INCB IND INDO INF INFLUENZA INL INMARSAT INNP INPFC INR INRA INRB INRD INRO INRPAZ INS INSC INT INTEL INTELLECTUAL INTELSAT INTERNAL INTERPOL INV INVI IO IOC IOM IP IPET IPGRI IPK IPPC IPR IPROP IQ IQNV IR IRAN IRAQ IRAQI IRAQI FREEDOM IRC IRCE IRDB IRE IRL IRLE IRM IRMO IRNB IRPE IRQEGION IRS IS ISA ISAAC ISAF ISCA ISCON ISLAMISTS ISLE ISN ISNV ISO ISPA ISPL ISRAEL ISRAEL RELATIONS ISRAELI ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS ISSUES ISTC IT ITA ITALIAN ITALY ITECIP ITEIND ITELTN ITER ITF ITIA ITRA ITRD ITU IUCN IV IVIANNA IWC IWI IX IZ IZAORC JA JABER JAM JAMES JAPAN JAT JAWAD JCIC JE JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA JEFFERY JEFFREY JENDAYI JHR JI JIMENEZ JIMENEZ CHILDREN JK JKUS JM JN JO JOHANNS JOHN JOHN BOEHNER JOHNNIE JONATHAN CHAMAN JOSE ANGEL ALZUGUREN PERURENA JOSE NEY MILA ESPINOSA JOSE RAMOS HORTA JOSEPH BIDEN JP JS JSRP JUAN JULIAN RENE KIRCHOFF JUS JY KA KACP KACT KACW KADM KAID KALM KALR KANSOU KAPO KARIM WADE KATRINA KAUST KAWC KAWK KAWL KAWS KAWX KAYLA KBCT KBDS KBEM KBIO KBNC KBTC KBTR KBTS KBWG KCCP KCEM KCERS KCFC KCFE KCGC KCHG KCIP KCIS KCM KCMA KCMR KCOG KCOM KCOR KCPS KCRCM KCRI KCRIM KCRM KCRN KCRO KCROM KCROR KCRP KCRS KCRT KCSA KCSI KCSY KCUL KCUM KCVM KCWI KDCM KDDEM KDDG KDE KDEM KDEN KDET KDEV KDGOV KDGR KDHS KDM KDMR KDP KDRG KDRL KDTB KDUM KE KEAI KEANE KEBG KECF KEDEM KEDM KEDU KEIM KEM KEMPI KEMR KEMS KEN KENV KERF KERG KESO KESP KESS KEVIN KFAM KFCE KFE KFEM KFGM KFIN KFIU KFLD KFLO KFLU KFOR KFPC KFRD KFRP KFSC KFTFN KFTN KG KGCC KGCN KGHA KGHG KGIC KGICKS KGIT KGIV KGKG KGLB KGOR KGOV KH KHDP KHGH KHIB KHIV KHJUS KHLS KHMN KHOURY KHPD KHSA KHSL KHUM KI KIBL KICA KICC KICCPUR KICR KICT KID KIDE KIF KIFR KIIC KIIP KIL KILS KIMMITT KIMT KIND KINF KINL KINP KINR KINT KIPR KIPT KIRC KIRD KIRF KIRL KIRP KIS KISC KISK KISL KISM KISR KITA KIVP KIVR KJAN KJRE KJU KJUS KJUST KJWC KK KKIV KKNP KKOR KKPO KLAB KLAP KLBO KLEG KLFLO KLFU KLHS KLIG KLIP KLPM KLSO KLTN KM KMAC KMAR KMCA KMCC KMCR KMDR KMEPI KMFO KMGT KMIG KMNP KMOC KMPF KMPI KMPIO KMPL KMPP KMPT KMRD KMRS KMSG KMVP KMWN KN KNAO KNAP KNAR KNDP KNEI KNEP KNET KNMP KNN KNNA KNNB KNNC KNNF KNNO KNNP KNNR KNOP KNP KNPP KNPPIS KNPR KNPT KNRG KNRV KNSD KNUC KNUP KO KOC KOCI KOCM KOEM KOGL KOLY KOM KOMC KOMCCO KOMCSG KOMH KOMO KOMS KOR KOSOVO KOUYATE KPA KPAD KPAI KPAK KPAL KPALAOIS KPAM KPAO KPAS KPBT KPDD KPEM KPEO KPER KPET KPIN KPIR KPKO KPKP KPLS KPMI KPMO KPO KPOA KPOKO KPOL KPOP KPOV KPOW KPPAO KPPD KPRD KPRM KPRO KPROG KPRP KPRV KPSC KPTD KPTS KPWG KPWR KQ KQM KQRDQ KR KRAD KRAL KRCIM KRCM KRCS KRD KRDP KREC KREF KREISLER KREL KRF KRFD KRFR KRG KRGY KRIC KRIF KRIM KRKO KRM KRMS KRV KRVC KS KSA KSAC KSAF KSCA KSCI KSCS KSCT KSEAO KSEC KSEI KSEO KSEP KSI KSIA KSKN KSLG KSMT KSOC KSOCI KSPA KSPR KSRE KSTC KSTCC KSTCPL KSTH KSTS KSTT KSUM KSUP KT KTAO KTBD KTBT KTCRE KTDB KTDD KTDM KTER KTEX KTFIN KTFM KTFN KTFR KTFS KTIA KTIP KTLA KTNBT KTNF KTPN KTRD KTRF KTSC KTSD KTTB KTTC KTTP KU KUAE KUIR KUM KUNA KUNC KUNH KUNP KUNR KUS KUWAIT KV KVBL KVIP KVIR KVIS KVPR KVRC KVRP KW KWAC KWAK KWAWC KWBC KWBG KWBW KWCI KWCR KWGB KWHG KWIC KWIM KWIR KWKN KWM KWMJN KWMM KWMN KWN KWNM KWNN KWOMN KWPA KWPB KWPG KWPR KWRC KWRF KWRG KWUN KWWT KWWW KX KY KZ LA LAB LABOR LANSANA LANTERN LARREA LARS LAS LAURA LAVIN LAW LB LBAR LBY LE LEAGUE LEB LEBIK LEGAT LEGATT LEIS LEON LEVINE LEW LG LGAT LH LI LIB LICC LIMA LINE LK LMS LN LO LOG LOPEZ LORAN LOTT LOVE LR LS LT LTG LTTE LU LV LVPR LY LZ MA MAAR MACEDONIA MACP MANUEL MANUEL SERGIO GONZALEZ MAP MAPP MAPS MAR MARAD MARANTIS MARIA MARIE MARINO MARITIME MARK MARQUEZ MARR MARS MARTIN MARV MAS MASC MASS MATT MAYA MB MBM MC MCA MCAP MCAPARR MCAPN MCAPP MCAPS MCAT MCC MCCAIN MCCONNELL MCCP MCGRAW MCRM MCTRE MD MDA MDC MDO ME MEA MED MEDIA MEETINGS MENDIETA MEP MEPI MEPN MEPP MERCOSUR MESUR MEX MF MFA MFO MG MGL MGMT MGOV MGT MGTA MH MHUC MI MIAH MIC MICHAEL MICHEL MIGUEL FELIPE CANAHUATI YACAMAN MIGUEL VARGAS MALDONADO MIK MIKE MIL MILI MILITANTS MILITARY MILLENNIUM MINURSO MINUSTAH MITCHELL MJ MK ML MLS MMAR MMED MN MNLF MNNC MNNUC MNU MNUC MNUCH MNUCWA MNUM MNUN MNUR MNUS MNVC MO MOHAMAD MOHAMED HESHAM ELDIN YOUSSEF MOHAMMAD MOLINA MONTENEGRO MONUC MONY MOOPS MOP MOPP MOPPS MOPS MORALES MORG MOROCCO MORS MOS MOTO MOTT MP MPOL MPOS MPP MPS MQADHAFI MR MRCRE MRRR MRS MRSEC MS MSG MSIG MT MTAA MTAG MTCAE MTCR MTCRA MTCRE MTRCE MTRE MTRRE MTS MU MUC MUCN MUKASEY MULLEN MUNC MURAD MURRAY MV MW MX MY MZ NA NAC NACB NADIA NAFTA NAM NAMSA NANCY NAR NARC NARCOTICS NARR NAS NASA NAT NATEU NATGAS NATIONAL NATO NATOAFGHAN NATOBALKANS NATOIRAQ NATOOPS NATOPOLICY NATSIOS NAVO NB NBTS NBU NC NCCC NCD NCT NCTC NDI NDP NE NEA NEC NEGROPONTE NEI NELSON NEPAD NERG NET NEW NFATC NFMS NFSO NG NGO NGUYEN NH NI NICHOLAS NICOLE NIH NIPP NK NKWG NL NLD NLIAEA NLO NMFS NMNUC NMUC NNPT NO NOAA NOI NOK NON NONE NORAD NOTAG NOVO NP NPA NPG NPT NR NRC NRG NRR NRRC NS NSC NSF NSFO NSG NSSP NT NTDB NTSB NTTC NU NUC NUIN NV NW NZ NZUS OA OAO OARC OAS OASC OASCC OASS OAU OBAMA OBS OBSP OCBD OCEA OCED OCHA OCII OCRA OCS OCSE ODAG ODC ODIP ODPC OECD OECS OECV OES OESC OEXC OEXP OF OFDA OFDC OFDP OFDPQIS OFFICIALS OFPD OFSO OGAC OGIV OHCHR OHI OHIP OI OIC OICCO OIE OIF OIG OIIP OIL OIM OLY OLYAIR OLYMPICS OM OMAR OMB OMIG OMS ON ONA OPAD OPBAT OPC OPCD OPCR OPCW OPDAT OPDC OPDP OPEC OPET OPIC OPID OPOC OPPC OPRC OPREC OPREP OPS OPSC OPVIP ORA ORC ORCA ORECD ORED OREG OREP ORGANIZED ORP ORTA ORUE OSAC OSCE OSCI OSD OSEC OSHA OSIC OSTA OSTRA OTA OTAR OTHER OTHERSASNEEDED OTP OTR OTRA OTRABL OTRAO OTRAZ OTRC OTRD OUALI OVIP OVP OXEC OXEM OZ PA PAARM PAC PACE PAGE PAGR PAHO PAIGH PAK PAL PALESTINIAN PAMQ PAN PANAM PAO PAR PARALYMPIC PARCA PAREL PARK PARLIAMENT PARM PARMS PARN PARP PARR PARTIES PARTM PARTY PAS PASS PATRICK WARREN MAHURIN PATTY PAUL PAUM PB PBGT PBIO PBK PBOV PBPTS PBS PBST PBT PBTS PCI PCON PCOR PCRM PCUL PD PDA PDD PDEM PDIP PDOV PDRG PE PEACE PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEDRO PEL PELOSI PEMEX PENA PENV PEPFAR PEPR PER PEREZ PERL PERM PERSONS PET PETER PETERS PETR PETRAEUS PETROL PF PFIN PFLP PFOR PFOV PG PGGOC PGIC PGIV PGKV PGO PGOC PGOF PGOG PGON PGOR PGOT PGOV PGOVE PGOVQL PGPV PGREL PGREV PGV PH PHALANAGE PHARM PHAS PHEM PHIM PHM PHSA PHU PHUH PHUM PHUMHUPPS PHUN PHUS PHYTRP PI PIA PICES PIF PIN PINB PIND PINER PINF PING PINL PINO PINOCHET PINR PINS PINT PINV PIR PIRF PIRN PJUS PK PKAO PKBL PKFK PKISL PKK PKMN PKNP PKO PKPA PKPAL PKPO PKPRP PKST PL PLAB PLAN PLEC PLN PLO PLUM PM PMAR PMAT PMDL PMIG PMIL PMIN PMR PMUC PN PNAT PNET PNG PNIR PNNL PNR PNRG PNS PNUC PNUK PNUM PO PODC POG POGV POINS POL POLG POLI POLICY POLINT POLITICAL POLITICS POLM POLMIL POLS POLUN POREL PORG POSTS POTUS POUS POV POWELL PP PPA PPAO PPD PPEF PPEL PPKO PPOL PQL PQM PRC PRE PREC PRED PREF PREG PREJ PREK PREL PRELEVU PRELM PRELPLS PRELTBIOBA PREM PREO PREP PRER PRES PRESIDENT PRESL PREV PREZ PRF PRFE PRFL PRGO PRGOV PRIL PRIVATIZATION PRL PRLE PRM PRO PROB PROCESS PROG PROL PROLIFERATION PROP PROPERTY PROTECTION PROTESTS PROV PROVE PRT PRTER PRWL PS PSA PSCE PSEC PSEPC PSHA PSI PSNR PSO PSOC PSOCI PSOE PT PTBS PTE PTEL PTEP PTER PTGOV PTIA PTR PTRD PU PUAS PUBLIC PUNE PUNR PUOS PV PVIP PVOV PVPR PVTS PWBG PWMN PY QA QADRI QEL QI QIZ QM QT QU QUAN QUOC RA RAED RAFAEL RAID RAMON RAMONTEIJELO RAS RATIFICATION RAY GUEVARA MILTON RBI RCA RCMP RE REA REACTION REALTIONS RECIN REF REFORM REFPAN REFUGEE REFUGEES REGION REGIONAL REID REIN REINEMEYER REL RELAM RELATIONS RELFREE RELIGIOUS REMON RENAMO RENE PREVAL REO REPORT REUBEN RF RFE RFIN RFREEDOM RGOV RGY RHUM RI RICE RICHARD RIGHTS RIGHTSPOLMIL RIMC RIVERA RL RLA RM RMA RO ROBERT ROBERT JOSEPH RODHAM RODRIGUEZ ROK ROME ROOD ROSS ROW ROY RP RPEL RPTS RQ RR RRB RREL RS RSO RSOX RSP RSZ RTT RU RUEHZO RV RW RWANDA SA SAAD SAARC SABAH SACU SADC SAFE SAIR SAIS SALOPEK SAMA SAN SANC SANR SAO SARB SARGSIAN SARS SASC SASEC SASIAIN SB SBA SC SCA SCCC SCE SCENESETTER SCHUL SCI SCIENCE SCNV SCOI SCOL SCOM SCPR SCRM SCRS SCRSERD SCUL SCVL SD SE SEC SECDEF SECI SECRET SECRETARY 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TNDG TNGD TO TOPEC TORRIJOS TOURISM TP TPHY TPKO TPP TPSA TPSL TR TRAD TRADE TRAFFICKING TRBIO TRBY TRD TREAS TREASURY TREATY TREL TRG TRGV TRGY TRIO TRSY TRT TRV TRY TRYG TRYS TS TSA TSLP TSPA TSPL TSRL TSRY TSY TT TTFN TU TURKEY TV TVBIO TW TWRO TX TY TZ TZBY UA UAE UAID UAM UB UDEM UE UEU UG UGA UK UKR UKRAINE UM UMIK UN UNA UNAF UNAIDS UNAMA UNAMSIL UNAORC UNAUS UNBRO UNC UNCC UNCDF UNCDN UNCHC UNCHR UNCHS UNCITRAL UNCND UNCOPUOS UNCRED UNCRIME UNCSD UNCSW UNCTAD UNDC UNDEF UNDOF UNDP UNECE UNEF UNEP UNESCO UNFA UNFC UNFCYP UNFF UNFICYP UNFIYCP UNFPA UNGA UNGAPL UNGO UNHCR UNHRC UNICEF UNIDCP UNIDO UNIDROIT UNIFEM UNIFIL UNION UNKIK UNM UNMEE UNMIC UNMIK UNMIKI UNMIKV UNMIL UNMIN UNMOVIC UNO UNODC UNOMIG UNOPS UNP UNPAR UNPUOS UNRCCA UNRCR UNREST UNRWA UNSC UNSCAPU UNSCD UNSCE UNSCER UNSCR UNSCS UNSD UNSE UNTAC UNTERR UNTZ UNUS UNVIE UNYI UP UPU UPUO UR US USAID USAU USCC USCG USDA USDELFESTTWO USEU USG USGS USMS USNC USOAS USOP USPS USPTO USSC USTA USTDA USTR USTRD USTRIT USTRPS 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Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
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08BUCHAREST67 | ANOTHER ZERO-SUM YEAR: SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR [...] (C) Summary: A senior Basescu advisor said that the President will not compromise on the appointment of the next Justice Minister, and would continue to hold out for a nonpolitical candidate. He justified the hardball tactics that the Presidency had deployed against Justice Minister nominee N [...] | 2008-01-25 17:06:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST68 | BASESCU'S ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS: [...] (U) Summary: President Basescu made his annual New Year's foreign policy address to Bucharest,s diplomatic corps on January 23. He confirmed that Romania would fulfill its international commitments, including its military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and would work within the EU and [...] | 2008-01-25 17:32:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST687 | BASESCU TELLS SEN. LUGAR ROMANIA FACING HARD [...] (C) President Traian Basescu told Senator Richard Lugar on August 27 that he fears that Russian recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, coming in the wake of U.S./European recognition of Kosovo, has begun a process which threatens to unravel the existing international legal architecture and [...] | 2008-08-29 08:26:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG ECON MD GG RS RO |
08BUCHAREST707 | DEMARCHE RESPONSE - ROMANIA CONCERNED WITH RUSSIAN [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel talking points and non-paper on Georgia to Daniel Ionita, Director of NATO/Security Affairs at Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 4, 2008. 2. (C) Ionita emphasized the need for a unified EU approach to dealing with Russia in the region. He said th [...] | 2008-09-05 11:55:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV |
08BUCHAREST717 | ROMANIA: SEN. LUGAR PRESSES MINISTER OF [...] (SBU) Summary. Highlighting his experience as a farmer, visiting Senator Richard Lugar on August 28 encouraged Minister of Environment Attila Korodi to permit the use of more advanced agricultural methods in Romania, including biotechnology. Korodi indicated a willingness to reevaluate his p [...] | 2008-09-10 11:38:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD ENRG ECON PGOV PREL TBIO RO |
08BUCHAREST725 | DEMARCHE RESPONSE: APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-12 12:43:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL PGOV |
08BUCHAREST727 | DEMARCHE RESPONSE: GAERC TALKING POINTS AND [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel talking points and non-paper on September 10 to Daniel Ionita, Director for Security Policy, and Cosmin Onisii, Director of the U.S. and Canada Division, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania. 2. (C) Commenting on the September 5-6 Foreign Ministers' Mee [...] | 2008-09-12 13:42:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV |
08BUCHAREST754 | ROMANIA: NABUCCO IS BEST, LNG IS GOOD, BUT SOUTH [...] (C) Summary. Visiting U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Director Larry Walther and Director for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Stein heard a strong message of Romanian support for the Nabucco pipeline project in separate meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministr [...] | 2008-09-23 14:11:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST771 | ROMANIA: DOMESTIC TERRORISM DESIGNATIONS DIFFICULT [...] (C) EconOff met on September 23rd with Elena Paris, Unit Chief in the Office for the Implementation of International Sanctions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),to deliver reftel demarche regarding a U.S. Domestic Designation under E.O. 13438. Paris explained that the Government of Ro [...] | 2008-10-01 12:15:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETTC PTER PREL PGOV KTFN RO |
08BUCHAREST772 | ROMANIA ON C-RE8-01539 AND TERRORIST FINANCE: [...] (S/NF) Summary. In response to ref A request for information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) provided EconOff a brief outline of the procedure that led up to the Muhajedin-E Khalq (MEK) listing within the EU. MFA believes that this listing will remain in place for the immediate future [...] | 2008-10-01 12:38:00 | Embassy Bucharest | SECRET//NOFORN | EFIN ETTC PTER PREL PGOV PINR UNSC KTFN RO |
08BUCHAREST789 | ROMANIA: PUBLIC SECTOR WAGE BATTLE THREATENS TO [...] (SBU) Summary. Last week's parliamentary vote to increase national teacher salaries by an eye-popping 50 percent has thrust the Government of Romania (GOR) into a fierce wrestling match with labor unions less than two months before November 30 elections. Prime Minister Tariceanu's governmen [...] | 2008-10-08 13:45:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ELAB PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST796 | ROMANIA'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE: TAKING THE SLOW [...] (SBU) While the Government of Romania (GOR) is painfully aware how large a problem Romania's inadequate infrastructure presents for sustaining future growth, improvements will be slow in coming. Project financing and management constraints continue to impede progress, with signs emerging that [...] | 2008-10-16 05:03:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ELNT EAIR EWWT EINV PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST804 | ROMANIA: "TIME IS RUNNING OUT ON LEGAL FRAMEWORK [...] (C) At the end of an October 16 meeting with POLMILOFF, MFA Director for Strategic Affairs Daniel Ionita said that he needed to convey quietly his concern that time was running out on a legal framework for Romania to maintain its troops in Iraq. Ionita clarified that this was not/not an issue [...] | 2008-10-17 14:29:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | KTIA MARR PGOV PREL SOFA RO |
08BUCHAREST838 | ROMANIA: TEACHER WAGE HIKE DELAYED, BUT POLITICAL BATTLE CONTINUES AS MARKET ANALYSTS FRET [...] (SBU) The Government of Prime Minister Calin-Popescu Tariceanu threw down the gauntlet with public sector unions on October 28 by issuing an emergency ordinance that postpones implementation until April 1, 2009 of the new law granting teachers a 50 percent salary increase (reftel). The ordinance wa [...] | 2008-10-30 15:37:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ELAB PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST851 | JEWISH CEMETERY DESECRATION: A PROFESSIONAL JOB? [...] (SBU) On October 22, vandals destroyed 131 graves in Bucharest's main Jewish cemetery. The desecration was a brazen and systematic attack targeting the most valuable and elaborate tombstones in the graveyard, with damages estimated at one million dollars. The Romanian Prime Minister and Minist [...] | 2008-10-31 15:35:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST852 | ROMANIA: A NEW UNSCR IS ONLY VIABLE OPTION FOR [...] (S) In an October 30 meeting, MFA Director General for Bilateral Relations Anca Mantulescu told POLMILOFF that there is no longer a window for Parliament to approve a SOFA with Iraq. She said, "I think your plan B for a UNSCR needs to become your plan A." She added that the demands for formin [...] | 2008-10-31 15:57:00 | Embassy Bucharest | SECRET | KTIA MARR PGOV PREL SOFA RO |
08BUCHAREST857 | PD-L SECRETARY GENERAL BLAGA ON ELECTION [...] (C) Summary: PD-L Secretary General Blaga said that recent internal polls suggest his party will win 38 percent of votes in the upcoming parliamentary elections, with the rival PSD and PNL taking 32 and 15 percent, respectively. Blaga provided a detailed overview of election dynamics and argued [...] | 2008-11-06 15:17:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST9 | ROMANIA PASSES 2008 BUDGET WITH VOTERS IN MIND [...] (SBU) Clearly padded to reflect political calculations ahead of local and national elections over the next 24 months, the Government of Romania's 2008 budget includes sizable increases for education, health care, social services, and retirement pensions. The Parliament approved the state and [...] | 2008-01-09 07:06:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD EFIN PGOV SOCI RO |
08BUCHAREST90 | SPLITTING THE ETHNIC HUNGARIAN VOTE: COURT [...] (SBU) Summary. On January 29, after four years of delays, the Bucharest Court registered a new political party representing ethnic Hungarians, the Hungarian Civic Party (PCM). The new party aims to provide an alternative to Romania's Democratic Alliance of Ethnic Hungarians (UDMR),seen by so [...] | 2008-02-01 16:36:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI KDEM SCUL RO |
08BUCHAREST900 | MOD STATE SECRETARY: IGNORE THE CAMPAIGN RHETORIC, [...] (U) This is an action message, see Para 4. 2. (C) MOD State Secretary Dobritoiu invited the DCM (accompanied by DATT, ODC and Polcouns) for a meeting November 18. His message was simple: "We're all grownups here, please don't get too excited about some of the electoral rhetoric (and media [...] | 2008-11-18 15:45:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR IZ RO |
08BUCHAREST906 | PNL, PSD LEGISLATORS: BASESCU'S GOT THE MOJO IN [...] (C) Summary: In separate conversations, two prominent legislators-one PSD, the other PNL-noted signs of an incipient PSD stampede to form a post-election coalition with Basescu's PD-L. They agree that the PSD cannot stay out of office for another four years and has to join the next government at al [...] | 2008-11-20 14:48:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST915 | ROMANIA: PARTIES' POCKETBOOK PROMISES [...] (SBU) Fiscal profligacy has been the leitmotif of the current parliamentary campaign. While the governing National Liberal Party (PNL) has hardly been a paragon of fiscal prudence -- ramping up social spending and allowing the expected budget deficit to rapidly increase in the third quarter -- [...] | 2008-11-24 15:29:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST920 | ROMANIA'S ECONOMY SET FOR A LANDING, BUT HOW HARD? [...] (C) The forward momentum in Romania's red-hot economy is already slowing and will definitely hit the brakes in 2009, government officials and outside analysts told visiting U.S. Treasury representatives last week. Still, while Romania can expect sharply lower growth due to the global downturn, the [...] | 2008-11-25 15:48:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON EIND ETRD PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST927 | AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL MEETING WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Prior to being awarded the highest honor Romania bestows on civilians, the Star of Romania Grand Cross on November 25, 2008, the Ambassador and President Basescu met for 45-minutes to discuss procurement of F-16s, development of the Constanta port for commercial as well as naval [...] | 2008-11-26 10:01:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR SOCI RO |
08BUCHAREST931 | ELECTION-TIME ANGER, ANGST IN HUNGARIAN-MAJORITY [...] (C) During a recent visit to ethnic Hungarian areas in Transylvania, UDMR leaders said they would join a new government no matter which party won the elections. However, they admitted the PD-L was not their first choice as a coalition partner due to conflicts over the issue of Hungarian autono [...] | 2008-11-26 15:18:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST942 | ROMANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: THE MORNING [...] (SBU) The Central Election Bureau (BEC) has yet to release the final official results from the November 30 parliamentary elections pending formal receipt of the official results from four counties. However, the BEC on December 2 released a "final but still unofficial" set of results (which inc [...] | 2008-12-02 15:47:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST953 | ROMANIA: FDI STILL FLOWING FOR NOW, BUT NEW PROSPECTS MAY [...] (SBU) The high levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) which have fueled economic growth and provided substantial cover for Romania's big current account deficit will likely dwindle in the coming months. While FDI already in the pipeline is expected to continue to flow over the next few mont [...] | 2008-12-08 06:37:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST961 | ROMANIA: BURGEONING BUDGETARY BLUES [...] (SBU) As negotiations among the political parties over the shape of a new coalition government enter their second week, the economic news in Romania is a study in contrasts. Eurostat announced on December 5 that Romanian GDP growth reached 9.1 percent in the third quarter (July-September),th [...] | 2008-12-09 13:51:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON EINV PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST963 | ROMANIA: THREE BOEING 737-800S JOIN TAROM'S FLEET [...] (U) Post EconOffs and Commercial Attache attended a December 4th ceremony at Bucharest Otopeni Airport to mark the arrival of the newest addition to the fleet of state-owned airline Tarom. Minister of Transportation Ludovic Orban, State Secretary Antonel Tanase, Tarom CEO Gheorghe Birla, Boein [...] | 2008-12-09 15:39:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON BEXP PREL PGOV RO |
08BUCHAREST97 | CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DECLARES LUSTRATION LAW [...] (C) Summary. The process of lustrating communist-era collaborators received an unexpected blow January 31 when the Constitutional Court ruled that the law establishing the National Council for the Study of Securitate Archives (CNSAS) is unconstitutional. The CNSAS had been a controversial body [...] | 2008-02-05 15:29:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM RO |
08BUCHAREST971 | STAMPEDING INTO COALITION, PERHAPS INTO A TRAP [...] (C) Summary: PSD Deputy Georgian Pop confirmed that the PSD would support Teodor Stolojan as the next Prime Minister (Note: Basescu just made this selection public in an afternoon broadcast),but said that two key remaining sticking points were the PSD's insistence on excluding the UDMR from t [...] | 2008-12-10 15:15:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG RO |
08BUCHAREST973 | PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON NEW GOVERNING COALITION: [...] (C) Summary: Senior Presidential Advisor Sebastian Lazaroiu confimed that President Basescu had accelerated the formation of a new cabinet to avoid creating a sense of political drift that might have resulted if no new government were in place during the extended holidays. He was ambivalent a [...] | 2008-12-11 12:16:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RO |
08BUCHAREST983 | ROMANIA: HPV VACCINATION CAMPAIGN FOUNDERS IN FACE OF [...] (SBU) Summary. An effort by the Romanian Ministry of Health (MOH) to address the inordinately high levels of cervical cancer deaths in Romania through a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign has largely failed. With parental refusal rates of up to 90 percent two thirds of the way t [...] | 2008-12-16 14:03:00 | Embassy Bucharest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ELAB EINV PGOV SOCI AMED RO |
08BUCHAREST998 | MOD ASKS IF THE PROPOSED IRAQI EOL STILL MAKES [...] (C) MOD Secretary of State (Deputy Defense Minister) Corneliu Dobritoiu met with U.S. and UK Embassy officers on 12/19 to raise in more depth concerns with the state of play regarding the continued presence of Romanian troops in Iraq. The meeting with the U.S. (Charge, POLMIL, ARMATT, and ODC [...] | 2008-12-19 16:01:00 | Embassy Bucharest | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL PGOV RO IZ |
08BUDAPEST1000 | EAVESDROPPING; CONFIDENCE DROPPING: DOMESTIC [...] (SBU) Although largely eclipsed by the recent shocks to the stock and bond markets (septel),Hungary's domestic espionage scandal continues to expand in scope and could further complicate economic triage efforts. 2. (C) Although criminal charges against the suspect firm, UD Zrt, reportedl [...] | 2008-10-14 15:13:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST1005 | THE UPSIDE OF MELTDOWN: POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY AND [...] (C) As Hungary's markets continue their rough ride (septel),Prime Minister Gyurcsany has seized on this weekend's "National Summit Meeting" as a means to address both Hungary's immediate economic challenges as well as his own long list of political problems. Designed to bring together Hunga [...] | 2008-10-17 09:01:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EFIN HU |
08BUDAPEST1025 | HUNGARIAN VIEWS ON BOSNIA [...] (C) Summary. Sharing U.S. concerns on the current political situation in Bosnia Hercegovina (BiH),the Hungarian MFA's Russia and Balkans Department Deputy Director Istvan Ijgyarto believes the situation has moved two years backwards. Stating that several EU countries are inclined to move Se [...] | 2008-10-30 08:22:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV EU BK HU |
08BUDAPEST1049 | HUNGARIAN RESPONSE TO DIALOGUE ON PALESTINIAN [...] No summary [...] | 2008-11-04 14:03:00 | Embassy Budapest | SECRET | PGOV PREL PHUM PTER HU |
08BUDAPEST1058 | SPECIAL ENVOY GRAY TALKS PIPELINES, CLIMATE POLICY [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his two-day trip to Budapest to take part in an energy conference, Special Envoy Gray held a series of meetings with regional energy officials and experts. These conversations revealed that despite recent Russian diplomatic and financial setbacks, Gazprom and its partner [...] | 2008-11-06 12:49:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV SENV KGHG HU |
08BUDAPEST1078 | HUNGARIAN VIEWS ON NOVEMBER 10-11 FOREIGN [...] (U) MFA EU External Relations and Crisis Situations Section Head Andras Dekany provided the following comments to PolOff on November 7 for the GAERC meeting scheduled for November 10-11. 2. (C) Russia: The main question is: has Russia miscalculated its strategy on Georgia? There are sig [...] | 2008-11-10 12:46:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EUN RU GG AF HU |
08BUDAPEST1102 | HUNGARIAN/SLOVAKIAN PRIME MINISTERS MEET NOVEMEBER [...] (SBU) Summary. In their first substantial meeting in more than a year, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany of Hungary and Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia on November 15 discussed ways to decrease ethnic tensions that reached a flash point during a November 1 soccer match in the Slovakian b [...] | 2008-11-18 14:45:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV LO HU |
08BUDAPEST1103 | CRISIS ON LAYAWAY: THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF THE [...] (SBU) Although the Parliament continues to debate the implementing measures necessitated by Hungary's agreements with the IMF and EU (ref a),contacts are beginning to cautiously survey the longer-term landscape after weeks of crisis management. CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE 2. (SBU) For t [...] | 2008-11-18 15:21:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST1118 | PRIME MINISTER GYURCSANY AMBIGUOUS ON NABUCCO, [...] (C) SUMMARY: Hungarian Prime Minister Gyurcsany continued to play both advocate and devil's advocate for the Nabucco pipeline at an energy summit in Baku on November 14. He argued forcefully for Nabucco on the grounds of its importance to European energy security, based on his comments to re [...] | 2008-11-24 16:37:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST1135 | HUNGARIAN DEFENSE MINISTER'S MEETING WITH [...] (C/NF) Summary. Hungarian Minister of Defense Imre Szekeres outlined key financial aspects of the Hungarian National Military Strategy in meeting with Ambassador on November 21. Highlighting the current Government's commitment to increase the Defense budget over the next five years, Szekeres [...] | 2008-11-26 14:09:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MCAP PGOV PREL AF HU |
08BUDAPEST1149 | INL A/S JOHNSON DISCUSSES AFGHAN AND HUNGARIAN [...] (C) Summary: INL A/S David Johnson stopped in Budapest October 27, on the tail end of a trip to Afghanistan and the Balkans. He spoke at INL,s Budapest International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA),met with Hungarian MFA officials to discuss Afghanistan counter-narcotics (CN) issues, and atte [...] | 2008-12-01 13:44:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST1158 | INDIAN SUMMER: HUNGARY MOVES FROM A HURRY TO [...] (C) Summary: With the winter recess in sight, the Gyurcsany government is congratulating itself on the passage of the 2009 budget and the adoption of minor changes in Hungary's tax structure. But the international stabilization package has provided only a tenuous degree of stability, and eco [...] | 2008-12-04 10:45:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EFIN HU |
08BUDAPEST1186 | LETTER FROM PM GYURCSANY TO PRESIDENT BUSH [...] (C) Following is the text of a letter dated December 10, 2008 from Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in response to a letter from President Bush. 2. (U) Begin Text Dear Mr. President, Allow me to confirm that I fully agree with the statements you have made in your recent letter regardi [...] | 2008-12-12 16:04:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST1188 | GOH FINALIZING PLANS FOR NABUCCO SUMMIT [...] (U) SUMMARY: GoH continues to make progress, mainly due to the efforts of its Special Ambassador for the Nabucco project, Mihaly Bayer, in organizing the Nabucco Summit it will host in January. Bayer has already secured numerous high-profile commitments to attend the Summit, but several imp [...] | 2008-12-15 10:51:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST1209 | MAGYAR GARDA - THE LONG-AWAITED COURT RULING [...] Summary. The Budapest Municipal Court ruled December 16 to disband the Magyar Garda Association. The Association will appeal the ruling. However, the Magyar Garda Movement, not a legal entity under the law, remains in place with potential anti-Roma demonstrations likely down the road. End [...] | 2008-12-18 13:31:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM SOCI HU |
08BUDAPEST1213 | PRESIDENT SOLYOM'S INJUDICIOUS ACTIVISM [...] (C) Summary: The chorus of complaints regarding Prime Minister Gyurcsany has largely but not completely obscured the mixed reviews received by President Laszlo Solyom. Seen as principled by his supporters and pedantic by his critics, Solyom has tested the boundaries of his largely ceremonial [...] | 2008-12-19 06:06:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KBIO HU |
08BUDAPEST1216 | HUNGARIAN/SLOVAKIAN RELATIONS - A LONG AND WINDING [...] (U) Summary. This is joint Embassy Budapest-Embassy Bratislava cable. Despite several, recent high-level meetings between Hungarian and Slovak officials, significant challenges remain to address minority-rights issues and extremism on both sides of the border. Following an impromptu Novemb [...] | 2008-12-19 15:39:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM LO HU |
08BUDAPEST1218 | 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY [...] No summary [...] | 2008-12-22 10:09:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST122 | GET THE REF OUT: THE PARTIES APPROACH THE REFERENDUM [...] (C) Summary: The parties are getting an early start on the spring political season by finalizing preparations for a March 9 referendum on key elements of the government's austerity package. Riding high on recent polling data, the opposition is casting the referendum as a de facto vote of no co [...] | 2008-02-06 17:01:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST123 | SCENE-SETTER FOR UNDER SECRETARY JEFFERY'S VISIT [...] (C) As Parliament returns from its winter recess, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany will likely begin 2008 where he ended 2007: with his governing coalition under pressure, his domestic reforms under siege and his foreign policy orientation under question. Your meetings in Budapest will help i [...] | 2008-02-07 10:40:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ENRG HU |
08BUDAPEST155 | MUSICAL CHAIRS; DISCORDANT VOICES: PARLIAMENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Although it was only opening day, Hungarian MPs ) and protestors - were in mid-season form as the spring session began February 11. The governing coalition reaffirmed its support for PM Gyurcsany's health care reforms amidst heated rhetoric, but talk of a cabinet "pre-shuffle" [...] | 2008-02-14 13:18:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST194 | HUNGARY SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION FOR CHANGE IN CUBA [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-26 09:15:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL HU CU |
08BUDAPEST195 | THE PARTY LINE: WHAT PM GYURCSANY'S SUPPORTERS ARE [...] (C) With his personal popularity ratings still mired well below 20 percent as he nears the half-way point of his term, Prime Minister Gyurcsany appears to be playing small ball in an effort to gradually recoup his standing with the public (REF A). Key elements of his public message will lik [...] | 2008-02-26 09:22:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST225 | TRYING TO HEAD NORTH: NEGOTIATING THE POST-SOUTH [...] (C) We are bracing ourselves for another rough patch with the GoH in the aftermath of Prime Minister Gyurcsany's latest trip to Moscow. ACTIONS AND REACTIONS 2. (C) Having secured the EU's acquiescence with Commissioner Piebalgs' tepid public statement of "understanding," the GoH will [...] | 2008-02-29 16:00:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST245 | STRONG RHETORIC BUT MILD INTEREST AS REFERENDUM [...] (C) Summary: As voters prepare for this weekend's referendum throughout Hungary's 19 megye (regional districts),opinion leaders on both sides have been escalating their rhetoric. Despite the intensity of their comments, last-minute polling indicates softening turn-out and the general sense [...] | 2008-03-07 07:02:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST258 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON EU'S MARCH 10-11 FOREIGN [...] MFA EU External Relations and Crisis Situations Section Chief Andras Dekany discussed reftel agenda items with PolOff on March 7. Dekany provided the following comments by agenda item: Western Balkans: - Kosovo: Good news that the government in Pristina has shown "sufficient maturity" in [...] | 2008-03-10 13:07:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST261 | THE NO'S HAVE IT: PUBLIC REFERENDUM REJECTS REFORM [...] (C) Summary: Record turn-out of 50.5 percent and overwhelming majorities voting against 3 elements of the government's reform agenda gave the opposition a clear victory in Hungary's national referendum March 9. With 82 ) 84 percent of respondents expressing opposition to the payment of nomin [...] | 2008-03-10 14:00:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST268 | LONELY NEAR THE TOP: PRIME MINISTER'S FOREIGN [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-12 13:56:00 | Embassy Budapest | SECRET | PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST269 | HUNGARY UNAWARE OF MARCH 14 BEIRUT CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-13 07:49:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER PARM HU |
08BUDAPEST270 | SQUATTER'S RIGHTS: THE GYURCSANY GOVERNMENT AFTER [...] (C) Summary: The Gyurcsany government is struggling to go on with business as usual in the aftermath of its losses in the March 9 referendum. Unfortunately, business as usual involves an opposition with the political momentum, party members with a personal grudge, and policy initiatives wit [...] | 2008-03-13 08:16:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM ENRG HU |
08BUDAPEST317 | CENTRIFUGAL FORCE: QUESTIONING THE COALITION [...] (C) Strains within ) and between - the MSzP and the junior coalition partner SzDSz are becoming visible as they approach their respective spring meetings. 2. (C) Ironically, Prime Minister Gyurcsany may be the less lame duck despite the results of the March 9 referendum (reftel). Despite [...] | 2008-03-26 10:51:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST339 | HUNGARY URGED TO WEIGH IN WITH GREECE ON NATO [...] (C) Ambassador Foley delivered reftel points in a three-pronged approach to senior Hungarian Government officials in the Prime Minister's Officer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense on March 31. The Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor, Karoly Banai, advised that, [...] | 2008-04-01 10:13:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST341 | DANCING ON THE JETTY: HEALTH MINISTER OUT; [...] (C) Summary: Toil and trouble continues within the coalition as the MSzP and the SzDSZ continue to head toward a divorce they may not want but may not be able to avoid. Prime Minister Gyurcsany's decision to dismiss unpopular Health Minister Agnes Horvath of the SzDSz has sparked a confrontat [...] | 2008-04-01 14:08:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST342 | GROWING HUNGARIAN HORDE FROM THE RIGHT - MAGYAR [...] Repeating their late October 2007 public ceremony (ref A),the far-right, para-military Magyar Garda (Hungarian Guard) initiated 600 new members at Budapest's Heroes' Square on March 29. As the colonnaded statues of the most important historical Hungarian figures over the past 1000 years gaze [...] | 2008-04-01 14:20:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST373 | THE SICK MAN ... AND THE SICK COUNTRY [...] (C) Hungary's political institutions risk grinding to a halt just as leading economic indicators reflect the realities of a stagnant economy. This correlation of public opposition to reform, continued gridlock in Parliament, growing concerns on the economic front, and the prospect of deepr s [...] | 2008-04-10 11:34:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST391 | TWENTY QUESTIONS: FIDESZ TURNS 20 [...] (C) Summary: FIDESZ celebrates its twentieth anniversary in a position of unprecedented popularity, having channeled broad public discontent with the Gyurcsany government's policies to build an imposing lead in opinion polls. A movement long before it became a political party, FIDESZ's iden [...] | 2008-04-17 07:54:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREV KDEM PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST392 | BELABORING THE POINT: COALITION CRISIS IN SLOW [...] (C) Summary: Although the governing coalition continues to move through what one observer has termed "the slowest-moving crisis in history," both insiders and outside observers believe that several possible scenarios are gradually emerging. They include a protracted period of minority gover [...] | 2008-04-17 08:42:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST401 | THAT WHICH GOVERNS LEAST: HOW WOULD A MINORITY [...] (SBU) The atmosphere remains one of uncertainty regarding "the day after" the break-up of the coalition even as the SzDSz's April 27 departure date approaches. WHIPPING A MINORITY GOVERNMENT INTO SHAPE 2. (C) Barring a dramatic outcome to what has been a very ponderous crisis, Hungary w [...] | 2008-04-17 13:41:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST41 | SPRING TRAINING: SCOUTING REPORTS FOR 2008 [...] (SBU) Although Parliament will not return until February 11, early signals from the parties indicate that the long winter recess will lead to an active spring. RULE NOTHING OUT ( EVEN THE RULES? 2. (C) In a meeting with visiting Ambassador Richard Holbrooke January 8, FIDESZ Party Presi [...] | 2008-01-11 16:53:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST429 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON APRIL 28-29 FOREIGN [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-28 09:31:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST442 | GRAY AREA; DARK HORSES: GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING [...] (SBU) With the overwhelming vote of the SzDSz's national committee on April 27 confirming the party leadership's decision to leave the governing coalition, Hungary has entered the uncharted waters of minority government. SzDSz: GOING, GOING, GONE 2. (SBU) With some discussion but report [...] | 2008-04-29 15:00:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR HU |
08BUDAPEST445 | FINANCE MINISTER ON THE FATE OF REFORM AND THE [...] (C) Meeting the day after a major restructuring of the Gyurcsany government (reftel),Finance Minister Janos Veres emphasized the GoH's continuing commitment to structural reform, expressed concern over the political impact of an impasse over the 2009 budget, and outlined his recent discussio [...] | 2008-04-30 13:55:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON PREL ENRG HU |
08BUDAPEST468 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON BURMA'S UPCOMING REFERENDUM [...] (C) PolOff discussed reftel with the MFA Asia/Pacific Department Head Gyula Petho on May 6. Petho acknowledged and expressed agreement with reftel's concerns about referendum's legitimacy, drawing reference to both the EU and UNSC statements on the issue. He believes the referendum will proc [...] | 2008-05-07 06:44:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST485 | DAY ONE: MINORITY GOVERNMENT WINS APPROVAL FOR [...] (SBU) Marshaling a surprising majority, the Gyurcsany government secured Parliamentary approval for its government restructuring proposal (ref a) May 13. 2. (SBU) Confronting what many observers here cast as a crucial test of his ability to govern in the absence of a parliamentary majorit [...] | 2008-05-15 09:54:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST504 | HUNGARY WILL ATTEND THE BURMA DONORS CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-22 09:57:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST513 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON THE MAY 26-27 FOREIGN [...] (U) See guidance request at paragraph three. 2. (C) MFA EU External Relations Section Chief, Andras Dekany, discussed reftel agenda with PolOff on the upcoming GAERC meeting May 26-27, and provided the following comments: - Belarus and Iran: they will not be discussion topics. - Ira [...] | 2008-05-23 14:56:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST514 | HUNGARY IN LISTENING MODE AT BURMA CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-23 14:56:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST528 | HUNGARY SUPPORTS U.S. LATIN AMERICA AND MISSILE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-30 14:41:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST537 | SCENE-SETTER FOR THE VISIT OF DAS JUDY GARBER [...] (SBU) Your visit comes as the parties run out the clock on Parliament's spring session before the long summer "cucumber season." With the dissolution of the MSzP-SzDSz coalition following the national referendum on elements of Prime Minister Gyurcsany's reform agenda, the government is now f [...] | 2008-06-02 09:30:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST550 | SUMMER RERUNS: A PAUSE IN THE (IN)ACTION [...] (C) The traditional summer "cucumber season" will be longer than usual this year, with Parliament scheduled to be on recess from June 9 through September 15. Although the Parliament has passed bills on issues ranging from our bilateral data-sharing agreement to Papa Airbase in recent days, t [...] | 2008-06-05 10:33:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST588 | THE WILD CARD: THE SZDSZ ELECTIONS AS THE LATEST [...] (C) Former Environment Minister Gabor Fodor's defeat of incumbent Janos Koka as SzDSz Party President is the latest variable in the Hungarian political equation. Contacts in both the MSzP and FIDESZ tell us that the coming months will largely depend on which of Fodor's many public statements [...] | 2008-06-13 10:13:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST592 | CAMPAIGNING WITHOUT AN ELECTION: THE PARTIES SHIFT [...] (C) As the MSzP and FIDESZ meet in closed session this week to map out strategy for the months ahead, both parties find themselves, in the words of FIDESZ VP Mihalj Varga, "campaigning without an election." SUMMERTIME BLUES 2. (C) In comments following the MSzP party leadership's meeti [...] | 2008-06-13 13:14:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST603 | HUNGARY WILL ATTEND JUNE 23 VIENNA CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-06-18 07:31:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PGOV PREL PHUM HU |
08BUDAPEST639 | PLAYING WITH THE MARGINS: FEW SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE [...] (C) Following their recent meeting to discuss the fall legislative agenda, there appears to be little stomach among the MSzP leadership for further reforms. Party VP Imre Szekeres confides that there is at least "full consensus" within the party about one thing: "reversing our present strate [...] | 2008-06-25 11:48:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EINV HU |
08BUDAPEST648 | HUNGARY COMMENTS ON SHAPING POST-CYCLONE [...] The MFA Asia and Pacific Ocean Department Head, Gyula Petho, discussed reftel with PolOff on June 27. Petho noted that the eight-member joint Hungarian Reformed Church Charity Organization-Debrecen University Doctors Rescue Group arrived back in Budapest on June 26 after ten days providing p [...] | 2008-06-27 15:02:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV EAID HU BU EUN |
08BUDAPEST663 | COCKTAILS FOR THE ROMA - MOLOTOV STYLE [...] Summary: Recent Molotov cocktail attacks on Roma houses in the village of Patka highlight a growing trend of open confrontation between Roma and non-Roma Hungarian citizens in various locales. Village officials and the local "Civil Guard" group face racism claims in their effort to maintain la [...] | 2008-07-02 05:04:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM SOCI HU |
08BUDAPEST666 | HUNGARIAN PARTICIPATION AT THE KOSOVO DONORS' [...] (SBU) MFA Kosovo Affairs Officer Zoltan Nagy discussed ref A demarche with PolOff on July 2. He noted that Hungary gives considerable importance to the conference, highlighting the GOH's decision last month to commit 1.2 million Euros in support of Kosovo. Nagy said that Ambassador Marianne [...] | 2008-07-03 08:14:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KPKO PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST673 | MAGYAR GARDA - TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS? [...] Summary: The Budapest Municipal Court held the third round of hearings concerning the Budapest Prosecutor's civil suit against the far-right Jobbik Party's Magyar Garda on June 30. The hearing attracted numerous onlookers, both for and against declaring the organization unlawful. Conducted [...] | 2008-07-07 10:33:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM SOCI HU |
08BUDAPEST69 | SLEDDING UPHILL: THE PUBLIC MOOD RE REFORM [...] (C) When Parliament returns from recess to begin its spring session in February, debate will return inevitably to the Gyurcsany government's reform agenda. Although Prime Minister Gyurcsany has pledged "smooth and steady progress," observers predict that the MSzP will tolerate minor modifica [...] | 2008-01-18 15:55:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST691 | RIDING THE RANGE AND MENDING FENCES: GYURCSANY'S [...] (C) The GoH is working to mend fences with the U.S. through a series of moves highlighted by Prime Minister Gyurcsany's trip to Central Asia July 7 ) 9. 2. (C) According to Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Karoly Banai, the trip was designed to demonstrate that Hungary is committed to [...] | 2008-07-10 14:06:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST723 | HUNGARY'S CUBA POLICY [...] (SBU) MFA Americas Department Head Szilveszter Bus discussed reftel with PolOff on July 22. Bus commented that the recently updated EU Common Position opens a new chapter in EU/Cuba relations. While Hungary supported the lifting of sanctions - stating that the embargo was/is not successful - [...] | 2008-07-23 07:33:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL CU HU EUN |
08BUDAPEST750 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: REALISM IN DEALING WITH THE [...] (C) Ref demarche was delivered on July 25, 2008, to Ambassador Laszlo Szabo of the Hungarian MFA Department for Africa and the Middle East. Szabo noted that Hungary was "not a pioneer" in reaching out to regimes like the Syrian Arab Republic Government (SARG) and that Hungary's foreign policy [...] | 2008-07-28 12:21:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SY HU |
08BUDAPEST764 | HUNGARIAN SUPPORT FOR AFGHANISTAN MISSION AFTER [...] (C) Following the second death of a Hungarian soldier in Afghanistan in just over a month, reaction from the media, opposition parties and high-ranking politicians has been largely measured, with criticism aimed at the soldiers' funding and training rather than questioning Hungarian participat [...] | 2008-07-30 15:26:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST771 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERS ON [...] (C) Ref talking points were delivered on July 31 to GoH Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials Marta Varkonyi, Head of the EU Enlargement Unit, and Zsuzsa Nora Vincze, Turkey desk officer. Hungary welcomed the July 30 decision by the Turkish Constitutional Court regarding the ruling Justice and [...] | 2008-08-01 15:19:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV TU EUN HU |
08BUDAPEST778 | CRUEL SUMMER: POLITICS IN SLOW MOTION [...] (C) There are few signs of life during Hungary's long summer break. Government and party officials have departed en masse for vacation ) leaving one staffer in the Prime Ministry to question exactly who is acting in Prime Minister Gyurcsany's absence ) and one contact notes that political de [...] | 2008-08-05 09:03:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST799 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NEW BURMA SANCTIONS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-08-08 08:46:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ETRD BM HU |
08BUDAPEST809 | THE GOH CONTINUES A DEFICIT REDUCTION DIET [...] (C) Financial analysts generally agree that the current government has neither the ability nor the appetite to enact economic reforms that will address underlying causes of slow economic growth in Hungary. As Oriens Consulting Group Partner and former OPT Bank Research Director Tamas Vojnits [...] | 2008-08-12 09:00:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV HU EFIN |
08BUDAPEST813 | TFGG01: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO HUNGARY REGARDING [...] No summary [...] | 2008-08-13 04:45:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RU GG HU |
08BUDAPEST814 | ANTI-ROMA INCIDENTS CONTINUE THROUGH THE SUMMER [...] (C) Summary. New Molotov cocktail attacks against Roma families and an anti-Roma cartoon in a satirical publication are two of the latest examples of an escalating trend of anti-Roma activities which, although carried out by only a small fraction of the population, have not triggered strong p [...] | 2008-08-13 09:03:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST83 | SLEDDING UPHILL ... AND SLIDING BACK DOWN: THE [...] (C) When Parliament returns from recess to begin its spring session in February, debate will return inevitably to the Gyurcsany government's reform agenda. Although Prime Minister Gyurcsany has pledged "smooth and steady progress" and is reportedly preparing legislation on party financing an [...] | 2008-01-24 16:32:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON KDEM HU |
08BUDAPEST836 | HUNGARY: CODEL LUGAR SCENESETTER [...] (SBU) Welcome to Budapest. Your visit comes as the Hungarian Government slowly re-engages following the long summer "cucumber season" and offers an excellent opportunity for discussion of Georgia and energy security. While Hungary remains a committed partner in the trans-Atlantic relationsh [...] | 2008-08-22 12:31:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON GG RU HU |
08BUDAPEST844 | HUNGARY'S QUIET DIPLOMACY ON SOUTH OSSETIA AND [...] (C) Summary. The Hungarian Government will continue to work through their NATO and EU fora rather than directly confront the "difficult partner" Russia on the Georgia conflict. Prime Minister Gyurcsany will attend the EU's September 1 special meeting on Georgia, looking to draw a red-line ba [...] | 2008-08-26 16:15:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS GG |
08BUDAPEST849 | HUNGARY WILL NOT RECOGNIZE SOUTH OSSETIA AND [...] (C) In discussion of ref A with PolOff on August 27, MFA Russia and Balkans Deputy Department Head Istvan Ijgyarto called attention to Foreign Minister Goncz's comments today that Hungary will not recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. He also provided the official MFA res [...] | 2008-08-27 16:09:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RU HU |
08BUDAPEST858 | HUNGARY ON UPCOMING EU COUNCIL MEETING RE [...] (C) The Foreign Minister's Chief of Staff briefed Ambassador Foley on the positions Hungary intends to forward at the upcoming EU Council meeting. Hungary will praise the French presidency for its activism, support the EU statement condemning the recognition of the disputed regions, demand fu [...] | 2008-08-29 16:48:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OSCE UN GG RS HU |
08BUDAPEST874 | THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW TAX PLAN - TAX CUTS WITHOUT [...] (U) Summary. The GOH unveiled its multi-year USD 7 billion tax cut plan last week. Under the plan the government proposes to remove the unpopular 4 percent "solidarity tax" on businesses and to reduce employer social security contributions for lower wage employees, but it also intends to incre [...] | 2008-09-04 13:15:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV HU EFIN |
08BUDAPEST876 | OFF AND RUNNING ... IN CIRCLES: TAX REFORM DEBATE [...] (C) Although Parliament is not set to reconvene until September 15, Prime Minister Gyurcsany's tax reform proposal (SEPTEL) has already been criticized by the public, questioned by economic analysts, and rejected by his most important political constituency: his former coalition partners in t [...] | 2008-09-04 16:16:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST879 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON UPCOMING SEPTEMBER 5-6 [...] (SBU) MFA EU External Relations Section Chief Andras Dekany discussed reftels with PolOff on September 4 and provided the following comments on GYMNICH agenda items: 2. (SBU) Georgia: - Hungary supports an ESDP mission to Georgia and expects a decision at the September 15 GAERC. The mis [...] | 2008-09-05 11:43:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM HU EUN GG |
08BUDAPEST891 | DAS MERKEL SCENESETTER FOR BUDAPEST [...] (SBU) Welcome to Budapest. Your visit comes as the Hungarian Government slowly re-engages following the long summer "cucumber season" and offers an excellent opportunity for discussion of Georgia, energy security and the way forward on relations with Russia. While Hungary remains a committed [...] | 2008-09-08 16:20:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENGR HU |
08BUDAPEST895 | THE FIELDS OF FRIENDLY STRIFE: PM CALLS FOR MSZP [...] (SBU) In a move characterized as desperate by his opponents and clever by his supporters, Prime Minister Gyurcsany has called for an extraordinary session of the Socialist Party Congress on September 27. 2. (C) With his tax plan in limbo (reftel) and calls for his resignation once more in [...] | 2008-09-09 16:06:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST899 | EXPERTS' PARADISE: THE ARGUMENTS AND THE ODDS FOR [...] (C) Summary: A government of experts remains a persistent topic of conversation as prolonged gridlock continues to erode public confidence in Hungary's political class. Currently championed by the SzDSz, a government of experts is constitutionally possible but would likely not be politically [...] | 2008-09-12 14:48:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST902 | HUNGARIAN COMMENTS ON SEPTEMBER 15-16 GAERC [...] (SBU) MFA EU External Relations and Crisis Situations Section Chief Andras Dekany discussed reftels with PolOff on September 12, and provided the following comments concerning the agenda items: 2. (SBU) Zimbabwe - We are awaiting a clearer picture of the apparent agreement reached this w [...] | 2008-09-15 13:02:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV HU GG RS |
08BUDAPEST904 | RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS RE HUNGARIAN POLITICS [...] (C) Post's responses are keyed to Department's inquiries: A) From the context of the conversation, we read Navracsics' remarks re the impact of "strategic decisions" as referring to a negative public reaction to FIDESZ's efforts to articulate specific policy recommendations. We note that [...] | 2008-09-15 16:08:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST913 | RETURN TO NOWHERE: PARLIAMENT BEGINS ITS FALL [...] (U) Parliament reconvened on September 15, beginning its fall session with a dry session on a very rainy day in Budapest. 2. (SBU) Prime Minister Gyurcsany's opening remarks ) preceded by the usual walk-out by FIDESZ MPs - focused on his government's commitment to improving education and [...] | 2008-09-17 16:15:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST917 | HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WILL ATTEND SEPTEMBER [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-19 10:33:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | NATO PGOV PREL UNGA EU HU |
08BUDAPEST925 | HUNGARIAN STATE SECRETARY TO ATTEND THE SEPTEMBER [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-22 12:27:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL HU |
08BUDAPEST930 | CONTINUOUS LOOP: HUNGARY TWO YEARS AFTER "THE [...] (C) This old joke remains unfortunately topical. Two years after the public disclosure of Prime Minister Gyurcsany's notorious "lies" speech, the political debate remains heated in tone but largely frozen in time. The lingering specter of the speech remains, as do lasting public suspicions [...] | 2008-09-23 13:29:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM ECON HU |
08BUDAPEST933 | BUDAPEST DEMONSTRATIONS - LESS VIOLENCE, BUT [...] Summary. In a day of Budapest demonstrations September 20, approximately 4,000 supporters of the government's newly-organized Magyar Charta (Hungarian Charter) and 1,000 Roma peacefully carried their message of tolerance and inclusion through the streets of the Capital, culminating in a ral [...] | 2008-09-23 16:15:00 | Embassy Budapest | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINS SOCI HU |
08BUDAPEST940 | DAS MERKEL'S CONSULTATIONS IN BUDAPEST [...] (SBU) Summary. During his September 9-11 visit to Budapest, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Russia David Merkel focused on energy and the Russia/Georgia conflict with a broad range of senior Hungarian officials. Encouraging greater visible support for Nabucco and a slow down/suspension of Sou [...] | 2008-09-24 15:42:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EPET RS GG UP HU |
08BUDAPEST946 | SCENESETTER FOR SECRETARY RICE: FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (SBU) Foreign Minister Goncz arrives in Washington after a banner week for the GOH. With the approval of the last in a series of agreements needed to join our visa-waiver program and final steps toward a deal on the Papa airbase, Budapest can celebrate the achievement of two longstanding goal [...] | 2008-09-25 15:57:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST950 | COALITION OF THE UNWILLING: THE MSZP AND THE SZDSZ [...] (SBU) Following a succession of publicized meetings and a series of private contacts, the MSzP and the SzDSz appear to have moved from open conflict to ambiguous accord. 2. (U) In public comments following a meeting with SzDSz Party President Gabor Fodor September 23, Prime Minister Gyurc [...] | 2008-09-29 14:08:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST954 | CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM IN HUNGARY: ROAD TO [...] (C) It is an open secret among Hungarians that their politicians spend ten times more than the legal limit allowed for a campaign, often circumventing the law by conducting transactions with "bags full of cash" before every election. But this political imperative levies a high price on busines [...] | 2008-09-29 14:17:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST964 | THE WALLS HAVE EARS: DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE [...] (U) Accusations continue to circulate as Hungary's Prosecutor-General and domestic intelligence service investigate expanding charges of domestic espionage. SURVEILLANCE: ANY NUMBER CAN PLAY 2. (C) Though allegations of surveillance by ) and against ) the government are standard fare i [...] | 2008-10-01 12:46:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR HU |
08BUDAPEST965 | CAN THE CENTER HOLD?: HUNGARY'S SMALL PARTIES [...] (SBU) Hungary's "independent opposition parties" find themselves locked in conflict for centrist voters, fighting for what little oxygen is left from the raging conflict between the MSzP and FIDESZ. THE SZDSZ: INTERNAL BLEEDING 2. (SBU) In the past weeks, the SzDSz has lost both public [...] | 2008-10-01 12:51:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV HU |
08BUDAPEST992 | SCENE-SETTER FOR VISIT OF DAS MANISHA SINGH [...] (SBU) Welcome to Budapest. Your visit comes as the minority government's attention is largely focused on the passage of its 2009 budget and tax bill in Parliament. Hungary's economic problems, reform fatigue and sharp partisan divisions have resulted in considerable political gridlock. Embat [...] | 2008-10-10 12:13:00 | Embassy Budapest | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREL HU |
08BUENOSAIRES1006 | ARGENTINA: JAPANESE AMBASSADOR EXPRESSES CONCERN [...] (SBU) Summary: In an early July meeting among embassy teams, Japanese Ambassador to Argentina, Hitohiro Ishida, stressed the importance of Paris Club solidarity in dealing with Argentina's outstanding Paris Club debt and emphasized the need to send a strong message to the GOA to develop a rep [...] | 2008-07-23 15:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV EAGR AR JA |
08BUENOSAIRES1009 | ARGENTINE CABINET CHIEF RESIGNS AND IS REPLACED BY [...] (C) Summary and introduction: After months of rumors of his impending departure, Argentine Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez (AF) stepped down July 23 and has been replaced by Sergio Massa, the 36-year-old mayor of suburban Tigre and Kirchner protege. Another top GOA official announced there w [...] | 2008-07-23 23:16:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1012 | ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT REPLACES AG SECRETARY [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOA appointed Carlos Cheppi as the new Secretary of Agriculture on July 23. Secretary Cheppi replaces Javier de Urquiza in a widely expected change following the defeat in the Senate of the variable export tax proposal of the government. The new Agricultural Secretary is a [...] | 2008-07-24 21:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1013 | ARGENTINA: CABINET RESHUFFLE- THE MORE THINGS [...] (C) Summary: Argentine media and commentators are interpreting Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez's (AF) departure on July 23 as an indication that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's (CFK) administration will not be changing its hardline policy tactics. Left-of-center Critica ran a full [...] | 2008-07-24 22:05:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES103 | RESOURCE NATIONALISM IN ARGENTINA [...] (U) Post's response to Reftel A inquiry about the presence of resource nationalism in Argentina is tracked to reftel questions. --------------------------------------------- ----- EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS/POLICIES MOTIVATED BY RESOURCE NATIONALISM --------------------------------------------- -- [...] | 2008-01-30 16:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | AR ENRG EFIN ECON EMIN EINV EPET PGOV EAGR |
08BUENOSAIRES1038 | (C) ARGENTINA: SENATE PRESIDENT SAYS CRISIS JUST [...] (C) Summary: Senate President Pampuro told the Ambassador on July 24 that the GOA is in a delicate situation, tension is high throughout the government and society, and the crisis is just beginning. He said it is far from clear that a congressional majority can be pulled together at present f [...] | 2008-07-25 23:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1039 | ARGENTINA: COURT CONVICTS EX-ARMY CHIEF FOR DIRTY WAR [...] (U) On July 24, 81 year-old Luciano Benjamin Menendez, an Argentine ex-army General, was sentenced to life in prison for the 1977 kidnapping, torture and killing of four left-wing activists. Menendez must serve a life sentence in prison since a 2007 law was passed stating that all military offi [...] | 2008-07-28 09:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KJUS MARR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1052 | ARGENTINA: WHA A/S SHANNON AND AMBASSADOR WAYNE [...] (SBU) Summary: WHA A/S Shannon and Ambassador Wayne met with Argentine Chief Justice Lorenzetti on July 11 to discuss bilateral cooperation in the area of judicial reform. Lorenzetti praised the Argentine Supreme Court's close cooperation with the Embassy and the U.S. Supreme Court, citing a [...] | 2008-07-31 12:23:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KJUS KCOR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1080 | ARGENTINA: PRESIDENT DEFENDS ADMINISTRATION IN [...] (SBU) Summary: On Saturday, August 2, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) defended her administration's policies in her first press conference in her eight-month tenure. This was a departure from the Kirchners' longstanding media strategy, which has irked the media by not holdin [...] | 2008-08-05 09:49:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1115 | ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER INSIDER CARLOS ZANNINI ON THE [...] (C) Summary. "We must abandon pre-conceived notions about each other...and work to identify new areas of cooperation," President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's (CFK) Legal and Technical Secretary Carlos Zannini told Ambassador Wayne and Carl Meacham, Senior Professional Staff Member of th [...] | 2008-08-09 12:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAGR ECON EINV EFIN PHUM PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1124 | ARGENTINA'S CENTRAL BANK PRESIDENT CONCERNED ABOUT [...] (C) Central Bank Governor Martin Redrado called his central bank,s aggressive response to the June/July run on Argentine bank deposits wholly successful in staunching the outflow and in punishing currency speculators. This rsponse included the sale of $3.5 billion in dollar reserves over a 60 [...] | 2008-08-11 21:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV PREL OREP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1150 | ARGENTINA: CANDID TALK FROM BUENOS AIRES MAYOR MAURICIO MACRI ON CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting with Senior Professional Staffer of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Carl Meacham and the DCM, Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri criticized the Kirchners for pushing their policies to the limit and spoke directly about concerns that President Cristina Fernandez de K [...] | 2008-08-14 20:42:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAGR ECON ETRD EFIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1159 | ARGENTINA: MEETING WITH PRO-U.S./PRO-KIRCHNER [...] (C) Summary: On August 13, Chaco Governor Jorge Capitanich, a close ally of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK),said the administration faces four big challenges: 1) tackling inflation, 2) reducing subsidies; 3) repaying the Paris Club debt; and 4) setting the future agenda in the [...] | 2008-08-15 22:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1165 | INFLUENTIAL COMMENTATOR ON ARGENTINA'S UNSETTLED [...] (C) Summary: In an hour-long conversation on August 15, leading political analyst Joaquin Morales Sola (JMS) described the Argentine government as struggling to get by with short-term solutions and as being dangerously out of touch with Argentine society. He said that he believes that Preside [...] | 2008-08-19 14:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1166 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT HELPS BROKER CHAVEZ MEETING [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine President Cristina Kirchner (CFK) and her Ambassador to Washington, Hector Timerman, appear to have played a role in setting up Hugo Chavez's August 13 meeting in Caracas with Jewish leaders, as confirmed by Timerman's participation in the meeting. CFK's involvement a [...] | 2008-08-19 14:49:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KIRF VE AR BZ |
08BUENOSAIRES1172 | ARGENTINE FARMERS RENEW PROTESTS AND THREATEN TO STRIKE [...] (SBU) Summary: On Monday, August 18, the farm sector staged roadside demonstrations against unresolved GOA agriculture policies for the first time since the rejection of variable export taxes (Resolution 125) by the Argentine Congress one month ago. Farmers have threatened to go on strike by t [...] | 2008-08-19 23:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1176 | ARGENTINA: NEW DETAILS ON ANTONINI-WILSON'S [...] (C) Summary: On August 12, 2008, Hector Fernando Colella, President of Argentine courier firm OCA S.A., provided Emboffs with new details concerning the charter flight brought Guido Alejandro Antonini-Wilson and the now in-famous cash stuffed suitcase to Buenos Aires. Colella's business partner, [...] | 2008-08-20 17:16:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KJUS PREL SNAR KCOR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1180 | ARGENTINA: AGRARIAN FEDERATION ON CURRENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Nicolas Bossio, Private Secretary to the President of the Argentine Agrarian Federation (FAA),sees new-found solidarity in Argentina's agricultural sector, embodied by the coordinating Liaison Table ("Mesa de Enlace"),a committee comprised of the four agricultural entities th [...] | 2008-08-21 23:16:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1215 | ARGENTINE SENATORS SEE OPPORTUNITY AND RISKS IN NEW POLITICAL LANDSCAPE REF: [...] (U) Summary: Argentine Senate president Pampuro again privately criticized the government's handling of the agricultural sector crisis, while government and opposition senators in three separate meetings described a changed political landscape in Argentina to visiting SFRC Professional Staff Membe [...] | 2008-08-29 16:30:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EFIN EINV PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1218 | Argentina: Government Subsidy Increases Could Squeeze [...] (SBU) Government subsidies, mostly for energy, transportation, and food, have been surging in 2008 and threaten to undermine one of the pillars of the GOA's economic model, a primary fiscal surplus in the range of 3% of GDP. In the first half of 2008, the GOA spent over US$4 billion on subsidi [...] | 2008-08-29 20:02:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV EINV EAGR ENRG ETRD AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1221 | A/S SHANNON'S AUGUST 27 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) Summary: In a frank and friendly fifty-minute conversation, President Fernandez de Kirchner shared her views with A/S Shannon on Paraguay and Bolivia. She said she would work to support President Lugo and agreed to work quietly with us on Bolivia. She shared plans for her travel to NYC [...] | 2008-09-02 13:57:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM BL PA AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1226 | Chilean Ambassador to Argentina Emphasizes Positives in [...] (U) Chilean Ambassador Luis Mairre Aguirre met with Ambassador Wayne August 15, the first formal meeting between them. Mairre has been Ambassador since July of 2004 when he was appointed by former President Lagos. The former political exile, Minister, Ambassador to Mexico, and Socialist party [...] | 2008-09-03 19:17:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON CI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1239 | ARGENTINA ENDS ITS MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM [...] (C) Summary: The Argentine Senate on August 6 completed the legislative journey for a law abolishing the Argentine military justice system, a change pressed forward by Minister of Defense Garre. The step fulfills a promise Argentina made to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and res [...] | 2008-09-05 14:33:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM MARR PGOV PREL KJUS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1242 | ARGENTINA: HIGH-PROFILE GOVERNOR ASPIRES TO LESS [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Wayne met with the governor of Argentina's prosperous and populous Santa Fe province Hermes Binner August 28 to discuss potential avenues of cooperation which included tax reform, health, education and commerce. The two hours of discussion were also an opportunity t [...] | 2008-09-05 17:12:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1245 | ARGENTINA'S MAIN LABOR CONFEDERATION SPLITS [...] (SBU) Summary: Long-simmering internal tensions within Argentina's main union confederation, the CGT, finally boiled over in the confederation's latest internal elections. CGT Secretary General Hugo Moyano won a second term, while his rival, Luis Barrionuevo, quit the CGT to create a "disside [...] | 2008-09-05 19:48:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1255 | CODEL PETERSON'S SEPTEMBER 4 MEETING WITH [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner met September 4 with a U.S. congressional delegation led by Collin Peterson of Minnesota. The President supported holding bilateral discussions later this year to try to resolve market access issues involving Argentine lemons a [...] | 2008-09-08 20:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EAGR EFIN BEXP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES127 | ARGENTINA: DRAFT MISSION RESPONSE TO OPPOSITION [...] (U) Action Request -- para 5. 2. (SBU) Argentine opposition leader Elisa Carrio, who was the runner-up in the October 28 presidential election with 24% of the vote, publicly released a letter to the Ambassador on January 31 voicing concern about "rumors" that, in order to improve bilateral [...] | 2008-02-04 14:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV CJAN KJUS KPAO AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1275 | Argentina Renationalizes Flag Carrier Aerolineas Argentinas [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 3, Argentina's Senate approved the re-nationalization of Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) and its sister carrier Austral, formally marking the return of the financially troubled flag carrier from the Spanish travel conglomerate Marsans Group to state hands. In announcing [...] | 2008-09-12 18:54:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1277 | Argentina Renationalizes Flag Carrier Aerolineas Argentinas [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 3, Argentina's Senate approved the re-nationalization of Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) and its sister carrier Austral, formally marking the return of the financially troubled flag carrier from the Spanish travel conglomerate Marsans Group to state hands. In announcing [...] | 2008-09-12 20:42:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1288 | UNRESOLVED REGULATIONS STILL STIFLE ARGENTINE AGRICULTURAL [...] (SBU) Summary: GoA changes to the export registration process during the agricultural conflict have given its independent Agricultural Control Office (ONCCA) broad authority and control over commodity exports. Time limits for loading commodities and a law that retroactively establishes export [...] | 2008-09-16 12:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES129 | ARGENTINA PERSPECTIVES [...] (SBU) Summary: As part of outreach efforts during recent friction in U.S.-Argentine relations, Ambassador held one-on-one discussions with key players on the Argentine scene. In each, he explained the U.S. perspective on discord over the Miami court case and on bilateral relations. Inte [...] | 2008-02-04 15:29:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EINV EPET KPAO KCOR MARR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1305 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR, DEFENSE MINISTER WORK THE DETAILS OF MIL-MIL COOPERATION DESPITE RISING BILATERAL TENSIONS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-17 21:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR PGOV PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1312 | ARGENTINA: GOVERNMENT CLEARS LEGAL HURDLES TO PARIS CLUB [...] (SBU) With little fanfare, the GoA has moved to amend the Argentine Central Bank's (BCRA) Charter to allow for the legal use of BCRA reserves to pay Paris Club debts (see reftels for background). The GoA added an article to this effect to the decree issued September 16 amending the 2008 budget [...] | 2008-09-19 20:12:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1314 | ARGENTINA: ARMY CHIEF BENDINI, A KIRCHNER ALLY, [...] (C) Summary: Argentina's Cabinet Chief Sergio Massa announced late on September 18 that General Bendini, Army Chief of Staff for the past five years, had resigned. The resignation and its acceptance by the President followed by only hours the decision of a Federal Appeals Court in Comodoro Ri [...] | 2008-09-19 21:41:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KCRM MARR KCOR SNAR PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1347 | ARGENTINA SUPPORTS COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES BUT ASKS FOR [...] (SBU) Poloff raised reftel points with Soledad Capone in the Argentine MFA's Office of International Organizations. Capone indicated that Vice Foreign Minister Victorio Taccetti is currently scheduled to participate in the September 26 Community of Democracies (CD) meeting. She explained that [...] | 2008-09-26 20:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1358 | ARGENTINA: DIGITAL TV ENDGAME [...] (SBU) Summary and Action Request: Jose Aranda, Vice Chairman of the media conglomerate Clarin Group, told Charge on September 23 that that there is a "fighting chance" that the GOA could still choose the U.S. digital norm for DTV (ref B),and offered to work with the Embassy to promote this st [...] | 2008-10-02 13:07:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KPAO KMDR AMTC ECPS TSPL TINT PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1362 | (C) ARGENTINE MEDIA MAGNATE ON MEDIA LAW, AND THE [...] (C) Summary. Jose Aranda, Vice Chairman of the media conglomerate Clarin Group, told Charge that the GOA's attempt to promote a new Media Law (ref B) was likely on hold for several months, given GOA's more pressing priorities and a weakened position in the GOA Congress. He cited Clarin's "sol [...] | 2008-10-02 21:14:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON ECPS PREL KPAO KMDR EINT AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1363 | ARGENTINE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR DECLARES SIX-DAY STRIKE [...] (U) Summary: In the wake of the agricultural sector's Mesa de Enlace coordinating committee ("Liaison Board") failure to reach agreement with the GOA on key issues during a meeting with Secretary of Agriculture Cheppi last week, farm leaders announced a six-day strike that will begin this Frid [...] | 2008-10-02 21:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1380 | ARGENTINE POLICE AGENT CLAIMS FBI OFFERED HER [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentina's largest circulation newspaper "Clarin" and other media outlets (including television and radio) reported that former airport police agent Maria del Lujan Telpuk claimed the FBI had offered her "political asylum" and help in getting "work," presumably in exchange fo [...] | 2008-10-08 16:58:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KJUS KCRM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1389 | Argentine Congress' Budget Review Clouded by Global [...] (SBU) The Argentine legislature is set to amend the 2008 budget and pass the 2009 budget in the face of a deteriorating external environment and increasing anxiety about its impact on Argentina's economy and finances. The 2008 bill increases expenditures in 2008 by about US$11.5 billion due to [...] | 2008-10-09 17:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON ETRD PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1393 | ARGENTINA: SAN LUIS GOVERNOR SAYS GOA LACKS MASTER [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Wayne met with San Luis Governor and 2007 presidential candidate Rodriguez Saa on October 1. A dissident Peronist and critic of the Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) administration, Rodriguez Saa expressed his frustration at the current political situation, alleg [...] | 2008-10-09 18:07:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1401 | ARGENTINE WITNESS IN MIAMI TRIAL CONTINUES TO [...] (SBU) Sumary: After ten days in Miami, former Airport Security Police Officer and witness in the Antonini-Wilson case, Maria Lujan Telpuk returned to Buenos Aires on October 9 and continued (reftel) to question the way the FBI intercepted and interviewed her at Miami International Airport on S [...] | 2008-10-10 18:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KCRM KCOR SNAR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1409 | Argentina: Civair Tour d'Horizon [...] (SBU) Summary. Argentine civil aviation authorities are slowly working the transition from military to civilian control of Argentine civil aviation with support from ICAO and the Mitre Corporation, and the GoA hopes to sign a new technical assistance agreement soon with the FAA. The profitabi [...] | 2008-10-14 13:36:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PGOV ELAB UY AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1410 | ARGENTINA: SIX-DAY AGRICULTURAL STRIKE ENDS WITH LITTLE [...] (U) Summary: Without the fanfare of previous strikes, the agricultural sector ended its latest strike against GOA agricultural policies on Wednesday, October 8 - at least for now. Compared to other agricultural protests in the previous seven months, this strike was a non-event, as it attracte [...] | 2008-10-14 14:32:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1418 | Argentina's Buenos Aires Province-owned Bank [...] (SBU) Guillermo Francos, President of Argentina's second largest public bank, Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (BP),is looking to expand secured lending to provincial small and medium enterprise for investment in new productive capacity. Outside of BP's regular lending activity, Francos [...] | 2008-10-15 19:10:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV PGOV PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1420 | ARGENTINA: AMIA PROSECUTOR DESCRIBES IMPENDING [...] (C) Summary: Alberto Nisman, Argentina's Special Prosecutor to investigate the 1994 terrorist attack against the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA),called on the Ambassador October 14, 2008 to provide advance notice of what he said would be the first civil action to be advanced again [...] | 2008-10-15 22:53:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KJUS PGOV PREL EFIN IR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1426 | Argentina's Buenos Aires Province Taxman: Public Profile, [...] (SBU) Santiago Montoya, tax chief of Buenos Aries province, Argentina's largest, is riding a wave of popularity following high-profile tax compliance sweeps of wealthy neighborhoods. This popular support, he told Ambassador, demolishes the Argentine political truism that zealous tax enforcement [...] | 2008-10-17 12:30:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1434 | ARGENTINA: LA RIOJA GOVERNOR WELCOMES U.S. [...] (SBU) Summary: La Rioja Governor and Peronist party member Luis Beder Herrera described his rural province's economy and expressed hope for U.S. investment in the mining area. The Governor asked about U.S. relations with Argentina, and the Ambassador highlighted strong cooperation in a wide [...] | 2008-10-20 12:02:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1442 | Argentina: Cash-Strapped GoA to Nationalize Private Pension [...] (SBU) The GoA will announce formally October 21 its plans to submit a bill to Congress to "rescue" future retirees by nationalizing Argentina's private pension system. Argentina's social security system was partially privatized in 1994, with workers given the right to choose between affiliatin [...] | 2008-10-21 18:19:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1444 | ARGENTINA: RUSSIAN DELEGATION PROMOTES DEFENSE [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine Defense Minister Nilda Garre hosted the Secretary of Russia's National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, on October 15, entertaining Russian proposals for military sales, training, and non-military cooperation including in the field of nuclear energy. Although poten [...] | 2008-10-22 14:32:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR PREL PGOV ECON RU AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1458 | U.S. Company MetLife Discusses Options in the Face of [...] (SBU) Met Life, the only U.S.-operated private pension fund operating in Argentina, does not see any way to block the Argentine government's plan to nationalize all private pension assets (reftels). The only possible obstacles are major social unrest or Congressional rejection of the GoA's pro [...] | 2008-10-23 20:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1461 | ARGENTINA RECEIVES IRAN'S NOTIFICATION THAT IT WILL NOT [...] (U) The Argentine Foreign Ministry received October 22 Iran's formal rejection of its extradition requests for eight Iranian individuals, including ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani, wanted for trial in connection with the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that kill [...] | 2008-10-24 12:29:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PREL PHUM PGOV ASEC IR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1465 | ARGENTINA: LEGISLATORS SUPPORT CLOSER [...] (SBU) Summary: Five members of the Argentine Lower House in three meetings with the Ambassador shared their impressions of recent political developments in Argentina and expressed support for greater collaboration with the U.S. Congress. Opposition members of the Argentine Lower House "U.S. F [...] | 2008-10-24 20:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1466 | Pensions Nationalization Proposal Prompts Financial Panic, [...] (SBU) The Argentine government appears to have been completely unprepared for the plunge in Argentine stock and bond prices following its announcement that it would nationalize the nation's private pension system. GoA officials clearly did not think through the possible negative consequences o [...] | 2008-10-27 14:51:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1469 | ARGENTINA DESIGNATES U.S. AMBASSADOR AS G-20 SHERPA [...] (U) In response to a diplomatic note delivered Friday, October 24, Ambassador received a call from cabinet-ranked Secretary General to the Presidency Oscar Parrilli October 27 to inform us that Argentine Ambassador the U.S. Hector Timerman has been designated the GoA Sherpa for the upcoming No [...] | 2008-10-27 15:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO EFIN ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1475 | Blow-by-Blow on Argentina's Nationalization of Pensions and [...] (SBU) Argentine President Cristina Kirchner de Fernandez has justified the GoA's nationalization of Argentina's private pension system as a "rescue of retirees," although local analysts agree that the real reasons are financial. Under Judicial order, the pension funds were raided and blocked f [...] | 2008-10-27 19:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1478 | GOVERNMENT OF ARGENTINA THINKING OUT LOUD ON [...] (SBU) Summary: Five Argentine Cabinet Ministers joined a host of other public and private figures October 9 to launch a two-day workshop on Argentine narcotics policies, offering the first serious public dialogue on decriminalization of consumption since President Fernandez de Kirchner mooted t [...] | 2008-10-27 21:06:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL PGOV EFIN KJUS PHUM SOCI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1480 | ARGENTINA SUPPORTS U.S. BID FOR EXECUTIVE [...] (U) Poloff raised Ref A points with Counselor Fabiana Laguzzo, Director of Women's Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 27. Laguzzo indicated that she did not foresee any difficulties in supporting the U.S. bid for the Executive Committee of the Inter-American Commission of W [...] | 2008-10-28 14:24:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC OAS KWMN PGOV PREL XK XL XM XS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1489 | BRAZIL-ARGENTINA COORDINATE ON G-20, DIFFER ON [...] (C) On October 27, Brazilian Ambassador to Argentina Mauro Vieira (protect strictly) told the Ambassador that while Brazil and Argentina differed on the proper trade policy response to the current economic crisis, Brazil would be patient with its neighbor and would work to encourage a constru [...] | 2008-10-29 19:28:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD MARR MOPS PGOV PREL AR BR |
08BUENOSAIRES1490 | METLIFE EXEC FORESEES DIRE CONSEQUENCES FOR [...] (C) MetLife's head of Latin American operations, Oscar Schmidt (PROTECT),told Ambassador Wayne October 28 that he expected major economic upheaval in Argentina if the Argentine Congress fails to achieve rapid passage of the GoA's bill to nationalize the private pension system. The longer and [...] | 2008-10-29 20:41:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1493 | ARGENTINE CENTRAL BANK AND ECONOMY MINISTRY [...] (C) The Argentine Central Bank (BCRA) is taking the lead on preparing briefing material for President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's (CFK) participation in the November 15 G-20 meeting, BCRA President Redrado told Ambassador October 24. While not in a position to guarantee how CFK will use [...] | 2008-10-30 16:25:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1497 | ARGENTINA: POST RESPONSE TO INFORMATION GATHERING [...] (C) Post provides the following response to Ref A request for information on Argentina in advance of the November 15 G-20 meeting in Washington. Relevant financial and political reporting from October provided reftels. I. Key Objectives and Priorities/Desired Outcomes of the Summit: Presi [...] | 2008-10-30 20:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES152 | ARGENTINA: MENDOZA GOVERNOR SEEKS CLOSER U.S. TIES [...] (U) Summary: Mendoza Governor Celso Jaque called on the Ambassador February 6, seeking increased contact and opportunities for cooperation with the Embassy and U.S. agencies on such issues as public security, counternarcotics, and public administration. Public security is a top concern for Mend [...] | 2008-02-08 17:52:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KJUS SNAR PHUM ASEC KPAO MASS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1520 | Argentina: Finance and Industries Secretaries on G-20 [...] (SBU) GoA Finance Secretary Hernan Lorenzino confirmed he has taken on the substantive role of formulating Argentina's positions for the upcoming G-20 Summit in Washington and that these positions will be coordinated with those of Brazil at the upcoming November 8-9 Mercosur Summit in Sao Paulo [...] | 2008-11-04 18:11:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1521 | ARGENTINE PENSION NATIONALIZATION STATUS: [...] (C) The Argentine government's plan to nationalize the private pension system continues to dominate headlines and drive domestic market developments. Argentina's lower house is expected to pass the GoA's draft bill November 6 or 7, albeit with the GoA reportedly agreeing to modifications, inc [...] | 2008-11-04 20:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1537 | Argentina: G-20 Trade Policy Position [...] (SBU) Despite a relatively protectionist response to the global financial crisis, Argentina trade officials say they will work towards consensual and practical trade policy communique language at the G-20 Summit. Argentina will, however, likely object to any Summit calls to resuscitate WTO Do [...] | 2008-11-07 13:51:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON EFIN PREL PGOV BR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1542 | ARGENTINE POLITICAL CLASS WELCOMES OBAMA VICTORY; [...] (U) Summary: Argentine reaction to the victory of President-elect Obama was uniformly positive and welcoming. In a congratulatory message to President-elect Barack Obama (reftel),Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) called Obama's win "a major milestone...in the fight ag [...] | 2008-11-07 20:44:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO OPDC AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1549 | Argentina's New Federalism: Politicized Revenue Sharing [...] (SBU) Argentina's federal government collects the lion's share of national revenues, and a "co-participation" revenue-sharing scheme mandates that fixed shares of most federal taxes be distributed to the nation's 24 provinces. Controversial earmarks and other alterations to the distribution fo [...] | 2008-11-12 18:47:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1551 | ARGENTINA WEIGHS IN WITH URUGUAY AND BRAZIL ON [...] (C) Poloff raised ref A points with Counselor Silvia Cao, of the Argentine MFA's Office of Human Rights on November 10. Cao indicated that she would pass to her superiors our request to weigh in with GRULAC members on the no-action motions as well as the underlying resolutions condemning the [...] | 2008-11-13 12:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM AR BZ UY CO |
08BUENOSAIRES1569 | ARGENTINA: SAN JUAN GOVERNOR SAYS STATE CAN [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Wayne and DCM Kelly met with San Juan Governor and Peronist Party member (PJ) Jose Luis Gioja on October 28, shortly before the Governor's travel to the U.S. to observe the presidential elections. Gioja said he maintains a positive dialogue with President Cristina F [...] | 2008-11-17 22:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PINR PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES158 | Argentina: San Luis Governor Discusses His Province's [...] (U) Summary: San Luis Governor Jose Luis Gioja briefed the Ambassador February 7 on San Juan's infrastructure development, investment climate, and environmental protection measures. The Ambassador congratulated the Governor on San Juan's impressive export growth -- particularly in the mining a [...] | 2008-02-11 17:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EMIN SENV KPAO EINV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1580 | ARGENTINA: SUPREME COURT RULING OPENS THE DOOR FOR TRADE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Argentine Supreme Court declared Article 41 of the Trade Unions Law unconstitutional and upheld the right of a workers' union that lacks official legal recognition to elect its own delegates. The ruling, if widely applied to organized labor, would expand representation right [...] | 2008-11-19 19:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1583 | ARGENTINE NATIONALIZATION OF PRIVATE PENSION [...] (C) The Argentine Senate appears ready to pass the government's plan to nationalize Argentina's private pension system on November 20. The main U.S. company involved, MetLife, is "frustrated, angry, and disappointed," its officials told the Ambassador November 17. Met's priorities now are to [...] | 2008-11-19 19:47:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1588 | Public Diplomacy Best Practices: Countering [...] SUMMARY. The level of anti-Americanism in Argentina is the highest in the Western Hemisphere. For the last two years, we have been working hard to reverse our negative image, making this the Mission's highest priority. We believe we have found a formula for success through substantially incre [...] | 2008-11-21 17:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO AR PGOV |
08BUENOSAIRES1592 | ARGENTINA: 2008 TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT [...] Per Reftel instructions, below is post,s interim assessment of Argentina,s progress in its efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). Our response is keyed to points found in reftel. A) IMPLEMENTING THE RECENTLY ENACTED FEDERAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING LAW, INCLUDING ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS OR [...] | 2008-11-23 17:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1595 | Argentine Former President Kirchner's Bid to Head Unasur [...] (U) Leading daily "La Nacion" reported November 20 that the GOA would abandon its effort to win regional backing for former President Nestor Kirchner as head of the South American Union of Nations (Unasur). Argentine sources indicated that Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez's rejection of Kirc [...] | 2008-11-24 13:37:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1618 | ARGENTINE GOVERNOR TO VISIT FORMER VICE PRESIDENT GORE IN [...] No summary [...] | 2008-11-28 13:48:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL SENV PGOV KPAO SCUL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1632 | ARGENTINA: MEXICAN PRESIDENT CALDERON'S VISIT [...] (SBU) Summary: Mexican President Felipe Calderon paid a state visit to Argentina November 23-25, renewing a diplomatic relationship that had been relatively limited since the 2005 Summit of the Americas at Mar de Plata, despite growing commercial ties over that period. GOA officials emphasize [...] | 2008-12-01 18:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON SNAR ETRD EFIN AR MX |
08BUENOSAIRES1633 | Argentine National Prayer Breakfast [...] (U) Argentina's small but growing Evangelical community held its annual prayer breakfast on November 27 with the participation of Argentine Vice President Julio Cobos and four national deputies of the center-right PRO party, led by Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri, and a range of civic leaders [...] | 2008-12-01 19:28:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM SCUL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1636 | Public Diplomacy Best Practices: Focusing on Social Issues [...] SUMMARY. The United States is often criticized in Latin America for its lack of attention to social issues. To fight this perception during the last two years, the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires has led efforts to spotlight the major social issues in the city and country, bringing media attenti [...] | 2008-12-02 13:41:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO AR PGOV |
08BUENOSAIRES1642 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 23-24 TRIP TO RODRIGUEZ [...] (SBU) Ambassador Wayne, visiting the central Argentine province of San Luis for the first time November 23-24, saw evidence of a provincial government that prides itself on its investment in infrastructure, technology, education, and good governance. Governor Rodriguez Saa, a flamboyant Peronis [...] | 2008-12-02 19:48:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1643 | ARGENTINA ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL REVIEW, NOVEMBER 2008 [...] (U) Provided below is Embassy Buenos Aires' Economic and Financial Review covering November 2008. The unclassified email version of this report includes tables and charts tracking Argentine economic developments. Contact Econoff Chris Landberg at landbergca@state.gov to be included on the ema [...] | 2008-12-02 20:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1664 | ARGENTINA: FORMOSA GOVERNOR CONCERNED ABOUT BORDER WITH [...] (SBU) Summary: Peronist Gildo Insfran, Governor of Argentina's northeastern province of Formosa, discussed with Ambassador Wayne on November 20 his views regarding economic development, renewable energy, the challenges of cross-border security, and the status of Formosa's indigenous population [...] | 2008-12-05 11:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EAGR SNAR PHUM AR PA |
08BUENOSAIRES1665 | ARGENTINA: ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY EXITS GOVERNMENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Controversial Environment Secretary Romina Picolotti resigned on December 2, reportedly at the request of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK). Picolotti is replaced by Homero Maximo Bibiloni, an environmental attorney. Presidency sources quoted in the press stated t [...] | 2008-12-05 12:03:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SENV KCOR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1667 | Argentina Announces Economic Stimulus Package [...] (SBU) One week after announcing a 71 billion public works plan (Ref A),President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) unveiled an additional ARP 13.2 billion (US$3.9 billion) "economic incentives" package, designed to "revive and stimulate production, investment, jobs, and consumption, and all [...] | 2008-12-05 18:36:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV EIND ETRD EAGR PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1680 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT SIGNS PENSION NATIONALIZATION [...] (C) Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed into law on December 4 her audacious plan to nationalize the country's private pension system. The law officially entered into force December 9. Contrary to early expectations that the GoA would have a tough fight getting it throu [...] | 2008-12-11 11:51:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1681 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT REPRISES HER CRITIQUE OF U.S. [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine President Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) indulged in an increasingly familiar critique of the international system during a two-day visit to Russia December 9-10, taking jabs implicitly at the U.S. and blaming "unilateralism" for economic and security hardships in the wor [...] | 2008-12-11 17:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ETRD PHUM ECON EAGR RU AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1682 | ARGENTINA: FISCAL SOLVENCY CONCERNS REMAIN, [...] (C) The Argentine government's nationalization of the country's private pension system entered into force December 9, giving the GoA access to about US$25 billion in financial assets and US$4 billion in annual contributor payments. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) ha [...] | 2008-12-11 18:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1697 | RELOCATING DEA PERSONNEL FROM BOLIVIA TO OTHER [...] (C) The following information is provided in response to questions in reftel A regarding the relocation of three DEA positions from Embassy La Paz to Embassy Buenos Aires. 2. (C) As reported in reftel B, on November 14, 2008, Ambassador Wayne advised Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez tha [...] | 2008-12-15 20:41:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR AR BO BR CH PA PE |
08BUENOSAIRES1705 | Human Rights Day Message Reaches Millions of Argentines [...] (U) SUMMARY: Embassy Buenos Aires used the observance of Human Rights Day on December 10 to reach tens of thousands of Argentines on the importance of respecting human rights both here in Argentina and throughout the world. Post co-hosted a human rights recognition ceremony with the GOA's Na [...] | 2008-12-17 17:09:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1706 | Argentina: Former President Nestor Kirchner Criticizes a [...] (SBU) Summary. Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner attacked Vice President Julio Cobos, the opposition, the United States, and the press in remarks to party faithful December 16. Kirchner accused Cobos of intentionally trying to hinder Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's administration and [...] | 2008-12-18 09:43:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO KMDR SNAR PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1715 | ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER ALLY ADMITS RECEIVING CUBAN [...] (SBU) Argentine journalist Gerardo Young alleges in his new book that street activist ("piquetero," literally meaning "picketer") Luis D'Elia successfully evaded security at Argentina's Ezeiza international airport in late October 2005 to bring in USD 1 million from Cuba to finance the "counte [...] | 2008-12-18 19:40:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL VZ CU AR |
08BUENOSAIRES172 | ARGENTINA: PUTTING SECURITY COOPERATION BACK ON [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador met February 12 with Minister of Justice and Security Anibal Fernandez for the first time since Miami court proceedings relating to the Antonini Wilson suitcase scandal put a chill on relations in mid-December. Ambassador reiterated that the focus of the case is on vio [...] | 2008-02-13 18:17:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KJUS KWNM SNAR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1726 | Argentina: Presidential Declaration of Argentina, Brazil [...] Argentine Ambassador to the United States Hector Timerman gave the Ambassador December 17 an unsigned copy of a joint declaration that he said was signed by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez i [...] | 2008-12-19 21:10:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL BR VE AR |
08BUENOSAIRES173 | ARGENTINA: PUTTING SECURITY COOPERATION BACK ON [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador met February 12 with Minister of Justice and Security Anibal Fernandez for the first time since Miami court proceedings relating to the Antonini Wilson suitcase scandal put a chill on relations in mid-December. Ambassador reiterated that the focus of the case is on vio [...] | 2008-02-14 10:01:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KJUS KWNM SNAR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1742 | ARGENTINES NOT SHOCKED THERE'S CORRUPTION GOING [...] (SBU) Summary: German company Siemens' December 15 guilty plea with the U.S. Department of Justice-Fraud Section, over corrupt practices, including payments of bribes to officials in previous Argentine governments, has provoked sustained attention in the Argentine press but no major reaction fr [...] | 2008-12-23 19:27:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCOR PREL EFIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES1746 | Argentine Congress Approves GoA Expropriation of Flag [...] (SBU) On December 17, the Argentine Senate approved a bill to expropriate the troubled national airline, Aerolineas Argentinas, and its smaller sister carrier Austral. The action followed a lower house vote on December 3, and marked the end of almost two decades of Spanish control of the flag [...] | 2008-12-24 13:46:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON EINV EIND PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES176 | ARGENTINA: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL ENGEL [...] (SBU) Introduction: On behalf of Embassy Buenos Aires, I warmly welcome your visit to Argentina February 20-23. The Government of Argentina is billing your visit as a major indicator of U.S. goodwill, firming up the recent "rapprochement" that ended seven weeks of discord. With the new admin [...] | 2008-02-14 16:27:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PTER SNAR ECON EFIN BEXP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES178 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH CHIEF CABINET [...] (C) Summary: On February 12, Ambassador lunched with Argentina's Chief Cabinet Minister Alberto Fernandez (AF) in the first in a newly initiated series of monthly lunches developed to help manage U.S.-Argentine relations. Topics covered included working with A/S Shannon and others to foster [...] | 2008-02-14 17:58:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EINV EPET KPAO KCOR MARR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES190 | Argentina: U.S. Silver Mining Company Coeur Earns Solid [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Idaho-based Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation has completed construction of a $15 million silver processing mill at their Santa Cruz province mine site that is adding domestic value and generating employment. President Cristina Kirchner is expected to attend the plant's March 19 i [...] | 2008-02-15 18:03:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD EINV ECON PGOV ENRG BL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES196 | ARGENTINA'S FORMER PRESIDENT KIRCHNER LOOKS TO [...] (C) Summary and introduction: Just two months out of office, Argentina's ex-president Nestor Kirchner is still very much in the limelight. Kirchner is moving to revive and take control of the Justicialist Party (PJ),commonly referred to as the Peronist Party in honor of its founder, Juan Do [...] | 2008-02-19 18:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES229 | CODEL ENGEL PRESSES ARGENTINE ECONOMY MINISTER ON [...] (C) During a February 21 meeting with new Argentine Economy Minister Martin Lousteau, Representatives Engel (D-NY),Green (D-TX),Hinchey (D-NY),Weller (R-IL),and Foxx (R-NC)) pressed Lousteau to provide GoA positions on three issues of increasing importance to Congress: 1) prospects of nego [...] | 2008-02-25 18:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES230 | Argentina Hosts Brazil, Bolivia Presidents on Looming [...] (SBU) A bilateral Argentine/Brazil presidential summit in Buenos Aires February 22 and a follow-on February 23 trilateral Argentine/Brazil/Bolivia presidential summit focused largely on regional energy coordination. Bolivia's President Morales acknowledged his country's near-term inability to [...] | 2008-02-26 08:09:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG EPET PREL PGOV AR BR BL |
08BUENOSAIRES241 | ARGENTINA CIVAIR: TRANSITION FROM MILITARY TO CIVILIAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Almost a year after the creation of the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC),the agency that will assume responsibility for Argentina's civair once a transition from military to civilian control occurs, a Director has finally been named and some institutional reorganiz [...] | 2008-02-27 14:40:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES242 | ARGENTINA: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSTS DISCUSS CFK [...] (SBU) Summary: Representative Eliot Engel and Delegation met February 21 with noted Argentine political and economic analysts to discuss bilateral relations, views on the Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) administration, and regional issues, including relations with Brazil, Venezuela, and Cu [...] | 2008-02-27 15:10:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON OREP AR VE BR CU |
08BUENOSAIRES246 | CODEL ENGEL VISITS AMIA AND DISCUSSES CONCERN OVER [...] (SBU) Summary. On February 22, Ambassador Wayne and a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation headed by Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) met with the political leadership of the Argentine Jewish community (DAIA) and the President of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA). During the [...] | 2008-02-27 18:23:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR FBI |
08BUENOSAIRES249 | ARGENTINA: NGO PARTICIPATION IN UNHRC REVIEW MIXED [...] (SBU) Per Ref A instructions, poloff contacted two leading human rights organizations (HROs) in Argentina, Poder Ciudadano, (Citizen Power) and the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS),to see if they participated in the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review for Argentina. [...] | 2008-02-28 09:28:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES269 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT CFK ANNOUNCES HER PRIORITIES [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) opened the ordinary session of Congress March 1 with the equivalent of a State of the Union address. Speaking extemporaneously for 73 minutes, she was well organized and demonstrated an impressive mastery of statistics. [...] | 2008-03-03 19:27:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES272 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT CFK ANNOUNCES HER PRIORITIES [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) opened the ordinary session of Congress March 1 with the equivalent of a State of the Union address. Speaking extemporaneously for 73 minutes, she was well organized and demonstrated an impressive mastery of statistics. [...] | 2008-03-04 08:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES284 | ARGENTINA: GOA INTERNAL SQUABBLE OVER INFLATION [...] (SBU) The Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) chose not to address public concern over high levels of inflation or the raging debate over the accuracy and reliability of GoA inflation measures in her March 1st State of the Nation Speech. Just days before CFK,s speech, Chi [...] | 2008-03-05 15:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES307 | ARGENTINA: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL SHELBY [...] Post warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Ambassador Richard Shelby and members of his delegation to travel to Argentina for the period March 23-26, 2008. The purpose of the visit is to have bilateral discussions with senior Argentine government officials on a range of financial, ec [...] | 2008-03-10 18:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PTER SNAR ECON EFIN BEXP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES311 | ARGENTINE GOVERNOR OF SALTA CALLS ON THE AMBASSADOR [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with Salta Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey, Argentina's youngest governor, and discussed areas for cooperation, including promotion of trade and investment, cultural exchanges, and his upcoming trip to Miami, Washington, and New York in April. The Governor descr [...] | 2008-03-12 10:52:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ECON PGOV PINR SCUL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES318 | ARGENTINA: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL SHELBY [...] (SBU) On behalf of Embassy Buenos Aires, I warmly welcome your March 23-26 visit to Argentina. We are looking to build on an already strong and positive bilateral relationship with the three-month-old administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Current significant areas of mut [...] | 2008-03-13 11:35:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PTER SNAR ECON EFIN BEXP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES322 | ARGENTINA DISCUSSES SHIFT IN POLICY TOWARD ILLICIT [...] (SBU) Summary: Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez announced this week that the GoA intends to redirect its counternarcotics efforts away from the pursuit of drug users in order to make more resources available for investigating and prosecuting drug traffickers. He argues that Argentina's co [...] | 2008-03-13 17:30:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SNAR KJUS PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES329 | ARGENTINA: NO TIME WASTED IN NAMING NEW VICE [...] (SBU) The Foreign Ministry, according to stories just coming out in the local press, has moved quickly to replace outgoing Vice FM Roberto Garcia-Moritan, who offered his resignation on March 11 (reftel). On March 13, Foreign Minister Taiana reportedly offered the VFM position to current Arge [...] | 2008-03-14 15:24:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES332 | Kudos to INR officer Andrew Stein [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-17 08:29:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR APER AR |
08BUENOSAIRES337 | ARGENTINA: CABINET CHIEF FERNANDEZ DEFENDS "PROPER AND [...] (SBU) In response to press stories asserting that U.S.-Argentine relations continued to sour, Chief of Cabinet Minister Alberto Fernandez spoke to the local media March 14 characterizing the U.S.-Argentina relationship as "proper and mature, based on mutual respect...even though both countries [...] | 2008-03-17 19:34:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES356 | Argentina's "Gas Plus" Natural Gas Production Incentives: [...] (SBU) GoA Planning Minister Julio De Vido has announced a series of measures designed to avert looming energy shortages in the upcoming (austral) winter heating season. These include the extension through year-end 2008 of the GoA's "Total Energy" liquid fuel subsidy program and a "Gas Plus" pla [...] | 2008-03-19 19:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES358 | ARGENTINA COMMEMORATES 1992 ISRAEL EMBASSY BOMBING [...] (SBU) On March 17, the GOA and the Israeli government held a ceremony commemorating the 16th anniversary of the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. During the event, Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez gave a candid and critical assessment of the GOA's investigation into the [...] | 2008-03-20 08:24:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER AR FBI IS |
08BUENOSAIRES367 | ARGENTINA: FBI'S AD FUENTES DISCUSSES COOPERATION [...] (SBU) Summary: During his March 5-6 visit to Argentina, FBI Assistant Director Tom Fuentes met with senior officials of the Argentine government, the Argentine Jewish community, the Province of Cordoba, and the city of Buenos Aires to discuss ongoing U.S.-Argentine security cooperation. Those [...] | 2008-03-20 16:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS SNAR KCRM ASEC AR FBI |
08BUENOSAIRES376 | ARGENTINA: FARMERS' STRIKE SPREADS TO THE CITIES [...] 1. (C) Summary: In her toughest domestic test to date, President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) turned up the temperature on March 25 in the two-week old confrontation with Argentina's rural sector over increased export taxes. In her first public comments on the strike, CFK denounced th [...] | 2008-03-26 18:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV ENRG EPET AR |
08BUENOSAIRES378 | FISCAL TRANSPARENCY - ARGENTINA [...] (U) Post submits the following responses keyed to reftel questions. 2. (U) IS THE HOST COUNTRY'S BUDGET MADE PUBLIC? By law, the Government of Argentina (GOA) makes public its national budget, including revenues and expenditures. 3. (U) IF SO, THROUGH WHAT MEDIUM (E.G. PUBLICATION, INTE [...] | 2008-03-27 15:42:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES386 | ARGENTINA: BACK FROM THE BRINK - RURAL SECTOR AND [...] (C) Summary: The GOA and Argentina's four main rural sector organizations have apparently worked out an understanding leading to a short "truce" and direct negotiations with a view to ending the 15-day-old rural sector strike (ref a). Negotiations are supposed to begin early March 28. The G [...] | 2008-03-28 17:01:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES387 | ARGENTINA: BACK FROM THE BRINK - RURAL SECTOR AND [...] (C) Summary: The GOA and Argentina's four main rural sector organizations have apparently worked out an understanding leading to a short "truce" and direct negotiations with a view to ending the 15-day-old rural sector strike (ref a). Negotiations are supposed to begin early March 28. The G [...] | 2008-03-28 17:01:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES389 | ARGENTINA: NGO "QUIENES SOMOS?" FIGHTS AGAINST [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Wayne recently met with representatives from the NGO "Quienes Somos?" ("Who are We?"),an organization that promotes legislation against child trafficking for illegal adoptions and lobbies the Argentine government (GOA) to assist in their efforts to uncover their t [...] | 2008-03-28 18:53:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES390 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR WAYNE AND MINISTER OF [...] (C) Summary: On March 26, Ambassador met with Argentina,s new Interior Minister, Florencio Randazzo. The Minister spoke at some length about the ongoing rural sector strikes (reftels),stating that this is the most difficult time that either Kirchner has faced, but is an opportunity for both [...] | 2008-03-28 19:31:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES398 | ARGENTINA: NO DIALOGUE, MORE ROADBLOCKS [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentina's farm sector decided late March 28 to continue its strike (now in its third week) following the failure of initial discussions with the GOA to make any headway on the sector's main demand of suspending increased agricultural export taxes for 90 days. The rural sector [...] | 2008-04-01 00:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV PHUM PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES413 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR WAYNE BUILDS BRIDGES WITH [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador had a cordial meeting with congressional deputies Carlos Kunkel and Luis Ilarregui, of the Kirchners' National Victory Front (FPV). Kunkel, known for his rabid outbursts (sometimes directed at the USG and the Ambassador) in defense of the Kirchners, emphasized th [...] | 2008-04-03 14:25:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES415 | ARGENTINA: AGRICULTURE SECTOR SUSPENDS STRIKE [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentina's four main agricultural organizations lifted their strike on April 2 for 30 days to hold discussions with the GOA. Roadblocks have been lifted throughout the country and food supplies are arriving in Buenos Aires and other major cities. Local papers report that basic [...] | 2008-04-03 20:49:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES425 | CODEL Shelby discusses bilateral relationship, TIP, and [...] (SBU) During a March 25 meeting with Justice Minister Anibal Fernandez, a delegation of four U.S. Senators and one Representative, led by Senator Shelby (R-AL),noted U.S. Congressional interest in Argentina's efforts to combat terrorism, terrorism financing, and money laundering, particularly [...] | 2008-04-04 19:14:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV GTIP PTER KTFN ECON OREP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES435 | ARGENTINA: Ambassador Discusses Farm Strike with [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador met with one of the largest soybean producers in Argentina the day after the agricultural strike was suspended for 30 days. Government supporters have responded to the agricultural strike by attacking large producers and soybean production in general. The agricultur [...] | 2008-04-08 14:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES439 | ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT CFK OFF TO A ROUGH START [...] (C) Summary: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) had a rough first four months in office. Her administration has produced few new policy initiatives or concrete policy successes. CFK's term has been marked by two serious crises, one foreign and one domestic. Both were exacerbat [...] | 2008-04-08 19:08:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES441 | ARGENTINA: SCENESETTER FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON'S APRIL 10-11 VISIT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-08 23:10:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | AR ECON EFIN PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SNAR |
08BUENOSAIRES442 | Argentina: U.S. Mining Company Coeur Inaugurates New Silver [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. On March 19, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner inaugurated Idaho-based Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation's new US$15 million silver processing mill in Santa Cruz province (where former President Nestor Kirchner was Governor before becoming President in 2003). The new mill a [...] | 2008-04-09 13:47:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EMIN EIND ETRD EINV ECON PGOV BL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES462 | ARGENTINE VALIJAGATE INVESTIGATION MOVING SLOWLY [...] (SBU) Summary: The Argentine investigation into the origin and destination of USD 800,000 seized from a Venezuelan-American passenger arriving on a chartered flight from Caracas last August continues to move forward slowly. A new judge has been assigned to oversee the money laundering and cu [...] | 2008-04-10 12:03:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS PREL SNAR KCOR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES471 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES TIP AND CORRUPTION [...] (C) Summary: On April 7, the Ambassador met with Argentina's National Ombudsman Dr. Eduardo Mondino. The Ombudsman spoke at length about the independence of his office, which he said has occasionally incurred the rancor of both Kirchner Administrations. His portfolio includes the protection [...] | 2008-04-14 10:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM SOCI EFIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES478 | ARGENTINA: SENATE VP JUAN CARLOS ROMERO [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador met with Senate Vice President Juan Carlos Romero of the Kirchners' National Victory Front (FPV) on April 4 in his office to discuss greater bilateral legislative cooperation. Romero has occasionally been critical of GOA policy in the past and publicly disagreed wit [...] | 2008-04-14 20:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES486 | REPORT CRITICIZES MEDIA COVERAGE OF ARGENTINE AGRICULTURAL [...] (SBU) Summary: A report released by the University of Buenos Aires's School of Social Sciences on April 5 sharply criticizes the Argentine media's coverage of the recent agricultural crisis in Argentina. The timing of the report's release, however, raised serious concerns, as it coincided wit [...] | 2008-04-15 18:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SCUL KPAO KDEM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES493 | ARGENTINA OFFICIALS EAGER TO STRENGTHEN ANTI-TIP [...] (C) On April 10, Argentine Justice Minister Anibal Fernandez informed visiting WHA Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon and Ambassador Wayne that he was very pleased with the April 9 Congressional passage of anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) legislation. He indicated that he was eager to begin w [...] | 2008-04-16 21:10:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KWMN PGOV ASEC AR |
08BUENOSAIRES494 | ARGENTINA: AMIA ELECTIONS -- ORTHODOX BLOC WINS PLURALITY [...] (U) The Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA),held internal elections April 13. The Orthodox bloc, led by Rabbi Samuel Levin, won a plurality of votes in internal elections with 37.7% votes. AMIA, Argentina's most important and representative Jewish organization, suffered a 1994 terror [...] | 2008-04-16 23:33:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES498 | REQUEST CLARIFICATION ON FOIA REQUEST: RECORDS OF ALL [...] (SBU) Per ref A exchanges with the Department, post requests clarification of ref B Freedom of Information Act request from Mara Verheyden-Hilliard on behalf of the Venezuela Solidarity Network. The request asks for "copies of all records regarding all grants, payments, and/or funds transfers t [...] | 2008-04-17 21:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AINF AFIN PGOV AR VE |
08BUENOSAIRES499 | REQUEST CLARIFICATION ON FOIA REQUEST: RECORDS OF ALL [...] (SBU) Per ref A exchanges with the Department, post requests clarification of ref B Freedom of Information Act request from Mara Verheyden-Hilliard on behalf of the Venezuela Solidarity Network. The request asks for copies of all records regarding all grants, payments, and/or funds transfers to [...] | 2008-04-18 11:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AINF AFIN PGOV AR VE |
08BUENOSAIRES50 | Government Policies and Argentine Agriculture -- Lower [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Government policies in Argentina have reduced prices paid for goods from the most important agricultural sectors (oilseeds, grains, beef and dairy) an estimated 30 to 40 percent below world market prices. The lower prices are due to GoA intervention in the market to keep down d [...] | 2008-01-15 10:36:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES500 | A CONSERVATIVE MEGACONFERENCE TAKES PLACE IN LEFT-LEANING [...] (U) Summary. Argentine think tank the Liberty Foundation celebrated its twentieth anniversary March 26-28 with an international seminar drawing over 300 participants from around the region and Spain. Participants included noted author Mario Vargas Llosa as well as five ex-Presidents of Lati [...] | 2008-04-18 13:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR ECON PHUM KJUS XM VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES504 | ARGENTINA: SUPREME COURT OVERRULES CONGRESS AND REINSTATES [...] (U) Summary: The Argentine Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the Congress acted illegally when it refused to seat Luis Patti, the former mayor of Escobar who is accused of committing human rights violations as a police officer during the 1976-83 military dictatorship. The decision opened the way f [...] | 2008-04-18 18:43:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES514 | ARGENTINA: NESTOR KIRCHNER POISED TO ASSUME [...] (U) Summary: It appears that former President Nestor Kirchner (NK) and his list will run unopposed to lead Argentina's Justicialist "Peronist" Party (PJ). April 19-20 news reports say PJ officials disqualified a second list of candidates, indicating former president NK's slate will likely w [...] | 2008-04-21 20:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES519 | PRESIDENT CRISTINA KIRCHNER ON BILATERAL RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary. In a very friendly April 10 meeting, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) indicated great pleasure at the warm reception which President Bush had given Argentina's new Ambassador and expressed support for the vision of U.S. policy in the region described by A [...] | 2008-04-22 16:04:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EINV EPET KPAO KCOR MARR VZ |
08BUENOSAIRES520 | ARGENTINE CABINET CHIEF SUPPORTS IMPROVED [...] (C) Summary. Argentine Cabinet Minister Alberto Fernandez told A/S Shannon on April 10 that he firmly supports the improvement in bilateral dialogue and cooperation, saying "we need to have good relations with the USG." Fernandez placed high priority on attracting U.S. investment and on reso [...] | 2008-04-22 16:46:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EINV EPET KPAO KCOR MARR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES522 | A/S SHANNON AND AMCHAM REPRESENTATIVES SHARE [...] (SBU) Summary. Assistant Secretary Shannon and Ambassador Wayne met with members of American Chamber (AmCham) Executive Committee to discuss the companies, observations and concerns about the Argentine business climate, market opportunities and challenges. AmCham representatives were unanim [...] | 2008-04-22 19:32:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON EINV EPET KPAO KCOR MARR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES531 | THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA: BIASED [...] (C) Summary: Argentine government is continuing its crusade to pressure the media group Clarin over allegedly biased reporting, and questioning its powerful position in the print, TV, cable and radio. While others in the media share concerns about Clarin's dominant position, observers genera [...] | 2008-04-23 19:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EINV KPAO KCOR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES540 | ARGENTINA POISED FOR RESUMPTION OF AGRICULTURAL [...] (C) Summary: The 30-day truce called by Argentine farmers in their conflict with the GOA may come to an end without a negotiated solution to address the agricultural sector's grievances. Agricultural sector contacts tell us that lack of progress in the negotiations is bringing Argentina close [...] | 2008-04-25 09:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EAGR EIND ETRD ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES547 | ARGENTINE ECONOMY MINISTER MARTIN LOUSTEAU RESIGNS [...] (C) Economy Minister Martin Lousteau tendered his resignation April 24 following the Kirchners' rejection of a series of orthodox anti-inflationary measures he proposed. These measures included boosting domestic prices and reducing subsidies for utilities, cutbacks in public spending on infras [...] | 2008-04-25 18:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES549 | IDB PRESIDENT ON ARGENTINA: WORSENING INFLATION [...] (C) IDB President Moreno told Ambassador April 21 that his two takeaways from his latest visit to Argentina are that inflation appears to be getting out of control and there is increasing willingness to stand up to the Kirchners. Moreno noted that high commodity prices are saving Argentina, bu [...] | 2008-04-25 19:54:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON EFIN EAID AR |
08BUENOSAIRES56 | AMBASSADOR RAISES ARGENTINA INVESTMENT CLIMATE [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador raised with Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana U.S. companies' concerns about Argentina's investment climate during their January 10 meeting (reftels). He informed Taiana that the USG is closely monitoring Argentina's dispute with CMS Gas Transmission, and expressed co [...] | 2008-01-15 18:31:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EINV ECPS EPET EMIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES563 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENTQS APPROVAL RATINGS TAKE A HIT [...] (SBU) Summary: Local papers report that President Cristina Fernandez de KirchnerQs approval ratings have fallen as low as 36% because of her handling of the rural sector strike and growing concerns over inflation and insecurity. The papers do not name specific polling firms, however, because [...] | 2008-04-29 16:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES568 | ARGENTINA: PLANNING MINISTER DE VIDO ON ARGENTNE TIES WITH U.S., VENEZUELA, AND DOMESTIC STRATEGY TO LAUNCH NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND "SOCIAL PACT" INITIATIVES [...] (SBU) Planning Minister De Vido called A/S Shannon's visit to Buenos Aires a positive step in rebuilding bilateral relations damaged by the earlier Antonini Wilson "suitcase" scandal. He hopes the postponed visits to the United States by former President Nestor Kirchner and Chief of Cabinet Al [...] | 2008-04-30 17:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG ECON PREL PGOV AR VZ BR EC EPET |
08BUENOSAIRES57 | ARGENTINA ON KOSOVO STATUS [...] (C) Ambassador delivered reftel points to Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana on January 10. Taiana indicated that the MFA would consider the matter, but noted that Kosovo is a complex issue. He asked whether European support for Kosovo independence included Spain. The Ambassador replied that we [...] | 2008-01-16 07:52:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPKO PBTS UNMIK PGOV YI ER AR |
08BUENOSAIRES571 | ARGENTINA CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY 4TH FLEET [...] (C) SUMMARY: ARGENTINE MFA DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND NUCLEAR AFFAIRS, AMBASSADOR ELSA KELLY, CALLED DCM APRIL 29 TO ASK FOR DETAILS REGARDING NAVAL OPERATION'S APRIL 24 PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE U.S. FOURTH FLEET. AT A MEETING WITH POST MILGP COMMANDE [...] | 2008-04-30 22:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MASS PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES577 | RESPONSE: IMPACT OF RISING FOOD/COMMODITY PRICES ON [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of Argentina (GOA) has responded to rising international prices by increasing efforts to divorce domestic food prices from international prices. The general policy of the government is to maintain low domestic prices and increase tax revenues by taxing agricult [...] | 2008-05-02 20:41:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES58 | Argentina: 2008 Investment Climate Statement [...] Argentina remains open to foreign investment. Five consecutive years of real GDP growth over 8 percent have attracted considerable U.S. and other international investor interest in exploring opportunities in the Argentine market. The government of Argentina, in turn, has signaled its desire [...] | 2008-01-16 11:35:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV ETRD OPIC KTDB USTR PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES586 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH TIERRA DEL FUEGO GOVERNOR [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met April 29 with Tierra del Fuego Governor Fabiana Rios, Argentina's first elected female governor. Governor Rios was straightforward and cordial throughout the meeting, during which she explained her province's abysmal financial state. Rios solicited the Amba [...] | 2008-05-05 20:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAID EFIN KDEM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES589 | ARGENTINA: A/S SHANNON MEETS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (SBU) Summary: April 11 A/S Shannon and Ambassador Wayne agreed with Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and his team to revive and modify a mechanism for bilateral dialogue. The approved concept sets out two additional bilateral meetings under the 1997 "Framework of Understanding between [...] | 2008-05-06 15:35:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EINV PTER TSPL ETRD SNAR SCUL |
08BUENOSAIRES592 | ARGENTINA: AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS MAKE LITTLE PROGRESS [...] (SBU) Summary: Based on limited progress in agricultural negotiations, farm sector leaders extended their truce with the GOA from May 2 to May 6, but in the absence of any additional progress it appears likely that strikes will resume in some fashion. GOA and farming leaders did not reach agre [...] | 2008-05-06 20:16:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV EAGR ECON ELAB ETRD AR |
08BUENOSAIRES615 | FARM STRIKE RESUMES IN ARGENTINA [...] (U) Farm groups announced late on May 7 that they will resume the farm strike due to the GoA's refusal to discuss making any changes to the variable export tax regime. The farm groups will continue protests for the next 8 days (through May 15),when they will meet again to discuss their next [...] | 2008-05-08 18:57:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES64 | Argentina International Airport: Labor Woes, Overbooking [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Flight delays and cancellations at Argentina's Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires erupted into chaos on January 12, affecting 4,000-5,000 passengers. The conflict began with Aerolineas Argentinas ground workers and pilots staging slowdowns in the middle of the high sum [...] | 2008-01-17 15:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PGOV ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES642 | ARGENTINA AT THE MAY 16-17 EU-LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN [...] (SBU) Summary: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) and Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana are scheduled to visit Lima May 16-17 to attend the Summit Meeting of European Union - Latin American and the Caribbean (EU - LAC). CFK appears to have a full but still-unconfirmed schedule, with GO [...] | 2008-05-14 21:43:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ENRG ETRD AR |
08BUENOSAIRES643 | ARGENTINA: SUPREME COURT JUSTICE TO VISIT U.S. TO FURTHER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Argentina4s Supreme Court President Ricardo Lorenzetti will travel to Washington and New York the week of May 19 for meetings at the American Law Institute and the Council of the Americas as part of his effort to strengthen judicial practices in Argentina. Ambassador Wayne met wi [...] | 2008-05-15 10:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PTER SNAR SCUL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES645 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SENATE DEFENSE CHAIR MARIA [...] (U) Summary: The Ambassador met May 14 with National Victory Front Senator and President of the Senate Defense Commission Maria Cristina Perceval. Ambassador Wayne and Perceval discussed her recent trip to the United States to attend a conference on the role of civilians in the security sect [...] | 2008-05-15 15:06:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES646 | ARGENTINE PROSECUTORS SEEK TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S. [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine press indicates local prosecutors are looking to travel to the U.S. to gather evidence for their investigation into the infamous Venezuelan suitcase with US$800,000 seized by GOA officials in August 2007. Articles published in La Nacion on May 11 and 12 provide new i [...] | 2008-05-15 18:26:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS PREL SNAR KCOR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES651 | AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ARGENTINE POLITICS WITH [...] (U) Summary: The Ambassador met May 12 with conservative politician Ricardo Lopez-Murphy, who came in third place in the 2003 presidential election but only in seventh, with one percent of the vote, in 2007. Lopez-Murphy shared his views on Argentina's current political and economic situation [...] | 2008-05-15 21:34:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES652 | ARGENTINA: NESTOR KIRCHNER OFFICIALLY ASSUMES PJ [...] (SBU) Summary: Former President Nestor Kirchner (NK) assumed presidency of the Justicialist (Peronist) party (PJ) officially on May 14 at a rally in the province of Buenos Aires. The event began with several emphatic and hardline speeches from party officials. NK was expected to use the occasi [...] | 2008-05-16 12:58:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES663 | ARGENTINA'S NEW PAPER "CRITICA" UNDER GOVERNMENT [...] (C) JORGE LANATA, ONE OF ARGENTINA'S MOST ACCOMPLISHED JOURNALISTS, CALLED ON AMBASSADOR WAYNE MAY 15 TO ASK FOR SUPPORT AS HIS RECENTLY LAUNCHED PAPER, "CRITICA," IS BEING SUBJECTED TO A GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN TO CUT OFF FINANCIAL BACKING AND IN OTHER WAYS COMPLICATE OPERATIONS UNLESS IT MODERAT [...] | 2008-05-16 22:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAO OPRC KMDR PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES665 | ARGENTINE FARM STRIKE EXTENDED SIX MORE DAYS [...] (U) The farm groups leading the Argentine agricultural strike announced on May 15 that the strike will continue, despite a call for further dialogue from President Cristina Kirchner. The farm groups will meet again on May 21 to review the situation and decide whether to continue the strike. T [...] | 2008-05-19 10:18:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES681 | ARGENTINA: AGRICULTURE SECTOR STRIKES TAKE [...] (C) Summary: The agricultural crisis that has dominated headlines for the past two months has knocked the administration of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) back on its heels. Faced with plummeting poll numbers that indicate a lack of confidence in CFK's government and society-wide conce [...] | 2008-05-20 13:57:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES686 | ARGENTINE FARM STRIKE SUSPENDED [...] (SBU) Under heavy fire from other sectors and political supporters in provincial governments, Argentina's major farm groups announced May 19 that they are again suspending their ten-week strike in order to hold discussions with the GoA. This latest suspension of the on-again, off-again strike [...] | 2008-05-20 21:15:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES687 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT'S LOW-PROFILE PARTICIPATION IN EU - LAC [...] (SBU) Summary: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) met (low) expectations (ref A) at the Summit Meeting of Leaders of the European Union - Latin America and the Caribbean ( EU - LAC),holding a number of bilateral meetings but dodging the press. In the Mercosur - EU bilateral, CFK [...] | 2008-05-20 21:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV EAGR ECIN ECON ENRG ETRD ETTC SOCI TSPL |
08BUENOSAIRES702 | ARGENTINA: AMIA PROSECUTOR REQUESTS ARREST OF MENEM AND OTHERS FOR ""LOCAL CONNECTION"" COVER-UP REF: A. 1998 BUENOS AIRES 05826 B. 2004 BUENOSAIRES 2540 C. BUENOS AIRES 646 AND PREVIOUS [...] (C) Summary: Alberto Nisman, Argentina's Special Prosecutor to investigate the 1994 terrorist attack against the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, has requested the arrest of former President Carlos Menem, former federal judge Juan Galeano, and [...] | 2008-05-22 22:53:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR FBI |
08BUENOSAIRES708 | ARGENTINA: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL DODD (BUENOS [...] (U) This telegram is sensitive but unclassified, and not for Internet distribution. ------------ Introduction ------------ 2. (SBU) On behalf of Embassy Buenos Aires, I warmly welcome your May 28-30 visit to Argentina. We are looking to build on an already positive bilateral relationsh [...] | 2008-05-23 20:06:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM PTER SNAR ECON EFIN BEXP AR |
08BUENOSAIRES710 | ARGENTINA ON BRAZILIAN SOUTH AMERICAN SECURITY [...] (C) Informal discussions with military, MOD and MFA contacts on Brazil's South American Security Council proposal indicate the Brazilians have not consulted in any detail with the Argentines, who are not clear on what the Brazilians are proposing. GOA contacts discount that the proposed Counci [...] | 2008-05-23 20:24:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS PREL PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES711 | ARGENTINE FARM TALKS FALTER (AGAIN) - ALL EYES ON COMPETING [...] (SBU) The first meeting between the GoA and leaders of the major farm groups following suspension of the on-again, off-again farm strike on May 21 quickly broke down after the GoA negotiators reportedly refused to address the controversial variable export tax until after the large demonstration [...] | 2008-05-23 20:28:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES713 | (C) ARGENTINA REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III [...] (U) Embassy Buenos Aires keys the responses below to reftel A questions. 2. (SBU) NATURE OF INVESTMENTS THAT ARGENTINA BUSINESSES HAVE IN CUBA. The GoA imposes no requirement to register foreign direct investment, and the Embassy has been unable to uncover any major investment by Argentine [...] | 2008-05-23 20:51:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ETTC PREL ETRD CU AR |
08BUENOSAIRES714 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH ANTI-CORRUPTION ACTIVIST [...] (U) Summary. The Ambassador met with Laura Alonso, Executive Director for Argentine NGO "Citizen Power" (Poder Ciudadano-PC) and discussed its ongoing efforts to promote government accountability and transparency at the federal and local levels. Alonso explained PC's on-going efforts to inv [...] | 2008-05-23 21:02:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV KCOR PHUM ELAB AR |
08BUENOSAIRES717 | ARGENTINA: AMIA PROSECUTOR EXPLAINS HIS REQUEST [...] (C) Summary: AMIA Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman called the Ambassador on May 23 to apologize for not giving the Embassy advance notice of his (ref A) request for the arrest of former President Menem and other GOA officials for their alleged roles in the cover up of the "local connection" [...] | 2008-05-27 10:18:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES727 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ECONOMY, FDI, & AG [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador Wayne met with Mario Das Neves, Governor of Chubut May 23. Most notably Das Neves (protect strictly) sharply criticized both sides for failure to resolve the agriculture strike, specifically criticizing the negotiations for acting in bad faith. He expressed fear that [...] | 2008-05-28 13:29:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV EAGR ECON EFIS EINV ENRG EPET ETRD |
08BUENOSAIRES732 | ARGENTINA: UPDATES TO NAMES, TITLES AND CONTACT NUMBERS FOR [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-28 20:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES733 | ARGENTINE FARMERS RESUME STRIKE - GRAINS AND BEEF TARGETED [...] (SBU) Argentine farm groups are back on strike, at least until June 2, and will block marketing of grains and oilseeds for exports, as well as sales of cattle for slaughter. The farm groups have called for protestors on the highways to allow free movement of all other transport, although there [...] | 2008-05-28 22:45:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES739 | ARGENTINA'S SPECIAL AMIA PROSECUTOR DEFENDS HIS [...] (C) Summary: AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman explained to Embassy Officers on May 27 his reasons for requesting the arrests of former President Carlos Menem and other officials (ref B) for their alleged roles in obstructing justice in the investigation of the 1994 terrorist bombing of t [...] | 2008-05-29 15:57:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR |
08BUENOSAIRES743 | ARGENTINA: NEW VALIJAGATE EVIDENCE IS FRONT-PAGE [...] (C) Summary: "Valijagate" is once again news in Argentina. The Argentine press is reporting new evidence in the investigation, including cell phone records of supposedly traced calls from a key suspect to the presidential residence, contradictory testimony implying more significant links betw [...] | 2008-05-29 19:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV KJUS PREL SNAR KCOR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES748 | ARGENTINA'S JUDICIAL BRANCH INCREASINGLY SUBJECT [...] (SBU) Summary: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is cementing control over the judicial branch by legislating discretion and political criteria into judicial processes. New legislation approved on May 21 increases executive branch influence over the filling of vacant judgeships, and a [...] | 2008-05-30 17:46:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KJUS KCOR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES759 | ARGENTINA: FBI'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR PISTOLE DISCUSSES [...] (SBU) Summary: During his May 21-22 visit to Argentina, FBI Deputy Director John Pistole met with senior officials of the Argentine government, the Argentine Jewish community, and President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (ref A) to discuss U.S.-Argentine security cooperation. Those leaders th [...] | 2008-06-03 17:27:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | SECRET | PTER PREL PGOV KJUS SNAR KCRM ASEC AR FBI |
08BUENOSAIRES760 | ARGENTINA: CODEL DODD DISCUSSES REGION WITH [...] (U) Summary: The Ambassador hosted a lunch with ambassadors and private sector employees in honor of Senator Christopher Dodd and Representative Xavier Becerra. The group discussed the region's efforts at integration, pointing to the benefits of closer relations that have developed and the c [...] | 2008-06-03 18:51:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ETRD SNAR MASS EAID EC |
08BUENOSAIRES764 | CODEL DODD MEETS ARGENTINE FM TAIANA [...] (SBU) Summary: Senator Chris Dodd and Representative Xavier Becerra and the Ambassador called on Argentine FM Taiana May 29. On Bolivia, Taiana expressed his worry about the potential for violent conflict despite what he saw as Evo Morales's moderating influence on his radical MAS support bas [...] | 2008-06-03 20:04:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON AR BL |
08BUENOSAIRES765 | CODEL DODD MEETING WITH NGOS HIGHLIGHTS CIVIL SOCIETY [...] (U) This cable contains sensitive information - not for internet distribution. 2. (SBU) Ambassador Wayne hosted Senator Christopher Dodd (D - CT) and Congressman Xavier Becerra (D - CA) at an event featuring key individuals and organizations representing Argentine civil society. The group d [...] | 2008-06-03 20:16:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES766 | ARGENTINE FARMERS' STRIKE CONTINUES FOR ANOTHER WEEK [...] (SBU) The leadership of Argentina's four main agricultural organizations decided late on June 2 to prolong their third strike against the GOA for another full week, at least until Monday, June 9. The farmer groups will continue the boycott on grain sales and embargo of grain exports, includin [...] | 2008-06-03 20:56:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES775 | ARGENTINA DISAPPOINTED WITH TIP REPORT, BUT [...] (C) Summary. Per refs A and B, the Ambassador met June 3 with Argentine Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez to share an embargoed copy of the 2008 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Minister Fernandez thanked the Ambassador for sharing the report, and immediately launched into a discuss [...] | 2008-06-04 20:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ELAB KCRM PHUM SMIG KWMN PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES781 | Codel Dodd Meeting with Argentine President Fernandez de [...] (SBU) President Fernandez de Kircher met with Codel Dodd for over an hour May 29. On Bolivia, she called for a solution which respected democratic institutions and avoided "Balkanization." More broadly in Latin America, the President said she hoped for increasing regional integration in the [...] | 2008-06-06 11:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES785 | ARGENTINA: SCHEDULING THE NEXT POL/MIL BILATERAL [...] (SBU) Summary: Regular bilateral Pol/Mil meetings have been an integral part of managing and advancing our broad security relationship with Argentina, from the classic Pol/Mil issues to counterterrorism and non-proliferation. The GoA hosted the last Pol/Mil bilaterals in December 2006. It is [...] | 2008-06-06 20:13:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR PARM PREL PGOV PTER AR |
08BUENOSAIRES786 | ARGENTINA: FORCED AND CHILD LABOR IN GARMENT INDUSTRY [...] (SBU) Summary: Based on interviews with GOA officials, International Labor Organization representatives, and union and NGO leaders, as well as a review of media articles, some companies in Argentina's apparel industry appear to use forced and child labor in their production chain. It is diffi [...] | 2008-06-06 20:14:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ELAB PHUM PGOV ECIN ECON SOCI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES787 | ARGENTINA TIGHTENS CONTROLS ON AGRICULTURE EXPORTS REF: BUENOS AIRES 766 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). [...] (C) SUMMARY: The president of Cargill Argentina met with the Ambassador on June 4 to discuss concerns about the rising stream of regulations to increase GOA control of agricultural exports. The new regulations are being issued without consulting the major exporters and with little regard to pos [...] | 2008-06-06 20:39:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES791 | LA NACION TO AMBASSADOR WAYNE: MORE MEDIA PRESSURE [...] (C) Julio and Fernan Saguier, owner-editors of La Nacion, the most influential paper among Argentina's business and educated elite, met with Ambassador Wayne to express concerns that media pressure from the GOA is bad and growing worse. They argued that that former president Nestor Kirchner is [...] | 2008-06-09 15:36:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | KMDR KPAO OPRC PGOV PHUM PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES797 | ARGENTINA ANNOUNCES SOCIAL INVESTMENTS FROM [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOA announced June 9 that it will direct the marginal proceeds from its March 11 increase in soy export taxes to health (60%),housing (20%) and rural roads (20%). Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) followed the announcement with a 25-minute speech arg [...] | 2008-06-11 14:30:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV EFIN EAGR PHUM EAID AR |
08BUENOSAIRES800 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH ARGENTINE OPPOSITION SENATOR [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met June 6 with Argentine Senator Maria Eugenia Estenssoro, prominent leader of the opposition Civic Coalition (CC). Estenssoro offered her critical view of how the GOA was managing the ongoing agricultural strike. In connection with congressional consideration [...] | 2008-06-11 20:20:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ELAB PHUM PGOV ECIN ECON SOCI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES817 | ARGENTINA SEEKING USG SUPPORT FOR THE CANDIDACY OF SALVIOLI [...] No summary [...] | 2008-06-13 21:18:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PGOV UNHCR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES827 | ARGENTINA: NO END IN SIGHT FOR 100-DAY FARM CRISIS [...] (C) Summary: In what could prove an important step in diffusing the 100-day old farm crisis, President Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) announced on June 17 that she would be sending a bill this same day to the legislature on the question of the increased agricultural export taxes for debate and vot [...] | 2008-06-17 21:49:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON EFIN INVI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES828 | Argentina: Economic Impact of Farming Crisis [...] (SBU) Argentine consumer confidence has declined markedly due to economic disruptions linked to the 100-day long agricultural sector strike. A just released measure of popular sentiment on the general economic situation, employment, family income and purchasing power was down for the fifth stra [...] | 2008-06-17 21:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAGR ETRD EINV PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES829 | ROUND 4 - ARGENTINE FARM STRIKE RESUMES [...] (SBU) Argentina experienced an intense 3-day weekend of protests and counter demonstrations after the government sent federal highway and border police (gendarmerie) to clear a roadblock in Gualeguaychu on June 14, on the main highway to Brazil and Uruguay, and temporarily arrested prominent fa [...] | 2008-06-17 21:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES83 | ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT ENJOYING A HONEYMOON WITH THE PUBLIC [...] (SBU) Summary. A leading Argentine polling firm (Poliarquia) found that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's (CFK) standing rose by five points since she took office December 10, with 56% of those polled rating her favorably, despite foreign policy missteps in early weeks. This is far b [...] | 2008-01-25 11:55:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AR |
08BUENOSAIRES834 | ARGENTINA: FARM DEBATE(?) MOVES TO CONGRESS [...] (C) Summary: President Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) took a step back from the precipice on June 17 and bought herself some breathing room in the 100-day old farm crisis by announcing she was sending the question of the sliding scale of export taxes ("retenciones") as a bill to congress for deba [...] | 2008-06-18 18:12:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON EFIN INVI AR |
08BUENOSAIRES836 | "Argentinization:" Government Promotes Greater Local [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. A decade after its great privatization wave, and followed by the 2001/02 economic collapse, Argentina has undergone a paradigm shift, with the Government of Argentina (GOA) promoting a heavy hand in the economy. While this trend has been much in the news over the GOA's price sta [...] | 2008-06-18 19:48:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV ETRD PGOV PREL ENRG AR |
08BUENOSAIRES842 | (C) ARGENTINE FARM CRISIS: "100 DAYS OF [...] (C) Summary: President Fernandez de Kirchner's June 17 decision to send the polemic grain export fee/tax ("retenciones") issue to congress for debate and vote was met here with guarded optimism and a palpable sense of relief. However, her bellicose speech at the June 18 pro-government rally o [...] | 2008-06-20 10:06:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON ETRD EFIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES848 | ARGENTINA: KIRCHNERS' POLL NUMBERS PLUMMET IN WAKE [...] (SBU) The 100 day farm crisis has had a dramatic and negative effect on President Fernandez de Kirchner's (CFK) poll numbers, according to results published today by leading polling firm Poliarquia. CFK's positive image sits at 20 percent, a six percentage point drop over the previous month, [...] | 2008-06-20 20:38:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EAGR EFIN ETRD AR |
08BUENOSAIRES86 | ARGENTINA: UPDATE ON SKANSKA CORRUPTION CASE [...] (SBU) Summary. Judicial investigations continue into alleged bribery and tax evasion by the local affiliate of Swedish construction multinational Skanska in the expansion of Argentina's northern and southern natural gas pipelines. The courts appear to be approaching the indictment phase, desp [...] | 2008-01-25 14:00:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCOR EPET EINV ASEC SNAR OECD AR |
08BUENOSAIRES860 | ARGENTINE FARM STRIKE SUSPENDED, GRAIN TRADE RESUMES [...] (SBU) Summary: Agricultural producers formally suspended the farm strike, and trucks carrying grains, oilseeds, and cattle started to arrive at processing plants and export terminals over the weekend. Producers and truckers have lifted most of the roadblocks around the country and, unlike the [...] | 2008-06-23 22:21:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES866 | ARGENTINA: CFK RESUMES TALKS WITH FARMERS [...] (SBU) Summary. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) and representatives of the four main agricultural associations who have led protests against variable export taxes on agricultural products met on June 23, following 71 days of hostile public exchanges since their last meeting on Ap [...] | 2008-06-24 21:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAGR ECON AR |
08BUENOSAIRES893 | MACRI AND SCIOLI ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN [...] (C) Summary: South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and the CDA met with Argentina's two most prominent center-right politicians, Buenos Aires Governor Daniel Scioli and Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri on June 12. Scioli, formally allied with the Kirchner government, appeared haggard and [...] | 2008-06-27 20:19:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAGR ECON ETRD EFIN AR |
08BUENOSAIRES894 | ARGENTINA TO HOST 35TH MERCOSUR SUMMIT: LIGHT [...] (C) Argentina will host a July 1 Mercosur Summit of member and associate member leaders, preceded by a June 30 Minster-level Mercosur Council meeting. The Summit culminates a lackluster six-month Argentine presidency of Mercosur marked by national preoccupation with turmoil in the domestic ag [...] | 2008-06-30 09:09:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EAGR AR |
08BUENOSAIRES910 | ARGENTINE CONGRESS DEBATES AG EXPORT TAX [...] (SBU) Summary: The Kirchner government's majority in the Argentine Congress appears to be fracturing over the GOA's request for approval of the variable export tax regime for grains and oilseeds. The GOA continues to insist that the Congress approve the export tax regime currently in place wit [...] | 2008-07-01 19:35:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES911 | ARGENTINA: VISITING G/TIP AMBASSADOR PRESENTS [...] (C) Summary. "The United States wants to be Argentina's partner in fighting trafficking in persons (TIP),not a judge", visiting Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Mark P. Lagon told Argentine Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez durin [...] | 2008-07-01 23:35:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KWMN PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES920 | ARGENTINA: VISITING G/TIP AMBASSADOR PRESENTS [...] (SBU) Summary. On June 19, Ambassador Wayne and visiting Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Mark P. Lagon called on Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana to discuss Argentina's efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). Drawing from the T [...] | 2008-07-02 17:34:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KWMN PGOV AR |
08BUENOSAIRES931 | ARGENTINA: HIGHLIGHTS OF JULY 1-2 MERCOSUR SUMMIT [...] (SBU) Summary and Introduction: Mercosur and associated member country presidents meeting at the July 1-2 Mercosur summit in Tucuman, Argentina, strongly condemned the EU's toughened immigration policies and declared their intention to fight their enforcement. President Cristina Fernandez de [...] | 2008-07-03 21:29:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES932 | ARGENTINE REACTION TO RESCUE OF FARC HOSTAGES IN COLOMBIA [...] (U) Summary: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) welcomed the news of the July 2 rescue of 15 FARC hostages. Although her initial public reaction July 2 stopped short of praising Uribe for the GOC's successful operation, the following day the GOA announced she had called U [...] | 2008-07-03 21:55:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ECON PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES943 | ARGENTINE AG EXPORT TAX APPROVED BY LOWER HOUSE OF CONGRESS [...] (SBU) Summary: By a vote of 129 to 122, the Fernandez de Kirchner government on July 5 won a closely fought battle in the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House) of the Congress to approve the controversial variable export tax regime for grains and oilseeds. The legislative battle now shifts to the [...] | 2008-07-08 17:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EINV PGOV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES946 | ARGENTINA: JUDGE RULES LACK OF EVIDENCE AGAINST [...] (SBU) Argentine Judge Daniel Petrone determined on 3 July that there is not enough evidence to prosecute or to acquit former Argentine government official Claudio Uberti in the "Valijagate" investigation, involving the infamous Venezuelan suitcase carrying USD 800,000 and seized by Argentine cu [...] | 2008-07-08 20:12:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCOR KJUS PGOV PREL SNAR VZ AR |
08BUENOSAIRES948 | ARGENTINA: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH YOUNG, DYNAMIC [...] (C) Salta Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey (protect) told the Ambassador that the export taxes imposed on the agricultural sector are hindering economic growth and thus negatively affecting his province. While close to President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Urtubey was clearly feeling local pr [...] | 2008-07-10 09:50:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON SOCI AR BL |
08BUENOSAIRES963 | ARGENTINA: BATTLE LINES DRAWN [...] (C) Battle Lines Formed: The sides are drawn for battle in Argentina's agricultural dispute. Farmers and the government are calling followers together for a show of force in Buenos Aires on Tuesday July 15, the day before a decisive vote in the Senate on a bill to approve the government's ag [...] | 2008-07-14 20:22:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON EFIN EINV ASEC AR |
08BUENOSAIRES968 | ARGENTINA: SPECIAL ENVOY RICKMAN RAISES SAIEGH [...] (C) Summary. On July 2, visiting Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism Dr. Gregg Rickman met with Eduardo Saiegh, an Argentine Jew who gave up his bank under duress, after being kidnapped and tortured for a week by the military dictatorship in 1980. Saiegh reviewed the p [...] | 2008-07-15 20:23:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES973 | ARGENTINA: FARMERS AND GOA LAUNCH MASSIVE RALLIES [...] (SBU) Summary: Argentine farmers and pro-government forces staged massive rallies in Buenos Aires on July 15 seeking to influence the Senate vote on the controversial export tax regime (reftel) scheduled for the following day, July 16. The farmers' protest drew a crowd of 225,000 to 250,000 [...] | 2008-07-16 23:06:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV EAGR ECON EINV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES980 | ARGENTINA: VP COBOS VOTES AGAINST KIRCHNERS IN AG [...] (C) Summary: After 18 hours of debate, Argentine VP Cobos broke a 36-36 tie in the Senate with his vote against the government's bill sanctioning the increase in agricultural export duties it had unilaterally announced March 11. The agricultural sector welcomed the news, although the congres [...] | 2008-07-18 09:59:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR ECON EINV ELAB PHUM AR |
08BUENOSAIRES990 | ARGENTINA: SPECIAL ENVOY PAYS HOMAGE TO AMIA [...] (SBU) Summary. On July 3, Dr. Gregg Rickman, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, visited the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) headquarters to pay homage to the victims of the 1994 terrorist attack. He then met with the Executive Boards of both the AMIA and the Del [...] | 2008-07-18 21:33:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF PTER KJUS FBI AR IR VE |
08BUENOSAIRES991 | GoA Repeals Export Tax Resolution, Ending Farm Crisis [...] (SBU) Late July 18, the GoA repealed the March 11 decree that set off the 129-day battle with the rural sector by imposing sliding scale export taxes on grains and oilseeds exports. This decision, which follows the Argentine Senate's July 17 failure to pass the resolution into law, returns exp [...] | 2008-07-18 22:24:00 | Embassy Buenos Aires | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON EFIN ETRD PREL PGOV AR |
08BUJUMBURA176 | BACK TO SQUARE ONE IN FNL NEGOTIATIONS [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Political Directorate (PD) (Executive Representative to the Secretary General of the United Nation Youssef Mahmoud, French Ambassador Joel Louvet, South African Ambassador Mdu Lembede, and Tanzanian Ambassador Francis Mdowla) informed the diplomatic corps in an April 4 briefi [...] | 2008-04-04 12:51:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA183 | DAS SWAN SUPPORTS SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIATION WITH THE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During his visit to Burundi to facilitate the Tripartite Plus meetings taking place March 24 - 27, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, James Swan met separately with President Pierre Nkurunziza, First Vice President Yves Sahinguvu, and Minister of Defense, Lt. Gene [...] | 2008-04-08 16:04:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR BY |
08BUJUMBURA244 | 1ST VP SAYS PEACE WITH FNL CRITICAL FIRST STEP [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Following a request from Ambassador Moller for a meeting, First Vice-President Dr. Yves Sahinguvu told the Ambassador on May 8th that: -- the Government of Tanzania (GOT) is the key to solving the PALIPEHUTU-FNL (FNL) problem; -- the Government of Burundi (GOB) is ready to gra [...] | 2008-05-15 05:57:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA249 | TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION: SLOW PROGRESS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During comprehensive consultations with Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Steering Committee of the Transitional Justice Mechanism, civil society, the international community and NGO organizations April 16-18, Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Clint Williamson [...] | 2008-05-15 09:17:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA253 | WISE MAN'S COUNCIL SAYS DON'T MISS GOLDEN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In a May 9 meeting with Ambassador Moller, executive members of the Bashingatahe, Burundi's traditional wise men, advised that: -- the Government of Burundi (GOB) is positioned to take advantage of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL's (FNL) intent to return to the negotiating table to conclu [...] | 2008-05-15 15:04:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA268 | TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION: SLOW PROGRESS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During comprehensive consultations with Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Steering Committee of the Transitional Justice Mechanism, civil society, the international community and NGO organizations April 16-18, Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Clint Williamson [...] | 2008-05-20 15:46:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA298 | FOMIN: BURUNDI TRYING TO REVIVE REGIONAL ECONOMIC [...] (SBU) Summary: In a June 4 meeting with the Ambassador and Director of Central African Affairs Karl Wycoff, Burundian Minister of External Relations Antoinette Batumbwira: - requested that the U.S. help persuade the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to return to active participation [...] | 2008-06-05 15:11:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA336 | AF/C DIRECTOR WYCOFF GETS AN EARFUL OF BURUNDI'S [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During June 3-6 meetings with Director for Central African Affairs Karl Wycoff, Burundian government, NGO and civil society interlocutors said that: - the repatriation of significant numbers of refugees could help Tanzania,s government consider residency, citizenship and long [...] | 2008-06-27 09:23:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC EAID PGOV PINR PREL BY CG RW |
08BUJUMBURA396 | SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF CODEL PAYNE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Your visit to Burundi comes as the country grapples with the many challenges facing nascent democracies. The last remaining rebel group, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in May following several weeks of violent attacks that left over 100 people d [...] | 2008-07-31 19:39:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OREP MARR PGOV PREF PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA421 | GOB AND REBEL LEADERSHIP COMMIT TO RESOLVING [...] In an August 18 briefing, South African facilitator Charles Nqakula told the diplomatic corps that Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza and rebel group PALIPEHUTU-FNL Chairman Agathon Rwasa will meet August 19,21,26 and 28 in closed sessions to remove current stumbling blocks to the stalled [...] | 2008-08-20 09:11:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA573 | BURUNDI TO RESPECT DESIGNATION OF IRANIAN [...] (SBU) In a meeting November 7 with PolOff concerning the designation of the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) and its affiliates under E.O. 13382 with Director General of International Organizations in the Ministry of External Relations Ambassador Adolphe Nahayo. Ambassador Nahayo, said [...] | 2008-11-11 11:54:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN IR KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PINR PREL BY |
08BUJUMBURA574 | GOB WILL CONTINUE UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE SUPPORT [...] (SBU) In a meeting November 7 with PolOff, Director General of International Organizations in the Ministry of External Relations Adolphe Nahayo confirmed that Burundi will continue to vote against any no-action motions and in favor of resolutions concerning Iran, Burma and the DPRK expected [...] | 2008-11-11 11:57:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR BY |
08BUJUMBURA587 | GOB ELIMINATES POLITICAL MEETING RESTRICTIONS [...] (SBU) In a November 18 reversal, Minister of the Interior Venant Kamana canceled an October 6 Ministerial Ordinance that severely restricted the right of political parties to meet freely (ref A). The new ordinance requires political parties to simply inform local authorities three days in ad [...] | 2008-11-24 15:33:00 | Embassy Bujumbura | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV BY |
08CAIRO1019 | EGYPT'S COPTIC LEADER ON RELATIONS WITH ISLAM, THE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-20 14:57:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KIRF KISL EG |
08CAIRO1035 | MOI DISCUSSES EGYPTIAN MEDIA REGULATION [...] (C) SUMMARY. During Ambassador Scobey,s May 13 introductory call on Information Minister Anas Al Fekki, the much-criticized Minister indicated he plans to vigorously enforce the Arab League,s Broadcast TV "code of ethics," that he and his Saudi counterpart spearheaded several months ago at a [...] | 2008-05-21 15:10:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KPAI EG |
08CAIRO1036 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FINANCE MINISTER YOUSSEF [...] (SBU) Summary: In an upbeat May 15 introductory courtesy call with Finance Minster Youssef Boutros Ghali (YBG),the Ambassador discussed local perceptions of economic reform, Egyptian assistance to Iraq and the Iraq Compact meeting in Stockholm, the Egyptian debt relief proposal, the Minister's [...] | 2008-05-21 15:19:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD EPET PGOV EG |
08CAIRO1047 | SISYPHUS ON THE HILL: THE OPPOSITION PARTIES OF [...] (C) Summary: Officially, there are 23 opposition parties registered in Egypt. Most of these are either one-man operations with no meaningful support, or government-controlled showpieces unrecognizable as "opposition" (one opposition candidate endorsed President Hosni Mubarak in the 2005 presid [...] | 2008-05-22 12:45:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM EG |
08CAIRO1049 | PRESIDENTIAL SON RAISES HIS PROFILE [...] (C) Summary: Presidential son and presidential aspirant Gamal Mubarak has noticeably amped his public activities over the past few weeks. Gamal's unusual spate of press interviews, as well as his marked criticism of President Bush's May 18 speech in Sharm Al Shaykh, may be part of a purposefu [...] | 2008-05-22 14:20:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS EG |
08CAIRO1066 | EGYPT EXTENDS EMERGENCY LAW [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-27 11:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PTER EG |
08CAIRO1067 | CODEL BAIRD MEETS WITH EGYPTIAN LEADERS ON MARGINS [...] (C) Summary: Codel Baird discussed Egyptian and regional issues with Egypt's political and business leaders on the margins of the May 18 - 20 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. President Mubarak, Intelligence Chief Omar Soliman, and presidential son Gamal Mubarak focused on [...] | 2008-05-27 11:53:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EG |
08CAIRO107 | UPROAR OVER EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION [...] (SBU) Summary: Senior GOE officials have loudly protested the European Parliament's (EP) January 17 passage of a resolution sharply critical of Egypt's human rights record. Among other things, the resolution calls for the immediate release of imprisoned former Al Ghad party leader and presiden [...] | 2008-01-23 10:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM EU EUN EG |
08CAIRO1085 | EGYPTIAN MFA ASSESSMENT OF THE DOHA AGREEMENT FOR [...] (C) Egyptian MFA reaction to the May 20 Lebanese National Dialogue agreement in Doha was positive, and our MFA interlocutors praised Qatar,s role. All agreed that the Doha agreement was the best that could have been expected. That said, there are competing internal MFA analyses on what the re [...] | 2008-05-28 10:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO1113 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL WITH AMRE MOUSSA [...] (C) The Ambassador and Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa discussed Iraq, Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian situation, and the USG's regional democracy strategy in her May 31 introductory call. Moussa said that the Arab League continues to see "eye to eye" with the USG on the need for a [...] | 2008-06-02 10:35:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IZ LE IS EG |
08CAIRO1129 | EGYPTIAN COURT UPHOLDS HIV SENTENCES [...] No summary [...] | 2008-06-04 12:41:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KHIV UN EG |
08CAIRO1175 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH EGYPTIAN FREEDOM HOUSE [...] (C) On June 2, the Ambassador met with nine Egyptian journalists and activists who recently returned to Egypt from the U.S. where they participated in Freedom House's New Generation of Advocates Fellowship program. Meeting participants included: Shaima Aboul Kheir (Journalist, Al Dustour n [...] | 2008-06-09 08:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KMPI KDEM EG |
08CAIRO1176 | EGYPT EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION WITH THE UN'S 1267 [...] (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 6. 2. (SBU) Summary: Egypt is one of several countries which has submitted names to the U.N. Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 regarding Al Qaida and Taliban associated entities. Egypt has had 13 names pending with the Committee [...] | 2008-06-09 11:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EG ETRD IR PGOV |
08CAIRO1177 | PROTESTERS CLASH WITH POLICE OVER FLOUR SUBSIDIES [...] (U) Summary: The northern Egyptian coastal town of Burg al-Burullus was the site of a large June 7 impromptu protest against the provincial governor's recent decision to halt the distribution of subsidized flour in favor of subsidized bread distribution. Police sent to disperse the demonstrato [...] | 2008-06-09 12:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI ECON EG |
08CAIRO1192 | EGYPT CRIMINALIZES TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND FGM [...] (SBU) Summary: On June 7, Egypt's upper house of parliament approved amendments to Egypt's Child Protection Law that criminalize and stipulate severe punishments for trafficking of children and for female genital mutilation (FGM). The new legislation represents Egypt's first legal framework to [...] | 2008-06-10 13:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI KCRM KWMN EG |
08CAIRO1198 | S/P GORDON MEETS WITH EGYPTIAN MFA TEAM [...] (S) S/P Director Dr. David Gordon engaged with MFA Chief of Cabinet Wafa Bassim in a wide ranging regional policy discussion June 6. Bassim reiterated the Egyptian view that resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is paramount. The Egyptians are supporting the Lebanese government, asse [...] | 2008-06-11 13:39:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV LE IS SY IZ IR EG |
08CAIRO1203 | EGYPTIAN ATTENDANCE AT THE JUNE 23 CONFERENCE ON [...] (SBU) We delivered points in reftel June 9 to Ayman Zeineldeen, Deputy Assistant Minister for Arab Affairs. Zeineldeen confirmed that Egypt would attend the June 23rd conference in Vienna on reconstruction of Lebanon's Nahr al-Barid refugee camp. In a June 11 meeting, MFA Senior Advisor Hossa [...] | 2008-06-11 13:57:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV PREL PHUM LE UNRWA EG |
08CAIRO1206 | EGYPTIAN MFA AND ARAB LEAGUE VIEWS ON [...] (S) Summary. MFA Senior Cabinet Advisor Hossam Zaki told DCM June 11 that the GOE is in no hurry to advance intra-Palestinian dialogue, and recognizes the potential damage it could cause Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. PA President Abbas told President Mubarak June 9 that he does not want [...] | 2008-06-12 07:18:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG |
08CAIRO1212 | EGYPT WOULD CONSIDER HOSTING KOSOVAR DELEGATION [...] No summary [...] | 2008-06-12 12:38:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNMIK EG KV YI |
08CAIRO124 | RAFAH CROSSING STILL OPEN; EGYPTIAN ANGER CONTINUES [...] (C) Summary. People continue to cross the Gaza-Egypt border line without GOE customs or immigration formalities as of 1600 local, January 24. The GOE has established a heavy security presence in the area. Presidential Advisor Soliman Awad told the Ambassador January 23 that the current crisi [...] | 2008-01-25 17:39:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER IS EG |
08CAIRO1255 | IFES ENGAGEMENT WITH EGYPT'S SUPREME ELECTIONS [...] (SBU) On June 16, the Egypt country director for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) debriefed us on a June 2-7 trip to Poland that IFES, in coordination with the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, arranged for three senior members of Egypt's Supreme Ele [...] | 2008-06-18 10:10:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KDEM PO EG |
08CAIRO1268 | EGYPT MEPI UPDATE: SMALL GRANTS, RURAL OUTREACH, AND [...] Summary: Highlights of MEPI activities in Egypt during the first half of 2008 include six new small grants for projects with aims including democracy promotion in schools and strengthening workers' associations; a USDA regional Food Defense workshop; outreach to Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta [...] | 2008-06-19 04:24:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV ECON KMPI KDEM EG |
08CAIRO1290 | EGYPTIAN ATTENDANCE UPDATE - JUNE 23 VIENNA [...] No summary [...] | 2008-06-22 13:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV PREL PHUM |
08CAIRO1339 | NEW JUDICIAL LAW: A STEP BACK ON JUDICIAL [...] (C) Summary: In the final week of the 2007-2008 parliamentary session, the Egyptian People's Assembly approved several amendments to the Judicial Authorities law. Both the process and substance of the new legislation has been criticized - publicly by the reform-minded Egyptian Judges Club, and [...] | 2008-06-26 14:45:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KJUS EG |
08CAIRO1352 | AGRIUM INVESTMENT DISPUTE COULD UNDERMINE EGYPT'S IMPROVED [...] (U) A campaign against construction of a urea fertilizer plant in the Port of Damietta industrial zone threatens to derail much of the GOE's success in improving Egypt's image as a safe, secure destination for foreign investment. EAgrium, a consortium of Canada's Agrium (60%),various GOE min [...] | 2008-06-29 14:31:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV SENV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO1359 | EGYPT'S ENERGY STRATEGY, AND CONCERN OVER GAS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Determined to satisfy rapid growth in domestic demand and position Egypt as a regional hub for energy distribution, the GOE recently adopted a fifteen year national energy strategy, according to Ibrahim Saleh, special advisor to Finance Minister Yousef Boutros-Ghali and former [...] | 2008-06-30 13:23:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG EPET PGOV EG IS |
08CAIRO1410 | EGYPT STILL WARY ON KOSOVO RECOGNITION [...] (SBU) On July 1, the Ambassador pressed Deputy Foreign Minister Wafaa Bassim for Egypt to recognize Kosovo. Bassim repeated previous Egyptian objections to Kosovo recognition (ref C),noting that Kosovo's declaration of independence came "outside of international law" and worrying that it mig [...] | 2008-07-06 13:06:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KPKO PREL PGOV EG KV YI |
08CAIRO1416 | CODEL ACKERMAN MEETINGS WITH MUBARAK, SULEIMAN, [...] (C) Summary: In separate June 28 meetings with President Hosni Mubarak, EGIS Director Omar Suleiman, and FM Ahmed Aboul Gheit, CODEL Ackerman and the Ambassador discussed Israeli-Palestinian developments (focusing on Egypt's goals for building upon the current "calming period"),Egypt's region [...] | 2008-07-07 13:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF KISL KPAL EAID ENRG IS |
08CAIRO1425 | EMBASSY CAIRO PLANS FOR FY 2008 D&G SPENDING [...] (C) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: Working in a political environment that is increasingly hostile to reform and openness, our strategy is to exploit opportunities to promote political reform and human rights, both in partnership with civil society and where possible with reform elements within G [...] | 2008-07-08 09:26:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KDEM PHUM PGOV PREL ELAB EG |
08CAIRO1480 | DEMARCHE REQUEST: KEEPING THE PA AFLOAT [...] (C) We raised points in reftel with Barakat Leithy, MFA Acting Director of Palestinian Affairs, on July 13. Leithy told us that the GOE strongly supports the Palestinian Authority and recognizes its financial challenges. Egypt is also facing increasing budgetary pressures. Nevertheless, Lei [...] | 2008-07-14 14:06:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KPAL PREL ECON KWBG EG |
08CAIRO1484 | MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SHUT-OUT IN PARLIAMENTARY [...] (C) Summary: On July 13, elections for four empty parliamentary seats were held in Alexandria and the Nile Delta province of Kafr al Shaikh. The National Democratic Party (NDP) candidates won in all of the races, amid allegations from the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidates of electoral fraud [...] | 2008-07-15 12:47:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV KDEM KISL EG |
08CAIRO1518 | AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES LOCAL ECONOMY, SECURITY [...] (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's visit to North Sinai July 13, she discussed local economic and political issues with the governor, governorate officials, MPs and businesspeople. Governor Mohammed Abdel Fadeel Shousha said that unemployment in Gaza and in North Sinai fuels smuggling thro [...] | 2008-07-17 08:44:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAID PINR PGOV IS EG |
08CAIRO1524 | MEETING BETWEEN AMBASSADOR SCOBEY AND MINISTER OF HEALTH [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Scobey paid an introductory call on Minister of Health and Population Hatem El Gabaly on June 29. Discussion centered on ongoing health sector reform, graduate level training for ministry staff in US and by U.S. universities in Egypt, pharmaceutical intellectual prope [...] | 2008-07-17 13:19:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAID EAGR PGOV TBIO KIPR KSCA KFLU KWMN EG |
08CAIRO1527 | CLOSED LABOR NGO RE-OPENS [...] (SBU) After a year-long legal battle, the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS),a labor rights group, has re-opened. The group's offices were closed by State Security officers in April 2007, after the Ministry of Social Solidarity accused the organization of inciting nationwide [...] | 2008-07-17 14:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO1541 | ARAB MINISTERIAL BACKS SUDAN VS. ICC [...] (SBU) The Arab League called International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Ocampo's request for an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Bashir "unbalanced" in a statement after its July 19 ministerial on the subject, but stopped short of calling on the UN to use its power to stay the [...] | 2008-07-20 14:03:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EG SU |
08CAIRO1543 | MFA CABINET ASSESSES THE EGYPTIAN-SYRIAN [...] (C) Summary. Egyptian MFA Cabinet advisors told us in separate meetings July 14-20 that the GOE remains frustrated with Syria, with no plans for a high-level bilateral meeting on the horizon. Although there had been talk of a Mubarak-Assad meeting at the Paris summit of European and Mediterr [...] | 2008-07-21 06:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV SY EG |
08CAIRO1560 | PARLIAMENTARY MINISTER DETAILS COMING LEGISLATION [...] (C) Summary: In a July 20 meeting, Minister of State for Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mufeed Shehab detailed for the Ambassador priority legislation that will come before Egypt's parliament when the new legislative session opens in mid-November. According to Shehab, Egypt's delayed anti-ter [...] | 2008-07-22 14:23:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO157 | COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF BAHA'IS [...] (SBU) On January 29, the Cairo Administrative Court ruled in two cases brought by members of Egypt's small Baha'i religious community that the government may issue official identification documents without listing the holder's religion on the document. (Note: Under current practice, the gove [...] | 2008-01-29 15:47:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO158 | ARAB LEAGUE LEBANON MTG POST-MORTEM [...] (S) Summary. The GOE MFA Cabinet Advisor for Syria-Lebanon was downcast following the January 27 Arab League ministerial session on Lebanon. He did not see significant progress toward a pro-majority solution, and worried that the Syrians were succeeding in wearing down moderate Arab states. [...] | 2008-01-29 16:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO1581 | EGYPT ARRESTS FACEBOOK ACTIVISTS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-07-28 08:18:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO1608 | WOMEN'S ISSUES COORDINATOR VISITS EGYPT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-07-30 07:17:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KWMN PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO1629 | BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI ON HUMAN RIGHTS, RELIGIOUS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-07-30 11:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KIRF KISL EG |
08CAIRO1637 | CODEL KERRY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUBARAK [...] (C) Summary: On July 2, Senator Kerry and the Ambassador discussed regional developments with President Hosni Mubarak, including Zimbabwe, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, and Israel-Palestine. Mubarak said that Egypt was working to find a solution in Sudan, but preferred to do so "quietly." Mubarak warned [...] | 2008-07-31 10:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL PHUM AU EG IR IS SU |
08CAIRO1679 | EGYPT RELEASES FACEBOOK ACTIVISTS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-08-04 14:01:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO171 | MIC'S ABOUL NAGA "EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED" BY [...] (C) Charge, USAID mission director, and econ counselor (notetaker) met with Minister for International Cooperation Fayza Aboulnaga to discuss next steps on the U.S. economic assistance program to Egypt. Charge explained that for FY 2009, the Administration's budget request for $200 million [...] | 2008-01-31 16:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON PGOV EG |
08CAIRO1716 | SENIOR MFA OFFICIAL ON ZIMBABWE AND EGYPTIAN [...] (C) Summary: In a July 31 meeting with Hatem Seif al Nasser, Assistant Foreign Minister for American Affairs, the Ambassador pressed the GOE to play a constructive role with Zimbabwe, to help ensure that March 29 election results are respected. A wide-ranging discussion on Egyptian internal p [...] | 2008-08-07 11:20:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM KIRF PHUM ZI EG |
08CAIRO1793 | AL HURRA MEETS WITH MINISTER OF INFORMATION [...] (SBU) Summary: Al Hurra officials met with Information Minister Anas El Fikki to discuss options for broadcasting portions of a three-hour daily live television program from Cairo. Minister Fikki was adamant that all satellite transmissions for this program be transmitted from within Media [...] | 2008-08-14 14:05:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BBG KPAO EG |
08CAIRO18 | EGYPTIAN MFA ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN, LARIJANI VISIT [...] (C) Summary. The Ali Larijani visit at the turn of the year was the latest in a series of three meetings between GOE and Iranian officials. The media (particularly from Iran) has played up the prospects for improved GOE-GOI relations. However, despite overtures from the Iranian side for great [...] | 2008-01-03 14:06:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV IR SY EG |
08CAIRO1833 | DELIVERY OF RESPONSE TO ARAB LEAGUE "SOLUTION [...] (SBU) We conveyed the U.S. position on the Arab League's solution package to Samir Hosni, Director of the Arab League's African Affairs Office on August 7 (ref A). We also encouraged the Arab League to press the Government of Sudan to take positive, concrete steps to improve the situation in [...] | 2008-08-20 10:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL SU AL EUN |
08CAIRO1851 | INFERNO AT EGYPT'S SHURA COUNCIL [...] (SBU) Summary: In a dramatic fire the evening of August 19, the 142-year old building housing the main hall, offices, and committee rooms of the Shura Council, Egypt's upper parliamentary house, was heavily damaged. The GOE has pledged to rapidly rebuild, and parliament, which is currently on [...] | 2008-08-21 11:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO1855 | EGYPTIAN OIL MINISTER BULLISH ON RESERVES, [...] (C) Summary: Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy told the Ambassador in an introductory call Aug. 21 that Egyptian oil and gas reserves exceed most estimates and will increase with new technology, including a speculative plan by an American company for a novel way to exploit hard-to-rea [...] | 2008-08-21 14:49:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EPET EMIN ENRG EINV PGOV PREL EG |
08CAIRO1862 | FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO HOST REGIONAL "QUINTET" [...] (C) In an August 24 meeting with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Ambassador raised the concept of a sub-ministerial strategic planning dialogue, to include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and the United States. She highlighted that the discussions would focus on long-term strategic [...] | 2008-08-24 14:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IZ EG |
08CAIRO1876 | FOREIGN MINISTER ON GEORGIA, IRAQ, AND U.S. [...] (C) Summary: In an August 24 meeting, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told the Ambassador he had not yet read the report and recommendations of an MFA team that recently traveled to Baghdad to assess security conditions in preparation for the potential return of an Egyptian ambassador. He [...] | 2008-08-25 13:04:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID KIRF RU GG IZ EG |
08CAIRO1889 | PROMINENT REFORMIST JUDGE PLANS TO LEAVE EGYPT [...] (C) Summary: Reformist Court of Cassation justice Hisham Bastawisi plans to leave Egypt in early September and spend approximately two years working as a legal advisor in Kuwait. Bastawisi is Egypt's most prominent advocate for increased judicial independence, whose leadership of the Judges Clu [...] | 2008-08-26 13:13:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM KJUS EG |
08CAIRO1920 | EGYPT: NO POSITION YET ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF [...] (C) On August 28, ECPO Minister Counselor, together with British and Japanese DCMs (who had received nearly identical instructions),delivered reftel demarche to MFA spokesman and senior cabinet advisor Hossam Zaki. A very sober Zaki listened attentively. He said that Egypt took all issues of [...] | 2008-08-28 14:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EG GG RU |
08CAIRO1932 | EGYPTIAN COURT BLAMES FIRMS FOR CEMENT INFLATION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A Cairo court fined 20 cement executives including Amcham President Omar Mohanna USD $1.9 million each for collusion to fix cement prices, blaming the companies for contributing to soaring inflation and in particular the rising cost of much- needed housing. While Trade Minister [...] | 2008-09-01 15:48:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAID EINV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO1939 | MIN INFORMATION DENIES CANCELLING AL HURRA TAPING [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-02 11:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL BBG KPAO EG |
08CAIRO1940 | ARAB LEAGUE AND EGYPTIAN MFA ON IRAQ, LEBANON, AND [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-02 14:23:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS IZ SU EG |
08CAIRO1972 | EGYPT AND REFUGEES: "WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE A [...] (S) Summary: Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister Tarek el-Maaty told us that Egypt is searching to find the best approach to dealing with its refugee problems, and does not want to be seen as a "stepping stone" to the West. Recently, there has been an upsurge in shootings at the border as Egypt [...] | 2008-09-08 13:57:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREF PREL PGOV ER SU EG |
08CAIRO202 | MFA ON LEBANON SUPPORT, IRAN RELATIONS [...] (C) We delivered demarche on Lebanon (reftel a) and note verbale to MFA Cabinet advisors Hossam Zaki and Nazih Neggary on January 4. They told us the GOE fully supports Lebanon and an immediate presidential election. They said that the GOE agrees that the tribunal needs to be supported, and t [...] | 2008-02-05 14:20:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV SY LE IR EG |
08CAIRO2027 | EGYPTIAN TYCOONS' CRIMINAL CASES ADD TO DISTRUST OF PRIVATE SECTOR [...] (C) Summary: Some of Egypt's leading captains of industry are under investigation in a range of criminal cases from relatively routine suspicions of bribery to the violent killing of a former girlfriend. The Egyptian stock market was buffeted by murder-for-hire accusations against regime insider Ta [...] | 2008-09-15 13:07:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KCRM PGOV EINV EG |
08CAIRO204 | EGYPT: CHAD SITUATION "COMPLICATED," WILL CONSIDER [...] (C) We asked MFA Cabinet Advisor for African Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid for the GoE to demarche the Sudanese government to cease its support Chadian rebels on February 6. Per reftel demarche, we stressed that the Sudanese were providing more support to Chadian rebels than before, inflaming an alre [...] | 2008-02-06 09:58:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF CH EG SU |
08CAIRO2062 | INFLATION STILL A WORRY FOR THE EGYPTIAN CENTRAL [...] (U) Summary: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) raised key lending and deposit rates by 50 basis points on September 18. Year-on-year inflation was 25.5% in August, and the latest move by the CBE reflects its worries over continued inflationary pressure on the economy, even as it noted that food [...] | 2008-09-21 14:14:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2075 | RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE REQUEST ON BMENA FORUM FOR [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-22 13:58:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KMPI ECON EG |
08CAIRO2077 | IFES PLANS SECOND TRIP WITH SUPREME ELECTORAL [...] (SBU) International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Country Director Jeffrey Carlson told us September 15 there is a good chance that IFES will lead a trip with four members of Egypt's Supreme Electoral Commission (SEC) in October to India, where SEC members would meet with Indian coun [...] | 2008-09-22 14:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAID KDEM PO IN EG |
08CAIRO2078 | NDI MAKING PROGRESS WITH LOW-PROFILE APPROACH [...] (C) Summary: National Democratic Institute (NDI) resident representative Lila Jaafar told us September 16 that in spite of NDI's lack of official registration, the organization provided training and publications to local NGOs over the past year by adopting a low-profile posture and informing [...] | 2008-09-22 14:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID EG |
08CAIRO2091 | ACADEMICS SEE THE MILITARY IN DECLINE, BUT RETAINING STRONG INFLUENCE [...] (C) Summary: Recently, academics and civilian analysts painted a portrait of an Egyptian military in intellectual and social decline, whose officers have largely fallen out of society's elite ranks. They describe a disgruntled mid-level officer corps harshly critical of a defense minister they perc [...] | 2008-09-23 15:17:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PARM PGOV ECON EG |
08CAIRO2098 | NAZIF AFFIRMS IMPORTANCE OF ESF, PLEDGEST CONTINUED REFORM [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-25 13:49:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON EFIN PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO211 | GAZA BORDER UPDATE - FEBRUARY 6, 2008 [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-06 14:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER IS EG |
08CAIRO2122 | APPEALS COURT CONVICTS AND SENTENCES INDEPENDENT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-29 11:21:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2135 | EGYPT REACTS TO 2008 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-30 14:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL KIRF KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2141 | FM ABOUL GHEIT VISITS BAGHDAD [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-05 12:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET IZ EG |
08CAIRO2152 | MUBARAK COMMUTES SENTENCE OF INDEPENDENT EDITOR [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-07 13:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2153 | REFORM FATIGUE AT THE HOUSING MINISTRY Classified By: Ambassador Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ------- Summary ------- [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-07 14:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAID EFIN EG PGOV KDEM PREL |
08CAIRO2156 | ABOUL GHEIT'S IRAQ VISIT SUCCESSFUL [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-07 15:14:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET IZ EG |
08CAIRO2188 | ARAB LEAGUE COS UPBEAT ON IRAQ [...] (C) Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef told the DCM October 13 that he believes the situation in Iraq is improving. "We all can say that Iraq is on the right track now. The question is how to accelerate the pace of developments to get better results," Yousef said during the DCM,s introductory [...] | 2008-10-14 16:02:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IZ SY EG |
08CAIRO2197 | SYG MOUSSA ON IRAQ, SUDAN AND ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-15 15:29:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL MARR IS SU IZ EG |
08CAIRO2198 | COURT FINES JOURNALISTS FOR INSULTING AL-AZHAR [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-15 16:05:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2199 | DECISION IN FOUR EDITORS' APPEAL EXPECTED DECEMBER [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-15 16:11:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2205 | INVITATION TO MRS. BUSH FROM EGYPTIAN MFA AND THE [...] This is an action request; please see para 2. 2. Post received para 3 letter October 9th via dipnote. We respectfully request that the Department pass the invitation to the Office of the First Lady. 3. The text of the invitation reads as follows (informal Embassy translation). Original [...] | 2008-10-16 13:14:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI |
08CAIRO2210 | FM ABOUL GHEIT ON IRAQ [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-16 16:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET IZ EG |
08CAIRO2221 | IS THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT READY FOR A GLOBAL SLOWDOWN? [...] (SBU) Summary: Egypt's stock market, like nearly all globally, has been significantly down this year and the global financial crisis has only accelerated that decline. The index is down 50 percent from its April historic highs, and in October, the most intense period of global financial crisi [...] | 2008-10-20 10:58:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2224 | GAMAL MUBARAK ON ECONOMIC ISSUES AND THE BILATERAL [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-20 15:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EFIN EG |
08CAIRO2251 | A FIRST IN EGYPT: COURT SENTENCES SEXUAL ASSAULT [...] (C) Summary and comment: On October 21, for the first time in Egyptian history, a Cairo court heard a sexual assault case, and sentenced truck driver Sherif Gomaa Gibrial to three years in prison for groping 27-year-old female film director Noha Rushdie in June 2008. Rushdie told us that the [...] | 2008-10-23 15:26:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM KWMN SOCI EG |
08CAIRO2256 | A/S WELCH MEETING WITH SYG MOUSSA [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-26 15:19:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG |
08CAIRO2260 | NEW NGO FORMED TO ADDRESS POLICE BRUTALITY AND [...] (C) Summary and comment: Dr. Ihab Youssef, Secretary-General of the new NGO "Police and People for Egypt," told us October 16 that he recently founded the NGO to improve relations between the police and the public following recurring incidents of police brutality and torture. The NGO, establ [...] | 2008-10-27 10:09:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2266 | THE VIEW FROM THE AHWA: THE TALK OF TOWN IN [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite ubiquitous complaining about life's difficulties, and justified laments about pervasive corruption and the widely loathed Mubarak government, the denizens of Cairo's famed coffeehouses seem satisfied merely to grouse about their grievances, with no thought of taking any [...] | 2008-10-28 13:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM SOCI SCUL PGOV ECON PHUM KISL EG |
08CAIRO2271 | REFUGEE PROTESTS OUTSIDE UNHCR CAIRO OFFICE [...] (C) Summary: UNHCR's Deputy Regional Representative told us October 27 that recent refugee protests, outside the Cairo UNHCR office have grown and become more vocal. Refugees and asylum seekers are upset by the lack of resettlement options and the insufficiency of UNHCR's financial and healthca [...] | 2008-10-29 14:29:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PGOV PREL SU SO EG |
08CAIRO2275 | MFA ADVISOR AND PDAS FELTMAN DISCUSS REGIONAL [...] (C) Summary: NEA PDAS Feltman and MFA Senior Advisor Hossam Zaki discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, the global financial crisis, and Iraqi debt relief during an October 26 meeting in Cairo. Zaki said that recording progress on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is [...] | 2008-10-30 07:17:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EFIN ECON KPAL IZ IS SY IR EG LE |
08CAIRO2277 | PA ENVOY SHAATH ON INTRA-PALESTINIAN [...] (C) Nabil Shaath, leader of the Fatah delegation to the intra-Palestinian talks in Cairo, briefed the Ambassador on progress in an October 28 courtesy call. He reported that the Egyptians have moved the planned Palestinian reconciliation meeting from November 9 to November 10 in order to acco [...] | 2008-10-30 12:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS SY IR TC JO EG |
08CAIRO2279 | EGYPT TRIES TO GET SMARTER IN DELIVERING FOOD [...] (U) Summary: The Egyptian government has expanded its smart card pilot for the delivery of subsidized food products. According to the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS),which is responsible for the delivery of subsidies, it has expanded its pilot smart card program, which was first piloted [...] | 2008-10-30 13:49:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EAID EFIN EINV EG PGOV |
08CAIRO2280 | COURT FINES MEDIA COMPANY FOLLOWING BROADCAST OF [...] (C) Summary and comment: On October 26, a court fined the owner of the Cairo News Company (CNC) media transmission firm 150,000 Egyptian pounds (about USD 27,000) and confiscated some of its equipment for operating without licenses. The GOE had shut CNC down shortly after the company provided [...] | 2008-10-30 14:15:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2297 | ACTIVISTS PRESENT DIFFERING VIEWS ON REFORM [...] (C) Summary: Visiting NEA PDAS Jeffrey Feltman met October 26 with political activists to discuss the current state of reform in Egypt, and opportunities for the U.S. to promote democracy. The activists mostly agreed that the current climate in Egypt is disappointing, citing income dispariti [...] | 2008-11-02 15:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2310 | NO SURPRISES AT RULING PARTY CONFERENCE [...] (C) Summary: On November 1-3, nearly three thousand delegates participated in the annual conference of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP.) Convened under the banner "New Thinking for Our Country's Future," the conference heard a robust-looking President Mubarak pledge to continue w [...] | 2008-11-04 14:12:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM ECON EG |
08CAIRO2316 | ARAB LEAGUE SYG MOUSSA DISCUSSES REGIONAL ISSUES [...] (C) Summary. Arab League Secretary General Moussa discussed Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the global financial crisis during an October 26 meeting with visiting NEA PDAS Feltman and the Ambassador. Moussa said that the situation in Lebanon has improved markedly [...] | 2008-11-05 12:21:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL LE SY IZ EG |
08CAIRO2339 | OPPOSITION AL-GHAD PARTY HEADQUARTERS TORCHED [...] (C) Summary: What had been a legal dispute between rival factions of opposition Al Ghad ("Tomorrow") party founded by imprisoned opposition leader Ayman Nour, turned violent when supporters of a pro-government wing of the party marched on the party's headquarters, controlled by Nour supporter [...] | 2008-11-10 14:43:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO234 | CHAD: EGYPTIAN LEADERS SAY CHAD, SUDAN EQUALLY [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-10 07:10:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF CH EG SU |
08CAIRO2340 | ELECTORAL EUPHORIA IN EGYPT [...] (U) Summary and comment: Both publicly and privately, Egyptians are over the moon with the results of the U.S. presidential election. From the front pages of daily newspapers to popular TV shows to smiling people in the street, the excitement is palpable. The peaceful transfer of power was [...] | 2008-11-10 15:00:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2349 | EGYPT'S BAHA'I: FAVORABLE RULINGS BUT NO [...] No summary [...] | 2008-11-13 14:42:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2350 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: TORCHING OF OPPOSITION AL-GHAD [...] (C) On November 12, we demarched MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd on the November 6 torching of Al-Ghad party headquarters (ref A). We expressed particular concern that the headquarters of an opposition party was destroyed, and that according to some reports, the [...] | 2008-11-13 15:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2382 | EGYPT'S SECOND EVER SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE: ONE-YEAR [...] (C) Summary and comment: On November 17, in Egypt's second ever sexual assault case, a Cairo court convicted and sentenced a 19 year-old man to one year in prison on charges of sexual assault for the highly publicized October 2 attempted rape and groping of three women in front of a large cro [...] | 2008-11-19 14:21:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM KWMN SOCI EG |
08CAIRO2384 | EGYPT'S VIEWS ON BORDER SHOOTINGS AND REFUGEE [...] (C) Summary: The Director of the Egyptian MFA's Refugee Office, Tarek el-Maaty, told us on November 13 that he was frustrated with a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report condemning Egypt for the shooting of migrants on the Egypt-Israel border. He blamed the U.S. and Israel for asking Egypt to secu [...] | 2008-11-19 14:43:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PHUM PREL PGOV SU ER SO EG |
08CAIRO2395 | TREASURY DAS MENDELSOHN DISCUSSES TERROR FINANCE [...] (S) Summary: Treasury DAS for Intelligence and Analysis Howard Mendelsohn met with Ashraf Mohsen, counter terrorism coordinator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and State Security Brigadier General Hisham Abda on November 13. Also accompanying were Eugene Oleynikov from Treasury's Office [...] | 2008-11-20 13:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | EFIN EG PGOV PREL PTER |
08CAIRO2404 | NEA/ELA DIRECTOR DISCUSSES QIZ EXPANSION WITH [...] (U) Summary: In a meeting with NEA/ELA Director Nicole Shampaine, officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry expressed their frustration with what they felt was excessive delay in United States Trade Representative's (USTR's) consideration and approval of a 2007 request to expa [...] | 2008-11-24 12:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD EINV PGOV PREL IS EG |
08CAIRO2405 | AFTER A THAW, DECREASING GOE TOLERANCE FOR PRESS FREEDOM [...] (C) Summary and comment: The consensus among observers of press freedom in Egypt is that following a high-water mark for openness in 2005, the GOE has been tightening its grip on the press, particularly over the past year through court cases, detentions and the revocation of licenses. With sever [...] | 2008-11-24 13:14:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2408 | EGYPT ANNOUNCES MASS PRIVATIZATION SCHEME [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 10, Minister of Investment Mahmoud Mohieddin announced a new privatization scheme whereby the GOE will transfer shares in 45 state-owned companies to 41 million Egyptian citizens within the next 12-14 months. The plan requires parliamentary approval, which he expect [...] | 2008-11-24 13:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2410 | READOUT FROM THE 15TH QIZ JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING [...] (SBU) Summary: the Qualifying Industrial Zone (QIZ) Joint Committee held its quarterly meeting in Cairo on November 24. The Egyptians requested a reduction in Israeli inputs, citing insufficient supply, and the Israelis agreed to work with companies in both sides to help them meet the existing [...] | 2008-11-24 14:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD EINV PGOV PREL IS EG |
08CAIRO2419 | HEALTH MINISTER READIES NEW DRUG REGISTRATION RULES, PLANS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY On November 23, newly appointed Ministry of Health Assistant Minister for Pharmaceutical Affairs Kamal Sabra told FCS and Econ counselor that the MOH would soon put drug registration on-line and that the new drug registration rules are almost finished. The department's new faci [...] | 2008-11-25 13:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON PGOV PREL KIPR EG |
08CAIRO2420 | OPPOSITION AL-GHAD PARTY VP PROVIDES ADDITIONAL [...] (C) Summary and comment: On November 16, Al-Ghad party Vice-President Wael Nawara described for visiting NEA/ELA Office Director Nicole Shampaine the November 6 torching of the party's headquarters in greater detail than his initial account (ref B). Nawara displayed newspaper photos that sho [...] | 2008-11-25 15:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2424 | WAFD PARTY LEADERS U.S. "INTERFERENCE" IS [...] (C) A November 20 meeting with 15 leaders o the liberal opposition party Al Wafd began withWafd members questioning Ambassador Scobey extenively about President-elect Obama's foreign polic plans, particularly relating to the Israeli-Palstinian conflict, and lauding the U.S. electionsas a democr [...] | 2008-11-26 09:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM EAID EG PGOV PREL |
08CAIRO2428 | SECTARIAN ATTACK ON CHURCH NEAR CAIRO [...] No summary [...] | 2008-11-26 14:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KIRF KISL SOCI EG |
08CAIRO2430 | ANGER BOILS OVER IN ASWAN [...] (U) On November 22, police in the Upper Egypt city of Aswan shot and killed Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek at his home while searching for a suspected drug dealer. According to press reports, police officials said Razek fired at officers who then shot and killed him. In a November 25 public stateme [...] | 2008-11-26 15:48:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2431 | APRIL 6 ACTIVIST DESCRIBES GOE HARASSMENT, [...] (S) Summary and comment: "Youth Movement for Change" activist Ahmed Saleh, who advocates replacing the current Egyptian regime with a parliamentary democracy, called on us November 25. He described the harassment he and his colleagues face from Egyptian State Security as a "siege" that compe [...] | 2008-11-26 15:51:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2438 | ARAB LEAGUE SUPPORTS ABBAS; DOES NOT CONDEMN HAMAS [...] (C) Summary. The Arab League Ministerial meeting of November 26 resulted in explicit support for PA President Abbas to remain in office until the intra-Palestinian conflict is resolved and parliamentary and presidential elections are able to be held. There was no explicit reference to Hamas [...] | 2008-11-30 15:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS SY EG |
08CAIRO244 | EGYPTIAN HIGH COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF RECONVERTS [...] (SBU) Summary: On February 10, Egypt's Supreme Court of Administrative Justice ruled in a case brought by Christian "re-converts" that the government must issue identification documents listing their religion as Christianity. The ruling reversed an April 2007 decision by the Cairo Court of A [...] | 2008-02-10 14:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2445 | BIRD FLU IN EGYPT: ALL QUIET ON THE MIDDLE EASTERN [...] (SBU) Summary and comment: In July 2008, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declared the H5N1 avian influenza (AI) virus to be endemic in Egyptian poultry. Now, just four months later, some Egyptians are wondering why. Seven months have passed since the Ministry of Health and Popul [...] | 2008-12-01 14:09:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO KFLU KSTH PGOV ECON KSCA EAGR EG |
08CAIRO2450 | OPEC EMERGENCY MEETING IN CAIRO [...] No summary [...] | 2008-12-02 11:51:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EPET ECON PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2452 | JOURNALISTS FACE TRIAL FOR VIOLATING GAG ORDER ON [...] (C) Summary and comment: Two editors and three journalists from independent newspapers are expected to go on trial December 4 for violating a November 16 gag order on publishing details of the current public court case against regime insider Hisham Talaat Mustafa for allegedly ordering the mu [...] | 2008-12-02 16:02:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2454 | GOE PREVENTS ACTIVIST FROM TRAVELING TO THE YOUTH [...] (C) On December 2, Egyptian State Security briefly detained Al-Ghad opposition party member and activist Ahmed Nassar at the Cairo airport before releasing him, and specifically banned him from traveling to the December 3-5 Alliance for Youth Movements Summit in New York. Nassar told us that [...] | 2008-12-02 16:49:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO EG |
08CAIRO246 | AMBASSADOR WISNER ASKS ARAB LEAGUE, EGYPT TO [...] (SBU) Special Envoy for the Kosovo Final Status Talks Ambassador Frank Wisner asked Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa on February 6 for the League and its member states to support an independent Kosovo when Kosovo declares its independence in the coming weeks. Ambassador Wisner emphas [...] | 2008-02-10 15:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNMIK EG YI |
08CAIRO2462 | GOE APPARENTLY ALLOWS SECOND ACTIVIST TO TRAVEL TO [...] (C) Summary and comment: April 6 Movement activist Ahmed Saleh (reftels) told us the morning of December 3 that GOE security officials allowed him to proceed to his Egypt Air flight to New York after they briefly pulled him out of the departure lounge to hold his passport and search his bags. [...] | 2008-12-03 16:00:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO EG |
08CAIRO247 | A/S WELCH'S FEBRUARY 6 MEETING WITH AMRE MOUSSA [...] (C) Summary. NEA Assistant Secretary David Welch met Feb 6 with Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa. Moussa said that the Arab League and the U.S. "are in the same boat" in Iraq, and argued against a precipitous troop withdrawal. On Lebanon, Moussa will continue to push for implementati [...] | 2008-02-11 07:42:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE IS IZ EG |
08CAIRO2476 | HAJ PILGRIMS IN GAZA; GOE AWAITING HUMANITARIAN [...] (C) Summary. The GOE has opened Rafah crossing for approximately 3100 inbound Haj pilgrims (reftel a),but the MFA reports that Hamas continues to block movement of the pilgrims inside Gaza, and that so far none have crossed into Egypt. The GOE is increasing public criticism of Hamas over th [...] | 2008-12-04 14:10:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS QA EG |
08CAIRO2478 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH UNHCR'S REGIONAL [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Saad Al Attar, UNHCR's Regional Representative in Cairo on November 25. Al Attar told the Ambassador about UNHCR's challenges to meet its responsibilities given a lack of funding, the situation of Iraqi refugees in Egypt, and UNHCR's dealings with the Gove [...] | 2008-12-04 15:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PHUM PREL PGOV SU ER IZ EG |
08CAIRO2484 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETINGS WITH PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS [...] (C) Summary: In recent meetings at the Egyptian People's Assembly with parliamentary speaker Fathi Surour and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Mustafa el Fekki, the parliamentarians previewed Egypt's legislative priorities for the new parliamentary session (which began mid-November),[...] | 2008-12-11 13:48:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF PTER KDEM IZ EG |
08CAIRO2491 | ANTI-CORRUPTION NGO FILES THREE LAWSUITS AGAINST [...] (C) Summary and comment: Engi El-Haddad, Director of the Egyptian Accountability Center (EAC),an NGO that focuses on fighting corruption, told us December 11 that her organization has filed three lawsuits against the government to coincide with United Nations Anti-Corruption Day on December [...] | 2008-12-11 15:29:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2497 | DEMARCHE REQUEST: UNSCR ON ANNAPOLIS PROCESS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-12-14 14:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | KWBG PGOV PREL UNSC EG |
08CAIRO2502 | MFA ON GAZA, HAMAS, AND RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS [...] (C) Summary. MFA Cabinet Advisor for Israel-Palestinian Affairs Ahmed Hamshari told us December 15 that Egyptian embassies worldwide had recently faced demonstrations criticizing the GOE over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The protests appear to be in response to blockage of Hamas-sponso [...] | 2008-12-15 13:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL PINR IR IS EG |
08CAIRO2503 | QUINT POLICY PLANNING TALKS FOCUS ON REGIONAL [...] (C) Summary. The November 18 "Quint" consultations with policy planners from Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt (host) and the U.S. yielded a comprehensive dialogue on a range of regional issues, including Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, piracy off the Horn of Africa, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [...] | 2008-12-15 14:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV KPAL EFIN SY LE SU IR IS IZ EG XF |
08CAIRO2507 | MOVING FORWARD ON QIZ EXPANSION [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph six. 2. (SBU) On December 14, econcouns met with Ali Awni, chief of the Qualifying Industrial Zone (QIZ) Unit of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). Awni stated that he hoped further consideration of the proposed QIZ expansion to Up [...] | 2008-12-16 07:19:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD EFIN EINV PGOV PREL IS EG |
08CAIRO2515 | COPTS ON SECTARIAN STRIFE IN UPPER EGYPT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-12-17 06:00:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PTER PGOV ECON KIRF KISL SOCI EG |
08CAIRO2528 | NO EVIDENCE OF EXTENSIVE USE OR ABUSE OF FOREIGN [...] (SBU) In recent visits to Egyptian factories participating in the Qualifying Industrial Zone (QIZ) program, we saw no evidence of the extensive or abusive use of foreign workers. On November 19, we visited two large QIZ factories located in the Tenth of Ramadan Special Economic Zone (SEZ); t [...] | 2008-12-18 15:17:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB ETRD PHUM PREL PGOV EG IS JO |
08CAIRO2542 | ACTIVISTS CRITICIZE THE GOE, CALL FOR NEW U.S. [...] (C) Summary: On December 13, civil society activists and a political oppositionist discussed with Codel Dorgan Egypt's current political and economic problems, and the future of U.S. policy toward Egypt. Former independent parliamentarian Anwar Essmat El-Sadat asserted that U.S. aid to the GO [...] | 2008-12-21 15:17:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2545 | FOUR EGYPTIAN COMPANIES LOSE QIZ ELIGIBILITY [...] (U) The Government of Egypt has publicly announced that four Egyptian companies have had their eligibility to export under the Qualifying Industrial Zone (QIZ) protocol suspended. The companies suspended are The Misr Company for Industrial and Textile Investments, The International Textile Hou [...] | 2008-12-22 09:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV PGOV PREL EG IS |
08CAIRO2557 | EGYPT DELAYS SALE OF SECOND TRANCHE OF TELECOM EGYPT [...] (U) Summary: The Government of EgyptQs planned sale of 20% of Telecom Egypt, the countryQs sole fixed-line provider, has been put off indefinitely. Citing unfavorable market conditions and worries over the global economic crisis, the Ministry announced that it was scuttling the offering orig [...] | 2008-12-23 12:24:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ECPS EFIN EINV PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2558 | MFA CONFIRMS HAMAS ACCEPTANCE OF 24-HOUR CEASEFIRE [...] (C) MFA Deputy Director for Palestinian Affairs Barakat Leithy confirmed December 23 that Hamas had accepted a 24 hour "ceasefire" that went into effect the evening of December 22. Leithy said that Hamas and most other Palestinian factions had agreed to cease rocket fire into Israel, but that [...] | 2008-12-23 14:23:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG |
08CAIRO256 | EGYPTIAN COURT RULES AGAINST CONVERT [...] (SBU) On January 29, the Cairo Administrative Court denied the petition of Mohamed Hegazy, a Muslim-born convert to Christianity, to change the religious affiliation on his national identification card from Islam to Christianity. While Hegazy has the right to appeal the decision, he will prob [...] | 2008-02-11 16:07:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO2572 | APRIL 6 ACTIVIST ON HIS U.S. VISIT AND REGIME [...] (C) Summary and comment: On December 23, April 6 activist XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed satisfaction with his participation in the December 3-5 "Alliance of Youth Movements Summit," and with his subsequent meetings with USG officials, on Capitol Hill, and with think tanks. He described how State Se [...] | 2008-12-30 09:09:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2576 | EGYPT TO JOIN CONTACT GROUP ON SOMALI PIRACY [...] (U) On December 28, Assistant Foreign Minister Wafaa Bassim "officially" informed the Ambassador that Egypt will join the Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP). The Egyptian decision followed our demarche delivered on December 23 to Abdelhammed Marzouk, Deputy Assistant Minister for South and [...] | 2008-12-30 13:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | KCRM EWWT PGOV USUN SO EG |
08CAIRO2577 | MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AND JUDICIAL AFFAIRS ON [...] (C) In a cordial December 23 meeting, Minister of State for Parliamentary and Judicial Affairs Mufeed Shehab previewed Egypt's 2008-2009 legislative agenda for the Ambassador. Shehab confirmed that the Political Rights Law will be amended to add 56 new seats (2 per province) in the People's A [...] | 2008-12-30 13:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KIRF KDEM EG |
08CAIRO2578 | CODEL HASTINGS' CAIRO MEETINGS [...] (C) Summary: In December 6 meetings, senior Egyptian government officials told Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) that the incoming U.S. administration should focus on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process "from day one." FM Ahmed Aboul Gheit told Hastings that the Barcelona Process has been completely dis [...] | 2008-12-30 13:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS OSCE PHUM KCRM OREP EUN PREF |
08CAIRO2581 | FOREIGN MINISTER DESCRIBES EGYPTIAN HUMANITARIAN [...] (C) Just prior to CODEL Dorgan's meeting with President Mubarak on December 14 (septel),Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, in response to a question from Senator Dorgan, said that the situation in Zimbabwe was dire, especially with the outbreak of cholera there, and that Egypt was sending em [...] | 2008-12-30 13:57:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PREL PGOV EG ZM |
08CAIRO2583 | EMBASSY TRYING TQLT EGYPTIAN REFOULEMENT OF [...] (C) Summary: Embassy Cairo is engaging with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Egyptian State Security (SSIS),and UNHCR to halt the Government of Egypt's (GOE) forced repatriation of Eritrean migrants. On December 23, the Ambassador asked the MFA to give UNHCR access to the Eritr [...] | 2008-12-30 15:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREF PREL ER EG |
08CAIRO2584 | UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL - NEXT STEPS [...] (C) Summary. Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni's candidacy to be Director General of UNESCO will likely create a serious irritant in our bilateral relationship with the Egyptians, as well as a public diplomacy challenge here and in other Arab states. We have made clear our position an [...] | 2008-12-30 15:43:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNESCO SCUL EG |
08CAIRO2585 | EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP FOR DECEMBER 30 [...] (SBU) On December 28, an estimated 100 Palestinians entered Egypt through a breach along the Egypt-Gaza border. Egyptian forces repelled the crowds, but at least one Egyptian security officer and several Palestinians were killed. The border is reportedly quiet today and breaches have been r [...] | 2008-12-30 16:05:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG |
08CAIRO272 | A/S WELCH'S FEB 7 MEETING WITH FM ABOUL GHEIT [...] (C) Summary. A/S Welch met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit February 7. The two agreed that a breakthrough in Lebanon was unlikely, and that the Lebanese government and institutions needed to be supported by the international community. Aboul Gheit reported that the GOE was sealing [...] | 2008-02-12 14:04:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER IS LE EG |
08CAIRO31 | EGYPT'S COURTS CONTINUE TO CONVICT POLICE IN ABUSE [...] (U) On January 4, an Alexandria court reportedly convicted a police major and two junior policemen of abusing a detainee in April 2007. The major reportedly ordered his men to beat the detainee and then force him to appear publicly in women's clothes. The court sentenced the major to five y [...] | 2008-01-08 15:41:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO323 | EGYPTIAN POLITICAL PARTY MEMBERS' SUCCESSFUL [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-19 12:20:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO325 | EGYPT "WAITING AND SEEING" ON RECOGNIZING KOSOVO [...] (SBU) The Ambassador called Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on February 17 to reiterate our position that Egypt should quickly recognize Kosovo, as Special Envoy for the Kosovo Final Status Talks Ambassador Frank Wisner had conveyed to Aboul Gheit in their February 7 meeting (ref B) [...] | 2008-02-20 15:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNMIK EG KV YI |
08CAIRO357 | ARAB LEAGUE ON LEBANON, KOSOVO, IRAQ [...] (C) Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef told us February 24 that Secretary General Moussa will lead an Arab League delegation to Beirut later in the day as a "last ditch effort" to secure an agreement prior to the next scheduled Lebanese parliamentary session on February 26. Yousef said [...] | 2008-02-24 15:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER PARM PINR UNMIK YI LE IZ EG |
08CAIRO359 | AYMAN NOUR'S WIFE ON ASSETS ISSUE AND NOUR'S [...] (C) Summary: In a February 22 meeting, Gameela Ismail (wife of imprisoned former Ghad party leader Ayman Nour),told us that she believes the government "is taking a step back" with regard to turning over some of Nour's assets to his government-backed rival and current leader of the Ghad party [...] | 2008-02-25 10:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO362 | ENCOURAGING EGYPTIAN ATTENDANCE AT THE ARAB [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-25 11:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IZ EG |
08CAIRO382 | SOMALIA: EGYPT, ARAB LEAGUE ON CONTACT GROUP, [...] (SBU) Summary: The Arab League and Egypt are supportive of ref A proposal for restructuring the International Contact Group on Somalia (ICG). However, the Arab League wants to see better planning to make the group more effective, and Egypt wants to ensure that there will be strong coordination [...] | 2008-02-26 14:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID PGOV KCRM UNSC EG SO |
08CAIRO389 | LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS PRIMER [...] (C) Summary and Comment: On April 8, Egypt will hold its first Local Council Elections (LCE) in six years. Polls will be held nationwide, with an estimated 50,000-52,000 seats up for grabs. The National Democratic Party (NDP),which is currently conducting its first-ever "primaries" to select [...] | 2008-02-27 13:49:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO397 | IMPACT OF ARAB LEAGUE MEDIA PROJECT UNCLEAR, BUT [...] (C) Summary. It is unclear how the Arab League "Media Project," adopted February 11 at a conference of Arab League Information Ministers, will affect media in Egypt and the region, but it could serve as a basis for governments, including the GOE, to impose media restrictions. An Arab League [...] | 2008-02-27 16:15:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO399 | ADDRESSING MIC´S OBJECTIONS TO D&G FUNDING FOR "UNREGISTERED" NGOS [...] (C) SUMMARY: On February 17, we received a letter from Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Aboulnaga directing USAID to cease funding four American and six Egyptian organizations. These groups received democracy and governance (D&G) grants under USAID´s direct grants program in the last [...] | 2008-02-28 10:48:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PGOV PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO41 | EGYPT: DARFUR TROOP DEPLOYMENT HIGHLIGHTS INTENT [...] (SBU) Egypt is beginning to deploy its almost 700 signals, transport, and engineering troops to Darfur as part of the Heavy Support Package (HSP) for the UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). MFA Cabinet Advisor for African Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid told us on January 6 that the necessary equipment f [...] | 2008-01-10 14:31:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PGOV UNSC EG SU |
08CAIRO411 | SPECIAL ENVOY WILLIAMSON ASKS EGYPT TO PRESS SUDAN [...] (C) Summary: Meeting on February 24, Special Envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson asked Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit to press the GOS to drop its obstruction to UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) deployment. Aboul Gheit said that the GOE shares the USG's interest in stabilizing Darf [...] | 2008-03-02 07:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EG SU |
08CAIRO413 | EGYPT AVIAN INFLUENZA: FIRST CASE OF 2008 [...] (SBU) Summary: Egypt has confirmed its first Human Avian Influenza (AI) case in 2008: a four-year-old girl from the Minya governorate who is currently hospitalized in Cairo. Reacting rapidly and thoroughly, the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) disp [...] | 2008-03-02 07:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO KSCA KFLU ECON EAGR PGOV EG |
08CAIRO435 | ARAB LEAGUE RESPONSE ON RESTRUCTURING SOMALIA CONTACT [...] (SBU) Arab League Office of African Affairs Director Samir Hosni provided on March 4 the non-paper below detailing the Arab League's suggestions for restructuring the International Contact Group (ICG) on Somalia. The non-paper echoes points Hosni made verbally (ref A),emphasizing that interna [...] | 2008-03-04 15:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID PGOV EG SO |
08CAIRO439 | EGYPT CONSIDERING KOSOVO RECOGNITION, SOLIDARITY [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-05 14:14:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL UNSC EAID KISL PGOV EG KV YI |
08CAIRO448 | MASS ARRESTS OF MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS IN [...] (SBU) In the lead-up to Egypt's April 8 local council elections (reftel),dozens of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) activists are being arrested daily. An estimated 420-500 MB members have been detained in the past four weeks alone, mainly from cities across Egypt's Nile Delta, where popular support [...] | 2008-03-06 10:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO450 | AYMAN NOUR LETTER TO AMBASSADOR: I WANT AN [...] (C) Summary: In a verbose six-page handwritten Arabic letter to the Ambassador, delivered to the Embassy late on March 3, imprisoned former Al Ghad party leader Ayman Nour makes clear his preference that, "if there has been no specific and serious talk" from the GOE about his being released, t [...] | 2008-03-06 14:26:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO464 | EGYPT BANS DEMONSTRATIONS IN MOSQUES AND CHURCHES [...] (SBU) Summary: On February 22, Egypt's lower house of Parliament, the Peoples' Assembly, passed a law banning demonstrations "inside or around places of worship." Although the law prohibits demonstrations in both churches and mosques, the law appears specifically to target the Muslim Brotherh [...] | 2008-03-09 14:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KIRF KISL KDEM PHUM EG |
08CAIRO47 | EGYPT: FOREIGN MINISTER ABOUL GHEIT DISCUSSES [...] (SBU) Summary: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit highlighted Egypt's "energetic" Africa policy in a January 6 meeting with the DCM and a CODEL led by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). Both Aboul Gheit and the CODEL confirmed the importance of a good U.S.-Egypt bilateral r [...] | 2008-01-13 11:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV CVIS EG |
08CAIRO481 | A/S WELCH MARCH 6 MEETING WITH FM ABOUL GHEIT [...] (S) Summary. A/S Welch discussed Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian situation with FM Aboul Gheit on March 6. Aboul Gheit expressed frustration over the recent Israeli military operation in Gaza. A/S Welch outlined our strategy to maintain momentum on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The [...] | 2008-03-10 16:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV IS EG |
08CAIRO486 | PUBLIC FEARS OVER DIESEL, GASOLINE SHORTAGES [...] (SBU) Recent reported shortages of diesel fuel and low-grade gasoline throughout Egypt are prompting press and public speculation over a looming fuel crisis, although the GOE has assured the public that no such emergency is impending. Shortages of low-grade gasoline are likely a function of t [...] | 2008-03-11 12:24:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EPET PGOV EG |
08CAIRO489 | CONVERSATION WITH MFA ON RECENT DETENTIONS OF MB [...] (C) DCM raised the recent arrests of approximately 450-700 Muslim Brotherhood (MB) affiliated Egyptians with MFA Assistant Minister for American Affairs Hatem Saif el Nasser on March 11. During a courtesy call for visiting NEA PDAS Jeff Feltman, we told Nasser that the timing of the arrests, [...] | 2008-03-12 08:02:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EG |
08CAIRO495 | LOCAL ELECTIONS LEAD-UP: ARRESTS CONTINUE, [...] (SBU) Summary: In the lead-up to Egypt's April 8 local council elections, dozens of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) campaign workers and candidates continue to be arrested daily. An estimated 400-700 MB members have been detained in the past five weeks. On March 10, the MB announced that it had aimed [...] | 2008-03-12 16:43:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL EG |
08CAIRO500 | FOREIGN FIGHTERS DISCUSSION: EGYPT'S INTERIOR [...] (S) Summary: Dell Dailey, State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism, accompanied by the Ambassador, met on February 25 with Egypt's Minister of Interior Habib El Adly. Dailey briefed Adly on the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and asked Egypt to press for Syrian cooperation in closing [...] | 2008-03-13 10:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PTER PGOV PREL PHUM EAIR SY EG |
08CAIRO505 | ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT UPDATE [...] (C) The expected number of Arab heads of state at the March 28-30 Arab League Summit in Damascus may be increasing. MFA Cabinet Advisor Nazih Neggary told us March 13 that the Egyptian Embassy in Damascus had reported that the Syrian MFA had very recently briefed Arab ambassadors in Damascus o [...] | 2008-03-13 14:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO507 | ASD MCHALE'S DISCUSSIONS ON CIVIL DEFENSE WITH THE [...] (S) Summary. On February 28, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and American Security Affairs Paul McHale briefed the Ambassador on his February 27 meetings with Egyptian military officials. ASD McHale noted that he wants to increase USG engagement with Egypt on involving th [...] | 2008-03-13 16:59:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PARM PREL PGOV MASS PTER EG |
08CAIRO52 | CODEL PRICE MEETS WITH ABOUL GHEIT [...] (C) Summary. FM Aboul Gheit told visiting Codel Price January 6 that the GOE recognizes that the Administration is trying to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, but warned that continuing Israeli settlement activity would scuttle progress. He urged that USG security measures not d [...] | 2008-01-13 14:20:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS IZ EG |
08CAIRO524 | SCENESETTER FOR MINDEF TANTAWI’S VISIT TO THE U.S. MARCH 24-28REF: A. CAIRO 452 B. CAIRO 488 C. CAIRO 507CAIRO 00000524 001.2 OF 002 [...] (S) Summary: Defense Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi will travel to Washington, Tampa, and Chicago March 24-28. He will meet senior officials in Washington and at USCENTCOM HQ in Tampa, and view U.S. civil defense arrangements in Chicago. Mrs. Tantawi and as many as five senior generals will [...] | 2008-03-16 16:43:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PARM PREL PGOV MASS MARR PTER IS EG XF |
08CAIRO528 | MIC RESPONDS TO U/S FORE LETTER; COMMENTS FURTHER [...] (S) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: On March 13, the Ambassador, accompanied by the Administrator's Special Advisor for the Middle East George Laudato, USAID's David McCloud, USAID Mission director and econ counselor (notetaker) met with Minister for International Cooperation Fayza Aboulnaga. Dis [...] | 2008-03-17 10:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | EAID ECON EFIN PGOV PREL KDEM EG |
08CAIRO53 | EGYPT'S PROSECUTOR GENERAL ORDERS RELEASE IN [...] (SBU) According to her lawyer, Egypt's Office of the Prosecutor General ordered the release on January 13 of Shadia Nagui Ibrahim, who was convicted of fraud on November 21, 2007, in connection with her father's brief conversion in the early 1960s from Christianity to Islam (ref A). Ibrahim, [...] | 2008-01-13 15:39:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO534 | EGYPTIAN MFA RECEIVES HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT AND [...] (SBU) We met on March 12 with Wael Aboul Magd, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Affairs, and delivered a copy of the 2007 Human Rights Report for Egypt. He had not yet seen the report. He told us he will review the report and get back to us with informal comments, which he s [...] | 2008-03-17 16:55:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF PGOV PTER KISL EG |
08CAIRO542 | MOD CONTINUES TO RESIST PERMITTING COAST GUARD [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-18 16:25:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EG EWWT PARM PGOV PREL PTER |
08CAIRO555 | O TV: A RISING STAR IN THE ARAB MEDIA MARKET [...] (U) Summary: On March 16, A/IO met with Yasmine Abdullah Attia, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Egyptian youth entertainment channel O TV, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on January 31, 2008. In slightly more than one year, O TV has rocketed into the top 10 most watched ente [...] | 2008-03-19 13:52:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECPS KPAO XF EG |
08CAIRO560 | MUBARAK SPEECH: SLIGHT INCREASE OF PRESSURE ON [...] (SBU) President Mubarak's March 18 Moulid el Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet) speech focused in large part on Islamic values, which Mubarak asserted were under attack both from non-Muslims (i.e. the "blasphemous cartoonists") as well as from radical Muslims who "give a reason for others to accus [...] | 2008-03-19 15:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IS LE EG |
08CAIRO567 | PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER ON U.S. VISIT, AYMAN NOUR, [...] (C) Summary: In a March 12 meeting with the Ambassador, Speaker of the Egyptian People's Assembly, Ahmed Fathi Surour, highlighted his satisfaction with his early March visit to Washington. He complained about Congressional focus on imprisoned former Al Ghad party leader Ayman Nour, and deta [...] | 2008-03-23 12:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO569 | ARAB LEAGUE'S HISHAM YOUSEF ON SUMMIT AND "YEMENI [...] (C) Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef told us March 23 that the number of heads of state to attend the Arab League Summit in Damascus is not yet final, and he expects it will be in play up until the day of the summit (i.e. March 29). Yousef said that planning for this year's summit "was [...] | 2008-03-23 15:05:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SY LE IS EG |
08CAIRO57 | MUBARAK DISCUSSES BACK SURGERY, GAMAL AS [...] (S/NF) During his January 6 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Congressman Steven Israel (D-NY),President Mubarak described his June 2004 back surgery in Germany to repair a slipped disc (he stressed it was not a herniated disc). Mubarak said that the opening made in his back was "very [...] | 2008-01-14 11:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET//NOFORN | PINR PGOV PREL EG |
08CAIRO579 | EGYPT WILL NOT RECOGNIZE KOSOVO [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-25 13:50:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNMIK EG KV YI |
08CAIRO58 | LATEST MUBARAK COMMENTS AND EGYPTQN MFA THINKING [...] (U) President Mubarak, touring Upper Egypt on January 13, demanded implementation of the steps delineated in the Arab League statement of January 6. He called upon the Lebanese people to end their disagreements for the sake of their country. He said that if the current crisis continues that [...] | 2008-01-14 15:52:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO587 | MUBARAK ORDERS MILITARY TO ASSIST IN RESOLVING "BREAD [...] (U) Summary: In apparent reaction to what the media is characterizing as a "bread crisis" - shortages of subsidized bread and rising prices for unsubsidized bread -President Mubarak has ordered the military to assist civilian agencies in ensuring availability of subsidized bread. According t [...] | 2008-03-26 07:53:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EAID EG |
08CAIRO595 | EGYPTIAN COURT CONVICTS EDITOR BUT SUSPENDS JAIL [...] (SBU) On March 26, a Cairo court convicted Ibrahim Eissa, editor of the independent newspaper Al-Dustour, of spreading false information in connection with the newspaper's August 2007 publication of stories reporting rumors then circulating that President Mubarak was in poor health. The cou [...] | 2008-03-26 15:04:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KDEM KPAO EG |
08CAIRO596 | IRAQI REFUGEES: AMBASSADOR FOLEY ASKS ARAB LEAGUE TO [...] (SBU) Summary: Senior Coordinator for Iraqi Refugee Issues James Foley pressed Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Youssef on March 24 for Arab League member states to pledge financial commitments for Iraqi refugees at the March 29 Arab League Summit in Damascus. He noted that refugees, particul [...] | 2008-03-26 15:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PREF EG IR |
08CAIRO602 | UPDATE ON U.S. NAVY INCIDENT AT SUEZ (CORRECTED [...] (C) Summary: On March 25 our NCIS officer witnessed the autopsy of the apparent victim in the March 24 incident at Suez involving a U.S. Navy-chartered vessel. The wounds appear consistent with the 50-caliber warning shots fired from the "Global Patriot" (ref B). NAVCENT NCIS will send a te [...] | 2008-03-27 09:36:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL PGOV EG |
08CAIRO607 | DARFUR: CAIRO-BASED REBELS ON NATIONAL CENSUS [...] (SBU) In a March 26 meeting, we asked Alaa El Din Ibrahim and Abdallah Ali, Political and Media Secretaries of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) Abdulwahid Nur faction, respectively, to encourage Nur supporters in Darfur, and particularly in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp [...] | 2008-03-27 12:53:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV SOCI UNSC KDEM EG SU |
08CAIRO611 | POSSIBLE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SYMPATHIES AMONG [...] (U) Summary: On March 15, we accompanied a DRL Program Officer on a monitoring visit to a DRL-funded governance project in Minya, a city in Upper Egypt. The project, implemented by the US-based NGO "Street Law International" and its local partner, the Assiut Human Rights Association (AHRA),[...] | 2008-03-27 17:01:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAID KDEM KISL EG |
08CAIRO621 | EGYPTIANS GLOOMY AND RESTIVE BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: Rising food prices, long bread lines, working-class economic woes and a daily dose of bad news are contributing to a sense among Egyptians that their country is in trouble. Whether they blame their government, the United States or even at times themselves, Egyptians are unhappy [...] | 2008-03-31 08:37:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR ECON KDEM MARR PGOV PHUM PREL EG |
08CAIRO623 | SUEZ INCIDENT: PM NAZIF ON POTUS CALL, [...] (S) Summary: On March 27 Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif told us that President Bush's condolence phone call to President Mubarak had helped calm a "fiery" cabinet meeting. He said that the GOE's investigation into the Suez incident is aimed at preventing the possibility of a recurrence. PM Nazif sa [...] | 2008-03-31 08:47:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PARM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO641 | ARAB LEAGUE BRIEFING ON DAMASCUS SUMMIT [...] (SBU) Summary Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef briefed diplomats on the Arab League Summit (held in Damascus March 29-30) on March 31. Yousef said that the tone of the summit was "conciliatory," but acknowledged that Arab-to-Arab relations have become frayed on a number of fronts and [...] | 2008-03-31 15:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY IS EG XF |
08CAIRO677 | LOCAL ELECTIONS LEAD-UP: RULING PARTY DOMINATES [...] (C) Summary: We do not expect any surprises from Egypt's April 8 local elections. Due to the government's widespread blocking of oppositionists from registering as candidates, only a total of 962 opposition candidates, including just 20 from the Muslim Brotherhood (MB),have made it onto the [...] | 2008-04-03 16:42:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO693 | MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ANNOUNCES BOYCOTT OF LOCAL [...] (SBU) On April 7, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB),which up until now had urged Egyptians to participate in the April 8 local council elections, called on voters to boycott. The full text of the MB's statement is posted on the organization's website (translated text at para 3). The MB's Deputy S [...] | 2008-04-07 12:09:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM KISL EG |
08CAIRO697 | DAY OF PROTESTS LARGELY QUIET, BUT VIOLENT CLASH [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-07 14:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PHUM ECON EG |
08CAIRO699 | EGYPT'S INTERIOR MINISTRY ANNOUNCES NO APPEAL IN [...] (C) According to media reports, Egypt's Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced that the government will not appeal the January 24 Cairo Administrative Court ruling granting three members of Egypt's Baha,i minority the right to obtain government identification documents (ref B). According to th [...] | 2008-04-07 15:33:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KIRF EG |
08CAIRO7 | EGYPTIAN COURT REJECTS LEGAL ATTACK ON BLOGS [...] (U) On December 29, the Cairo Administrative Judicial Court dismissed a lawsuit aimed at shutting down 51 websites belonging to Egyptian human rights organizations, opposition groups and individual bloggers. As a legal basis for its ruling, the Cairo court cited Article 19 of the Universal D [...] | 2008-01-02 16:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KPAO PHUM PGOV EG |
08CAIRO701 | NEA DAS BUTLER DISCUSSES IRAQ WITH ARAB LEAGUE [...] (C) Visiting NEA DAS Butler discussed Iraq issues with Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef April 6. DAS Butler gave an overview of the current situation, including in Basrah, where the GOI had managed an overall gain of territorial control. Yousef claimed that Arab states are willing to [...] | 2008-04-08 06:35:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IZ SY KV EG |
08CAIRO712 | MFA READOUT OF PM SINIORA VISIT [...] (C) Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora, touring the region to maintain Arab support for his government, updated President Mubarak, PM Nazif, and FM Aboul Gheit April 6 and 7 on the situation in Lebanon. MFA Cabinet Advisor Nazih Neggary told us April 7 that Siniora was concerned that the Arab Lea [...] | 2008-04-08 14:38:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO715 | SECOND NIGHT OF VIOLENT CLASHES IN NILE DELTA TOWN [...] (SBU) Violent clashes between police and protestors reignited April 7 on the streets of the Nile Delta textile mill town of Mehalla el Kubra. The flashpoint of the protests centered on the Mehalla police station, where protesters gathered to demand the release of those detained the previous d [...] | 2008-04-08 17:57:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PHUM ECON EG |
08CAIRO720 | LOCAL ELECTIONS MARKED BY LOW TURNOUT, RULING [...] (C) Summary: The April 8 elections for 52,000 local council seats were marked by dramatically low turnout, a result of the usual apathy of the Egyptian electorate combined with the call for a boycott by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Embassy officers observing the elections nationwide saw numer [...] | 2008-04-09 11:52:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO721 | MUBARAK'S NUCLEAR PROTOCOL WITH RUSSIA: [...] (C) Summary: Contacts in the GOE and Egyptian academia have described President Mubarak's late March visit to Russia as "routine," including the Egyptian-Russian nuclear energy protocol signed during the visit. While the nuclear energy protocol and other agreements for Egyptian-Russian cooper [...] | 2008-04-09 11:53:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG EPET ETRD KNNP EG RU |
08CAIRO724 | NILE DELTA TOWN LARGELY CALM APRIL 8-9; PM [...] (SBU) Even after the parade of Egyptian cabinet ministers and attendant security had long returned to Cairo, the streets of Mehalla el Kubra remained relatively calm the evening of April 8 and early April 9. Earlier on April 8, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif joined the three ministers of Manpower [...] | 2008-04-09 12:40:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PHUM ECON EG |
08CAIRO730 | EGYPT: LEADING KEFAYA ACTIVIST DETAINED [...] (SBU) On the evening of April 9, Egyptian police detained George Ishaaq, a founder and leading member of the opposition "Kefaya" (Enough) movement (also known as the "Egyptian Movement for Change"),and are currently holding him in the Tagammu al Khamis State Security Prosecutor's facility. No [...] | 2008-04-10 11:02:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR EG |
08CAIRO735 | RUMORS OF CABINET SHUFFLE ABOUND [...] (C) Amidst growing popular and media agitation against rising prices and occasional shortages of bread and fuel, rumors have started again (ref) in Cairo that a cabinet shuffle will occur roughly two weeks after the April 8 local elections. During the Ambassador's April 6 farewell call, Prim [...] | 2008-04-10 14:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EG |
08CAIRO737 | DIMMING PUBLIC FOCUS ON SUEZ INCIDENT; UPDATE ON [...] (C) The March 24 Suez incident that resulted in the death of Mohammed Fouad Affifi has generally been supplanted in the Egyptian press and the public's awareness by more pressing domestic concerns, such as the violent clashes between police and protestors April 6-7 in Mehalla that resulted in a [...] | 2008-04-10 15:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PARM PGOV PREL EG |
08CAIRO739 | EGYPT'S HIV ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS [...] (U) According to media reports, on April 9 five HIV positive Egyptian men were convicted of "the habitual practice of debauchery" andsentenced to three years in prison. The debauchey charges stem from alleged homosexual conduct. awyers for the men intend to appeal the conviction but are not op [...] | 2008-04-10 16:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KHIV EG |
08CAIRO749 | OMAR SOLIMAN DISCUSSES IRAQ APRIL 12 [...] (S/NF) Ambassador raised Iraq, and urged that Egypt do more to support the GOI, in an April 12 meeting with EGIS Chief Omar Soliman. The recent Iraqi military operation was clear evidence that PM Maliki was operating on a national rather than sectarian basis in confronting rebel groups. This [...] | 2008-04-13 10:13:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV IZ EG |
08CAIRO77 | EGYPT UNDECIDED ABOUT SUPPORTING KOSOVAR [...] No summary [...] | 2008-01-17 11:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNMIK EG YI |
08CAIRO776 | GOE HAS NO OBJECTION TO FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR [...] (C) MFA Lebanon Director Nazih El-Negary told us April 15 that FM Aboul Gheit has no objection to a French proposal to organize an April 22 meeting on Lebanon on the margins of the Iraq neighbors conference in Kuwait. The French are planning to invite the U.S., Egypt, the Arab League, Saudi Ar [...] | 2008-04-15 16:09:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE FR EG |
08CAIRO783 | MAHALLA RIOTS: ISOLATED INCIDENT OR TIP OF AN [...] (C) Summary: Egyptians are uneasy about the April 6 and 7 anti-government riots in Mahalla, which featured thousands of unemployed youth battling riot police in the streets of the Nile Delta mill-town (refs B-D). The violent demonstrations followed on an opposition-organized general strike on A [...] | 2008-04-16 10:41:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM EG |
08CAIRO784 | BIRD FLU KILLS SECOND EGYPTIAN THIS MONTH [...] (SBU/NF) Summary: On April 11, the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) confirmed its sixth Human avian influenza (AI) case this year, the 49th overall, and the second in less than a week: a 30-year old woman from Al-Matarya in the Cairo Governorate. The woman's death, which made her the 2 [...] | 2008-04-16 12:00:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO KSCA KFLU ECON EAGR PGOV EG |
08CAIRO785 | MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MILITARY TRIBUNAL ISSUES [...] (SBU) Summary: In the latest installment of the GOE's ongoing crackdown against the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB),the military tribunal against forty MB members issued verdicts on April 15, nearly one year after the trial started in April 2007. Fifteen defendants were acquitted, but the ot [...] | 2008-04-16 14:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM PGOV KISL EG |
08CAIRO792 | INTERIOR MINISTER ON MAHALLA RIOTS, DETENTIONS OF [...] (C) Summary: In an April 15 farewell call with Interior Minister Habib El Adly, the Ambassador raised USG concern about the recent detentions of opposition activists, as well as the tough sentences handed down that day against 25 senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) by a military trib [...] | 2008-04-17 10:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM PGOV KISL EG |
08CAIRO8 | ARAB LEAGUE LEBANON MTG: EGYPT SEEKS TO RAISE [...] (C) The Arab League confirmed to us January 2 that Syria will attend the January 6 extraordinary ministerial session to be held in Cairo on Lebanon. Hisham Yousef, Chief of Staff to Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa, had been scheduled to travel to Beirut December 31, but told us he ha [...] | 2008-01-02 17:54:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV LE SY EG |
08CAIRO808 | U.S.-EGYPT COUNTERTERRORISM WORKING GROUP MEETING [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-20 15:33:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PTER PREL PGOV KISL AG MO SO PK AF LY SU |
08CAIRO833 | LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS: UNOFFICIAL RESULTS [...] (SBU) To date, no official nationwide results have been announced in Egypt's April 8 local council elections. Reportedly, results are being released governorate by governorate, and will be finalized nationally next week. With only 962 opposition candidates on the ballot country-wide, out of th [...] | 2008-04-22 16:15:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM KISL EG |
08CAIRO843 | EGYPT'S MFA ON APRIL 6 DETAINEES, BAHA'IS, CT LAW [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-23 15:46:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF PGOV PTER KISL EG |
08CAIRO844 | GRIM BIRD FLU MILESTONE: EGYPT'S 50TH CASE [...] (SBU) On April 16, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) confirmed its seventh human avian influenza (AI) case this year: a 2-year-old boy from the Sharqia Governorate north of Cairo. This marks Egypt's 50th confirmed AI case overall, and the third in the month of April. The [...] | 2008-04-23 15:56:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KFLU TBIO ECON PGOV EG |
08CAIRO859 | SOMALIA: EGYPT CAUTIOUS ON ANTI-PIRACY EFFORTS, [...] (U) Per reftel demarche, we notified Arab League African Affairs Department Director Samir Hosni on April 22 that the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) plans to chair the International Contact Group (ICG) on Somalia after the next ICG meeting in Oslo, with the discretio [...] | 2008-04-24 15:27:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID PGOV EG SO |
08CAIRO860 | DARFUR: EGYPT URGES RE-ENGAGEMENT, INCLUSIVITY ON [...] (SBU) The GOE seeks to re-invigorate the idea that UN and AU Darfur envoys Jan Elaisson and Selim Ahmed Selim engage in "shuttle diplomacy" between the rebel groups and GOS to bring them to a comprehensive political solution, MFA Cabinet Advisor for African Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid told us on Apr [...] | 2008-04-24 15:30:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM EG SU |
08CAIRO861 | MFA ON TAHDIYA EFFORTS; AHLC MEETING [...] (S/NF) MFA Director for Palestinian Affairs Badr Abelatty updated us April 24 on Egyptian tahdiya ("calming") efforts. Abdelatty said that talks were presently underway between a visiting Hamas delegation led by deposed FM Zahar and EGIS officials. He said the GOE is seeking an "unconditional" [...] | 2008-04-24 15:32:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | EAID EU KPAL PGOV PREL IS WBG |
08CAIRO862 | FACEBOOK ACTIVIST RELEASED [...] (SBU) Israa Abdel Fattah, a young Ghad party member detained since April 6 for allegedly inciting a general strike on the same day, was released the evening of April 23. Abdel Fattah was reportedly ordered released on April 14 by the Public Prosecutor, but was kept in "protective custody" by [...] | 2008-04-24 15:39:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG |
08CAIRO886 | EGYPT "DISAPPOINTED" WITH INTERIM TIP REPORT [...] (SBU) On April 23, Amira Fahmy of the MFA Human Rights office told us that the GOE was "disappointed" that the interim Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report on Egypt states that Egypt has only made "minimal progress" on combating TIP during the reporting period. Fahmy said that the National Coord [...] | 2008-04-29 06:26:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM EG |
08CAIRO9 | CODEL VOINOVICH MEETING WITH EGIS CHIEF SOLIMAN [...] (S) Summary. EGIS Chief Omar Soliman told Ambassador and a visiting Codel led by Senator George Voinovich December 31 that he is optimistic progress will be made on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. However, Soliman was concerned with continuing Israeli criticism of Egyptian anti-smuggling e [...] | 2008-01-02 18:07:00 | Embassy Cairo | SECRET | PREL PGOV IS IZ SY EG |
08CAIRO902 | USAID DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE PROGRAMS: THE WAY FORWARD [...] No summary [...] | 2008-04-30 14:24:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PGOV PREL EG |
08CAIRO913 | EGYPTIAN COURT DISMISSES LAWSUITS AGAINST [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-04 14:47:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM EG |
08CAIRO920 | NAZIF DISCUSSES D&G FUNDING, REFORM IN EGYPT [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador made an introductor call on Prime Minister Nazif on April 29, accompanied by econ counselor (notetaker). The two discussed the need to continue an economic dialogue, as well as continued US support for democracy in Egypt, Egyptian political reform, US funding for ci [...] | 2008-05-05 09:29:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ETRD KIPR KDEM EG |
08CAIRO930 | MAY 4 STRIKE FIZZLES [...] (SBU) Summary: The general strike called for May 4 to protest rocketing inflation and low wages was largely a non-event. Activists from Kefaya ("The Egyptian Movement for Change") and virtual oppositionists using the social networking site Facebook called for the strike (scheduled purposefully [...] | 2008-05-05 14:15:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PREL KDEM ECON EG |
08CAIRO931 | MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION RENEWS [...] (U) This is an action message. See paragraph 16 for action requested. 2. (C) SUMMARY; The Ambassador paid an introductory call on Minister for International Cooperation Fayza Abulnaga on May 4, accompanied by USAID Mission Director and Econ Counselor (notetaker). During the meeting t [...] | 2008-05-05 14:52:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON PREL PGOV ENRG KDEM EG |
08CAIRO932 | RESPONSE: IMPACT OF RISING FOOD/COMMODITY PRICES - EGYPT [...] (SBU) Rising global food prices are hitting Egypt's poor hard and are the major contributor to stubbornly high inflation (14.4% y-o-y in March). Past episodes of rising food prices (e.g., 2003-05) pushed Egypt's poverty rate up, and some fear this is happening again now. Almost every interna [...] | 2008-05-05 15:16:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAGR EAID EFIN EINV ELAB PGOV EG |
08CAIRO938 | PM NAZIF, CODEL TIERNEY DISCUSS [...] (SBU) Summary: Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif met March 24 with Representatives John Tierney (D-MA),James Moran (D-VA),Maurice Hinchey (D-NY),Betty McCollum (D-MN),Keith Ellison (D-MN),Barbara Cubin (R-WY) and then-Ambassador Ricciardone. PM Nazif praised President Bush's efforts to achieve [...] | 2008-05-06 12:12:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON IS EG |
08CAIRO959 | GOE RAISES FUEL PRICES TO OFFSET SALARY INCREASE [...] (SBU) Parliament passed a series of revenue generating measures to offset the cost to the budget of the 30% wage increase announced by President Mubarak on April 30 (reftel). The measures include fuel and cigarette price increases, higher automobile registration fees, and imposition of some n [...] | 2008-05-11 09:06:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EPET PGOV EG |
08CAIRO968 | MINISTER OF INTERIOR ON COUNTER-TERROR LAW, [...] (C) Summary: In a May 7 introductory meeting with the Ambassador, Interior Minister Habib Al Adly offered no indication as to whether the Egyptian government will enact new counter-terror legislation by May 31, or instead simply re-extend the existing Emergency Law, in force since 1981. Adly i [...] | 2008-05-12 12:39:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PTER PGOV PREF EG |
08CAIRO971 | STATE OF PLAY REGARDING EGYPT'S PLANNED [...] No summary [...] | 2008-05-12 15:08:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PGOV PINS PTER EG |
08CAIRO976 | PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER ON AYMAN NOUR, [...] (C) Summary: In a May 8 introductory call with the Ambassador, Speaker of the People's Assembly Fathi Surour complained about imprisoned former Al Ghad party leader Ayman Nour's "continuous criticism" of the Egyptian government, alleging that it did not allow for the "correct atmosphere" to be [...] | 2008-05-13 13:34:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EG |
08CAIRO977 | EGYPT ALLEGEDLY DEPORTS JEM IN RESPONSE TO [...] (C) Egypt has deported several Darfur rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Army Abdulwahid Nour faction (SLA/Nour) after the unsuccessful JEM raid on Khartoum (reftel),according to contacts in Darfur rebel groups in Cairo. Osama Mohamed El Hassan, S [...] | 2008-05-13 15:12:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EG SU |
08CAIRO99 | FOLLOW-UP MEDIA COVERAGE OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT [...] (SBU) Following a week of negative media coverage, from government, opposition and independent newspapers alike, in the lead up to President Bush's January 16 visit to Egypt, all Egyptian TV channels - government and satellite - carried the joint POTUS-Mubarak press conference live and provide [...] | 2008-01-22 14:22:00 | Embassy Cairo | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPAO EG |
08CAIRO996 | CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT WARNS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS [...] (C) Per reftel, Post delivered non-paper to relevant Egyptian authorities regarding UN Security Council Resolution 1803 regarding Iran, the FATF advisory on Iran, and we urged Egyptian authorities to warn their financial institutions to step up vigilance on all activities with any bank domicile [...] | 2008-05-15 12:54:00 | Embassy Cairo | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EG ETRD IR PGOV EINV |
08CANBERRA1028 | TURNBULL OFF TO A GOOD START AS OPPOSITION LEADER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In the first Newspoll that measured Malcolm Turnbull's performance as Opposition Leader, voters gave him a satisfaction rating of 50 percent, 10 points higher than former Leader Brendan Nelson's top of 40 percent and nine points better than Kevin Rudd when he first became Opposit [...] | 2008-10-14 07:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA104 | UNIONS KEY FUNDING SOURCE FOR ALP [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Unions provided the Australian Labor Party (ALP) with a significant financial advantage during last year's election campaign. In the year to June 30 2007, the ALP raised A$66 million (USD 60 million) - almost 20 percent more than the Liberal and National Coalition - with unions [...] | 2008-02-07 06:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ELAB AS |
08CANBERRA1048 | AUSTRALIAN CONTRIBUTION TO AFGHAN ELECTIONS [...] No summary [...] | 2008-10-17 05:35:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KDEM PGOV EAID PREL AS |
08CANBERRA1054 | PUBLIC SUPPORTS RUDD BUT PUNISHES LABOR IN STATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: According to a new A.C. Nielsen poll, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's approval rating has increased by 10 points to 71 percent, the highest rating he has ever recorded. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed supported Rudd's handling of the economic crisis and his economic package, [...] | 2008-10-20 06:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON AS |
08CANBERRA1064 | GOA UPDATES SANCTIONS LIST FOR INDIVIDUALS [...] (U) Foreign Minister Stephen Smith announced October 22 that Australia had added new members of the Burmese regime who are subject to government of Australia (GOA) financial sanctions, bringing the total to 463. (Note. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) signaled to post in Jul [...] | 2008-10-23 06:41:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BM AS |
08CANBERRA1074 | FORMER HOWARD ADVISOR ON RUDD'S STIMULUS PACKAGE [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: A former adviser to John Howard says the Rudd Government likely made a purely political decision rather than a carefully thought out economic one when it decided on the size of the A$10.4 billion stimulus plan (reftel). New Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs, who won the seat of [...] | 2008-10-24 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ECON AS |
08CANBERRA1107 | AUSTRALIA 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE [...] Embassy Canberra is pleased to nominate June Oscar for the 2009 Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage. In response to hard-hitting reports of abuse in Aboriginal communities in Australia, Ms. Oscar successfully campaigned for a controversial six-month ban on take-away alcohol [...] | 2008-10-31 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KWMN PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO AS |
08CANBERRA1131 | INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL LEVEL [...] Greg Wilcock of the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed receipt of Australia's invitation to the National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09). Wilcock told PolOff November 10 that the Minister's office will contact post with information regarding attendees to NLE 09 as soon as there [...] | 2008-11-10 06:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PREL OPDC |
08CANBERRA114 | NEW PARLIAMENT TO MEET: LEADERS FACE SCRUTINY [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: The ALP and Coalition will be under the media spotlight next week when the new Parliament sits for the first time. In Question Time, the Opposition will seek to put the Rudd Government on the defensive, particularly on the key issue of the economy. The performance of Liberal [...] | 2008-02-08 06:23:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS PGOV |
08CANBERRA1140 | TRIAL COMMENCES FOR FIVE MEN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING [...] (U) The trial of five Sydney men accused of conspiring to commit a terrorist act or acts began November 11 in Parramatta, a New South Wales suburb of Sydney. The men, Khaled Cheikho, 35, Moustafa Cheikho, 31, Mohamed Ali Elomar, 43, Abdul Rakib Hasan, 39 and Mohammed Omar Jamal, 24 were foun [...] | 2008-11-12 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA1141 | INTERVENTION REVIEW FUELS POLITICAL AND SOCIAL [...] (U) Summary: Sixteen months after the Australian government mounted a controversial intervention in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to combat reported widespread sexual abuse of Aboriginal children, a review panel has concluded that the emergency remains acute and has endors [...] | 2008-11-13 05:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AS PGOV PHUM SOCI |
08CANBERRA1196 | RUDD GOVERNMENT - ONE YEAR REPORT [...] (C/NF) The Rudd government has generally been competent and centrist during its first 12 months, notwithstanding some significant foreign policy blunders, and criticism over Rudd's media-focused management style. The Government is unified, has avoided scandal, kept its major election promises [...] | 2008-11-28 01:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PINR PGOV ECON AS |
08CANBERRA1222 | GOVERNMENT PROPOSES REVISED LABOR LAWS FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Labor unions are generally happy with the Rudd Government's major industrial relations bill, introduced on November 25. This bill proposes a new labor relations scheme for Australia, providing stronger collective bargaining rights, easier worksite access for union officials, th [...] | 2008-12-04 20:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB AS |
08CANBERRA1230 | NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR DUNCAN LEWIS [...] (U) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the appointment of Duncan Lewis to the newly-created post of National Security Advisor (NSA). The creation of the position of NSA is the first step in the formation of the Rudd Government's new national security structure. The NSA will be resp [...] | 2008-12-05 06:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PINR MARR AS |
08CANBERRA1231 | GOA REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON WAY FORWARD WITH IRAQ [...] (S) The Australian government, while pessimistic about achieving a legally binding SOFA with Iraq, is actively exploring options for the continued employment of imbedded Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel serving in MNF-I, particularly those whose missions keep them within the confines [...] | 2008-12-05 07:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ ES RO AS EN |
08CANBERRA1238 | SURGE IN BOAT PEOPLE BECOMES POLITICAL ISSUE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Opposition is blaming a surge in the number of illegal boat people on the Rudd Government's relaxation of the former Howard Government's border protection policies. Since the policy toward illegal refugees was changed in August, six people-smuggling boats traveling from Ind [...] | 2008-12-08 06:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SMIG PREF AS |
08CANBERRA1244 | POLLING GETS WORSE FOR LIBERAL PARTY [...] (U) SUMMARY: A Newspoll released December 9 indicates that the Opposition is going backwards since it switched leaders to Malcolm Turnbull in September. Support for the Coalition is at its lowest level since June. Since the last Newspoll two weeks ago, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) has in [...] | 2008-12-09 06:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA125 | TIMOR LESTE: DFAT OFFICIAL DISCUSSES MILITARY, [...] (SBU) Summary. Director of the ASEAN Regional Issues and East Timor section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Linda Worthaisong told PolOff on February 13 that along with his planned trip to East Timor on February 15, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been in constant contact [...] | 2008-02-13 22:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ASEC MARR AS TT |
08CANBERRA1258 | SOFA UNLIKELY FOR AUSTRALIA THIS YEAR [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY It is highly unlikely that Australia will negotiate a SOFA with the Iraqi government before the end of the year. The Australian Department of Defence (ADOD) is developing an alternative plan where personnel who work at the Australian Embassy or Camp Victory will remain in place [...] | 2008-12-11 06:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS AS IZ ES EN RO |
08CANBERRA1259 | AUSTRALIA OUTLINES SPECIAL OPS IN AFGHANISTAN [...] (U) Australian Special Operations Commander, Major General Tim McOwan, held a special media briefing on Australia's Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) activities in Oruzgan Province on December 11. He highlighted the effectiveness of SOTG efforts to create an improved security environment [...] | 2008-12-11 06:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MOPS PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA126 | RUDD SAYS "SORRY" TO INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The House of Representatives passed a motion February 13 apologizing for the treatment of indigenous Australians, particularly the "Stolen Generations" - which refers to the Aboriginal children who were taken from their families by white Australia between 1910 and 1970. Prime Mi [...] | 2008-02-13 22:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI AS |
08CANBERRA1271 | AUSTRALIAN REQUIRES IMMEDIATE HELP WITH IRAQ SOFA [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Smith has told Ambassador McCallum that Australia needs immediate help from the United States in order to keep its remaining troops in Iraq. The FM noted that GOA was requested by the US to defer its negotiation with the GOI so as not to complicate US negotiat [...] | 2008-12-12 07:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ AS |
08CANBERRA1292 | AUSTRALIA AWAITING SOFA DEVELOPMENTS [...] (C) Poloff delivered information from reftel to the director of the Iraq section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lloyd Broderick, on December 18. Broderick said Australia is awaiting developments. One issue that is repeatedly raised by the Australian negotiating team in Baghda [...] | 2008-12-18 06:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | AS EN ES IZ MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UK RO NATO |
08CANBERRA1307 | BILL OF RIGHTS FOR AUSTRALIA? [...] (U) SUMMARY: On the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Government announced it would establish a consultation process on how best to protect and promote human rights in Australia. A committee will canvass public opinion on whether human rights need any addition [...] | 2008-12-22 06:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA1324 | HANEEF INQUIRY RECOMMENDS REVIEW OF CT LAWS AND [...] (U) SUMMARY: A judicial inquiry into the collapsed prosecution of former terrorism suspect Dr Mohammed Haneef, which occurred during the Howard Government in July 2007 (reftel),found no evidence connecting Haneef to terrorist activities. It recommended an independent review of counter-terror [...] | 2008-12-29 05:08:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PTER AS |
08CANBERRA140 | RUDD HAS A VERY GOOD WEEK [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Kevin Rudd burnished his leadership image this week by issuing an emotional apology to indigenous Australians, particularly the "Stolen Generations" and by coolly managing his first foreign crisis, the attack on East Timorese President Ramos-Horta. By closing the apology issue [...] | 2008-02-15 05:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA178 | AUSMIN 2008: SESSION I (IRAQ, IRAN, MIDDLE EAST) [...] (U) February 23, 2008; Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. 2. (C) SUMMARY. The 2008 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) -- the first AUSMIN hosted by the recently-elected Labor government -- opened with Foreign Minister Smith and Defence Minister Fitzgibbon strong [...] | 2008-02-25 04:10:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | OVIP GATES ROBERT NEGROPONTE JOHN PGOV |
08CANBERRA181 | ADVANCING THE U.S. POSITION FOR CHANGE IN CUBA [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-25 05:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | AS CU EU PGOV PREL |
08CANBERRA220 | RUDD SHINES IN FIRST 100 DAYS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In its first several months, the Rudd Government has made a smooth transition to Government, enjoying a continuing honeymoon with the media and the public. To mark 100 days in office, the Prime Minister issued a report card outlining the Rudd Government's achievements and imple [...] | 2008-03-04 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON AS |
08CANBERRA246 | UNIONS ASK FOR THE SPOILS OF VICTORY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Jeff Lawrence, the new Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Union (ACTU),the unions' national umbrella organization, said in a speech March 12 that organized labor would lobby for real wage increases for low-paid workers, higher retirement contributions from employers, [...] | 2008-03-17 04:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB AS |
08CANBERRA276 | ASIA PACIFIC DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP: AUSTRALIA [...] (U) Poloff met with Assistant Secretary for International Organizations Andrew Goledzinowski March 20 to deliver the non-paper and points in Ref A. Goledzinowski, who will shortly transfer to New York to take up his new posting as Deputy Permrep, was joined by Evan Gallagher, Secretary-Genera [...] | 2008-03-20 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA287 | RUDD HONEYMOON MEETS BUDGET REALITIES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: From March 7-12, the dominant political issue was speculation over whether the Rudd Government would axe budget allocations for carers (family members who care for invalids) and seniors in his fight against inflation. With Rudd overseas for most of this period, the Government di [...] | 2008-03-25 06:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SOCI AS |
08CANBERRA298 | INTERIM AUSTRALIAN COMMENTS ON THE ASIA PACIFIC [...] (U) This message contains an action request - please see para 6 below. 2. (SBU) On March 26, poloff spoke with Evan Gallagher of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) International Organizations Branch, who has been designated the action officer of the Asia Pacific Democracy [...] | 2008-03-27 05:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA30 | KOSOVO: AUSTRALIA RECOGNITION TO FOLLOW US, EU [...] (SBU) This is an action request. Please see para 5 below. 2. (C) Summary: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will recommend recognition of Kosovo in the early stages, but only "in good company", that is, after the US, most of the EU and Canada. The issue will be put f [...] | 2008-01-14 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNAUS UNMIK PGOV YI EU |
08CANBERRA303 | ADVANCING AUSTRALIA'S GLOBAL INTERESTS [...] (U) SUMMARY: In his first foreign policy address as Prime Minister, and before leaving for the United States, Europe and China on March 27, Kevin Rudd said that the challenges Australia faces in areas like climate change, terrorism and the development of the Pacific Islands will require it to b [...] | 2008-03-27 06:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV ECON ETRD SENV AS |
08CANBERRA310 | RUDD MOVES TO OVERHAUL FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Since becoming Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader, Rudd has spoken repeatedly about "ending the blame game" between the federal and state governments. At the heart of the "blame game" is the funding imbalance between the federal and state governments. The federal government r [...] | 2008-03-28 06:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON AS |
08CANBERRA357 | AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATION IN PARIS CONFERENCE ON [...] (SBU) Pol/Mil Officer met with Erika Thompson, Executive Officer for Afghanistan, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),on April 8 to obtain information on Australia's participation in the Paris Conference on Afghanistan. Ms. Thompson confirmed that Australia will be represented at [...] | 2008-04-08 22:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON EFIN KDEM PGOV PREL AS |
08CANBERRA370 | CONSERVATIVE PARTIES PONDER A MERGER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The November election loss has created unprecedented momentum for a merger between the Liberal and National parties (who are in coalition at the federal level). The departure of former Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader John Howard, who opposed a merger, and the situation [...] | 2008-04-10 05:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA374 | AUSTRALIA TO DOUBLE ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN [...] (C) Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) confirmed plans to double assistance to Pakistan through 2010. GOA aid is expected to increase from approximately US $23M to US $46M. This growth continues a [...] | 2008-04-11 04:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PK AS |
08CANBERRA403 | RUDD HOLDS SUMMIT OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd convened a summit of 1000 of Australia's "brightest and best" on the weekend of April 19-20 to discuss ways of addressing long-term challenges facing Australia. The high-profile summit, "Australia 2020," produced a number of proposals, many of which we [...] | 2008-04-21 23:40:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SOCI AS |
08CANBERRA416 | TORCH RELAY PROCEEDS WITH LITTLE INCIDENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Prime Minister Rudd, GOA officials and Chinese Embassy diplomats here are breathing a collective sigh of relief after the Olympic torch relay ended late April 24 morning with no major incidents, despite the presence of thousands of pro-China and pro-Tibet protesters. Two Chines [...] | 2008-04-24 07:37:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL CH AS |
08CANBERRA423 | AUSTRALIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY [...] (SBU) Poloff met April 28 with Evan Gallagher and Nicole Forrester of the International Organizations Branch, and Berenice Owens-Jones of the United States Political and Strategic Section, of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to present USG responses to the questions posed by [...] | 2008-04-28 07:48:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM AS |
08CANBERRA439 | AUSTRALIA RESPONDS TO GERMAN OBSTINACY ON CLUSTER [...] (C/NF) Reftel demarche was delivered on April 30 to Dr. Ada Cheung, Executive Director, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She advised that the GOA shares the U.S. frustration and concern with Germany's obstinacy over its prop [...] | 2008-04-30 08:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM PREL MOPS PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA443 | AUSTRALIA ASSAILS BURMA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM [...] (U) This message contains an action request -- please see para 4 below. 2. (U) In a May 1 media statement, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith charged that Burma,s "deeply flawed" constitution was only intended to entrench the military,s grip on power. He criticized the constitution as having b [...] | 2008-05-01 07:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM AS BM |
08CANBERRA461 | RUDD ANGERS LEFT ON GAY MARRIAGE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Rudd government, exercising the Federal Government's power to override territory laws, has forced the left-leaning Australian Labor Party (ALP) government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to abandon plans to allow "civil unions" for same-sex couples. The Rudd govern [...] | 2008-05-07 05:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI AS |
08CANBERRA462 | AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES AID PACKAGE FOR BURMA [...] (U) Foreign Minister Smith announced May 7 that Australia would provide AUD 3 million (USD 2.84 million) in humanitarian aid to Burmese victims of Cyclone Nargis. The package includes up to AUD 1 million (USD 0.94 million) for Australian NGOs with capacity on the ground to provide immediate e [...] | 2008-05-07 08:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID CASC PHUM PGOV BM AS |
08CANBERRA474 | UNIONS THREATEN RUDD'S INFLATION FIGHT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: There are signs that labor unions in Australia are becoming impatient with the wall-to-wall Federal and state Australian Labor Party (ALP) governments. While the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and some of the larger unions have tried to work with the Rudd Government a [...] | 2008-05-12 00:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON ILAB AS |
08CANBERRA490 | RUDD DELIVERS FOR WORKING FAMILIES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Rudd Government's first budget has slowed the growth of government spending and hit "the rich" to combat inflation, while delivering its election promises and looking after Rudd's "working families." There is means testing of family benefits, tax cuts, spending on the ALP's [...] | 2008-05-14 07:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV SENV AS |
08CANBERRA502 | AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS REQUEST TO BUILD ON ARAB [...] (SBU) Charge and Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Deborah Stokes, First Assistant Secretary, and Andrea Faulkner, Assistant Secretary, South and West Asia, Middle East and Africa Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Stokes advised that the GOA would look closely at the refte [...] | 2008-05-16 08:21:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PTER PREL AS |
08CANBERRA520 | RUDD TO BOOST SKILLED IMMIGRATION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Rudd government plans to significantly boost Australia's migration program to address labor shortages in the Australian economy. The Skilled Migration Program will be expanded by 30 percent. The Government is also considering boosting unskilled migration, including a labor s [...] | 2008-05-20 07:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PREF ELAB SMIG AS |
08CANBERRA521 | BUDGET RECEIVES MIXED REVIEWS AS LIBERALS SQUABBLE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Two national polls released May 20 indicate the Rudd government's popularity has not been affected by last week's budget. Both polls, taken after the budget was announced, have the Australian Labor Party (ALP) leading the Coalition 57 percent to 43 with Kevin Rudd thrashing Bren [...] | 2008-05-20 07:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA53 | THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNING BEGIN FOR PM RUDD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The new Rudd Government will face several challenges during its first term, including rising inflation and interest rates, a Senate without an Australian Labor Party (ALP) majority, an assertive union movement and an ALP left-wing eager to undermine the cultural and social legacy [...] | 2008-01-18 06:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ELAB ECON AS |
08CANBERRA532 | RESPONSE: IMPACT OF RISING FOOD/COMMODITY PRICES - [...] Summary: The rise of food and agricultural commodity prices has had very limited impact in Australia. A major agricultural exporter, Australia even stands to benefit. Rising food prices have caused no significant economic, political, or environmental problems in Australia. Post has no reco [...] | 2008-05-22 07:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR EAID ETRD ECON PGOV PREL AS |
08CANBERRA542 | HIGH COURT HEARS CASE ON SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING [...] (U) SUMMARY: On May 13 the High Court of Australia heard an appeal of a brothel owner who was convicted for enslaving five Thai prostitutes who had incurred a debt of A$45,000 when they were recruited to work in a brothel in Melbourne. The brothel had been raided in 2003 and the owner, Wei Tang [...] | 2008-05-27 04:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI KWMN AS |
08CANBERRA570 | AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL WILL ATTEND APDP LAUNCH [...] (C) Poloff spoke on June 3 to Evan Gallagher, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) action officer on the Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP),regarding reftel request for participants for a meeting and election-observation mission in Ulaanbaatar. Gallagher said that DFAT would [...] | 2008-06-03 07:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA579 | AUSTRALIAN FUNDING FOR UN ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE FOR [...] (U) This is an action request - please see para 4 below. 2. (U) Poloff conveyed reftel request for the GOA to submit its letter of commitment for its planned contribution to the UN Trust Fund for Electoral Assistant to Evan Gallagher, International Organizations Branch, Department of Foreig [...] | 2008-06-05 08:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA590 | AUSTRALIA PROPOSES PEACEKEEPING PARTICIPATION IN [...] (U) The Prime Minister's office announced on June 8 that Australia will join the United Nations Assistance Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has proposed sending nine officers to join the international force working to restore stability in Sudan. They would work [...] | 2008-06-10 07:57:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KPKO PREL PGOV MOPS AS |
08CANBERRA609 | DEPUTY PM JULIA GILLARD STAR IN RUDD GOVERNMENT [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Two stars have emerged in the government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: Rudd himself and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard (who will be Washington for the June 23-25 American Australian Leadership Dialogue). Gillard became Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) aft [...] | 2008-06-13 02:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PINR AS |
08CANBERRA621 | RUDD POPULARITY UNDIMINISHED DESPITE CRITICISM [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Rudd Government has extended its lead in the polls, despite rising fuel prices, alleged inappropriate conduct by one of its MPs, and criticism of Rudd's approach to economics and foreign affairs. Previous polls had the Coalition trailing badly but closing the gap, which pro [...] | 2008-06-17 07:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA630 | AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL ROUNDUP 2008-6 [...] (C/NF) The National Party's federal director, Brad Henderson (protect),told us today that the June 28 by-election for the federal parliamentary seat of Gippsland, in Victoria, is "high stakes stuff" for the Liberal-National Coalition. A bad result for the Coalition would further destabilize [...] | 2008-06-20 08:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA640 | COALITION POISED TO WIN FIRST BY-ELECTION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The National Party candidate appears poised to win a June 28 by-election that has been billed by the media as a major test of Brendan Nelson's leadership and, to a lesser extent, as a bellwether signaling the end of the Rudd Government's honeymoon. Most observers expect The Nat [...] | 2008-06-26 05:43:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA644 | FORMER HOWARD MINISTER ON RUDD, POLITICS, AND [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Former Howard Government Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough, who has just been elected president of the Liberal Party in Queensland, told the Ambassador June 25 that complaints of overcentralization in the Prime Minister's office reflected the natural tendency of fellow Que [...] | 2008-06-26 07:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PHUM AS |
08CANBERRA653 | BY-ELECTION RESULT A WARNING FOR RUDD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: As predicted (see ref A),the National Party retained the rural Victorian seat of Gippsland at a by-election on June 28, although the 6.4 percent swing against the Australian Labor Party (ALP) was greater than expected. Most observers are attributing the larger than expected sw [...] | 2008-06-30 06:48:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA657 | AUSTRALIAN SUPPORT FOR KOSOVO WILL STAY LOW KEY [...] No summary [...] | 2008-07-01 05:19:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV KPKO AS |
08CANBERRA660 | END OF RUDD HONEYMOON DOES NOT HELP NELSON [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Two days after the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) loss in the Gippsland by-election (reftel),support in the polls for the ALP and Rudd has slumped to its lowest level since the election. The ALP's lead over the Coalition has fallen eight points to 55-45 and Rudd's satisfaction [...] | 2008-07-01 05:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SENV AS |
08CANBERRA670 | FORMER FM DOWNER NEW UN ENVOY ON CYPRUS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Alexander Downer, former foreign minister under John Howard and Australia's longest serving Foreign Minister, told an Australian newspaper June 30 that he would announce his retirement from politics when he returned to Australia from Europe at the end of the week. He will work [...] | 2008-07-02 08:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR CY AS |
08CANBERRA71 | AUSTRALIA: DEMARCHE ON ENERGY INVESTMENTS IN BURMA [...] No summary [...] | 2008-01-25 07:00:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL ETRD AS |
08CANBERRA723 | DOMESTIC POLITICAL WEEK IN AUSTRALIA [...] (SBU) The Liberal Party will hold a candidate pre-election on Sunday July 20 to choose its candidate for a by-election caused by the resignation of former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Nine candidates and a preferential voting system make the outcome extremely unpredictable. Most obse [...] | 2008-07-18 02:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS PGOV |
08CANBERRA775 | COALITION RELEASES EMISSIONS TRADING POLICY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Coalition has decided to support an emissions trading scheme (ETS) "probably" by 2012, defying leader Brendan Nelson who wanted to make the introduction of an ETS conditional on the actions of other countries. This is a victory for Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull, and moder [...] | 2008-08-01 04:44:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS PGOV SENV |
08CANBERRA790 | FORMER ALP PM KEATING WHACKS RUDD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Former ALP Prime Minister Paul Keating has criticized the Rudd government for lacking an "overall narrative"; warned Rudd about the pitfalls of "micro-managing and "running at the behest of little press secretaries"; and suggested the Rudd government is taking the wrong approach [...] | 2008-08-07 07:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AS PGOV |
08CANBERRA864 | MIXED RESULTS FOR OPPOSITION IN WEEKEND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: By-elections in two federal parliamentary seats, caused by the resignation of former foreign minister Alexander Downer and former leader of the National Party Mark Vaile, will be held on Saturday September 6. The Liberal Party is expected to comfortably retain Downer's seat of [...] | 2008-09-03 08:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA896 | IS THE TIDE SHIFTING AGAINST STATE LABOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Recent swings against the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the Western Australian (WA) and Northern Territory (NT) state elections may indicate that voters are tiring of long-serving Labor governments around Australia. On August 9, in NT, there was a nine percent swing against th [...] | 2008-09-10 06:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA901 | COSTELLO DECLARES NO INTEREST IN LIBERAL LEADERSHIP [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In an interview published September 11, former Howard Government Treasurer Peter Costello ended months of speculation by declaring that he would not seek the leadership of the Liberal Party. Recent media commentary that Costello would contest the leadership of his party has bee [...] | 2008-09-11 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA909 | BENBRIKA PLUS 5 OTHERS GUILTY ON TERROR CHARGES [...] (SBU) A Victoria State Supreme court jury announced on September 15 that Abdul Benbrika and five co-defendants were found guilty under Australia's recent anti-terrorism legislation. Four of Benbrika's accomplices were acquitted and the verdicts of two others have yet to be announced. Local au [...] | 2008-09-15 07:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA915 | MALCOLM TURNBULL NEW OPPOSITION LEADER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In a leadership vote by the Liberal Party federal caucus on September 16, Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull beat incumbent Liberal Party Leader Brendan Nelson 45-41. He is now the head of the Liberal Party and Opposition Leader in the Parliament. After former Treasurer Peter C [...] | 2008-09-16 06:41:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA946 | FOREIGN MINISTER SMITH TO ATTEND FRIENDS OF [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-19 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AS ECON PGOV PK PREL |
08CANBERRA956 | TURNBULL GIVES LIBERALS A BOOST IN THE POLLS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Two opinion polls released September 22 suggest the Liberal Party made the right decision installing Malcolm Turnbull as leader. Although the Australian Labor Party (ALP) remains well in front, one poll has the ALP's support at its lowest since November 2006, and the other has [...] | 2008-09-22 06:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
08CANBERRA983 | AUSTRALIAN WEEKLY POLITICAL ROUNDUP 2008-7 [...] (C/NF) The most recent quarterly Newspolls suggest Australian Labor Party (ALP) state governments in Queensland and South Australia are in trouble. After preferences, the ALP leads the Liberal National Party (LNP) 51-49 in Queensland in the first Newspoll taken since the Queensland Liberals a [...] | 2008-09-26 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AS |
08CAPETOWN210 | THE INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS: INSTRUCTING AND COURTING ANC [...] (SBU) Patricia DeLille, out-spoken leader of the Independent Democrats (ID) -- the third largest party in the Western Cape and the fourth in South Africa -- is doing double duty as some ruling African National Congress (ANC) member's contemplate leaving their party. In a recent article publishe [...] | 2008-10-17 09:34:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV SF |
08CAPETOWN212 | WESTERN CAPE ANC SPLIT? [...] (SBU) Summary: The African National Congress (ANC) is facing its worst political crisis since the end of apartheid 14 years ago. Supporters of former President, Thabo Mbeki, who was deposed last month by the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC),are threatening to break away from the ANC an [...] | 2008-10-23 06:33:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV SF |
08CAPETOWN217 | SCORPIONS TO BE DISMANTLED [...] (SBU) On October 20, the African National Congress (ANC) pushed through legislation to dissolve the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and amend the South African Police Services Bill. The October 20 meeting of Parliament's safety and security and justice committees was a joint meeting of the [...] | 2008-10-29 08:25:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV SF |
08CAPETOWN224 | ANC PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA ADDRESSES PRESS CLUB [...] (U) African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma addressed the Cape Town Press Club at a breakfast meeting on Friday November 7, 2008. Mr. Zuma opened his address by referring to the U.S. elections and reflecting on his recent visit to the United States. He highlighted the importance of [...] | 2008-11-10 14:46:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN227 | CG DISCUSSES FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITH SAG MP SKOSANA [...] (SBU) On November 12, 2008 the CG, PolOff and PolAsst met with Moleeane Skosana, a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP),and one of three House Chairpersons of the National Assembly as well as a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr. Skosana has had a long [...] | 2008-11-14 14:03:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN230 | FREEDOM FRONT MP BEMOANS LACK OF ELECTION RESOURCES [...] (C) Summary: Freedom Front Plus (FF ) Member of Parliament Pieter Groenewald on November 19 told PolOffs that while he thought the party would make strides in next year's national election, possibly doubling its five-member parliamentary delegation, he was pessimistic about the party's ability [...] | 2008-11-24 13:09:00 | Consulate Cape Town | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN232 | U.S. ELECTION RESULTS COULD BRING NEW ERA TO USG-SAG [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 5, 2008 the Consul general hosted an election party at her residence. After the confirmation of Barrack Obama as President Elect, Professor Ben Turok, an ANC MP who was imprisoned with Mandela strolled into the CGR with a pronouncement that ANC Parliamentary members [...] | 2008-11-25 07:26:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN233 | METHAMPHETAMINE-A GROWING PROBLEM IN CAPE TOWN [...] (U) An article in the November 17 2008 edition of the Cape Times reported that, according to the Medical Research Council (MRC),Cape Town has become the methamphetamine capital of South Africa, with 98 percent of patients seen across the provinces coming from this city. 2. (U) Methampheta [...] | 2008-11-25 07:26:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR KCRM PGOV SF |
08CAPETOWN234 | HUGE TURNOUT IN SA VOTER REGISTRATION-OBAMA'S VICTORY A [...] (U) The South Africa Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) organized a voters registration drive during the weekend of November 8 and 9, 2008, in an effort to energize the younger citizens to participate in the 2009 election. From all accounts the campaign was a success. According to the IEC [...] | 2008-11-25 07:27:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN235 | CAPE TOWN TO LAUNCH ITS CARNIVAL IN 2010 [...] (U) While some are asking the question will South Africa be ready to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup; the Best Mayor in the World is displaying a "bring 'em on" attitude. On a windy, chilly evening, Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille, leader of the newly re-launched Democratic Alliance, hosted a [...] | 2008-11-25 07:28:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON SF |
08CAPETOWN243 | WESTERN CAPE BY-ELECTIONS [...] (U) Summary: The ordeals of the African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape do not appear to be abating. As rumors of defections from within the ANC abound and deadlines to contest the local by-elections are missed, the party is now plagued by calls to disband its Western Cape Executi [...] | 2008-12-11 15:39:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN245 | CAPE TOWN MAYOR DISCUSSES LOCAL, NATIONAL AND [...] (SBU) On December 12, Cape Town CG, Poloff and Polasst met with City of Cape Town Mayor and Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille. Mayor Zille was enthusiastic about the strong gains the DA made in the recent by-elections, particularly in the Western Cape. She said that although the resu [...] | 2008-12-18 09:45:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN247 | ANC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL REIGNS IN ITS WESTERN CAPE [...] (U) On December 17 and 18, the ANC National Executive Council (NEC) met to discuss its roadmap for the upcoming months, in particular with regards to the ANC provincial leadership in the Western Cape. The Western Cape Provincial leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) is again under [...] | 2008-12-19 14:18:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN248 | ALLAN BOESAK JOINS COPE [...] (U) On December 16, former anti-apartheid cleric Allan Boesak joined the Congress of the People (COPE) at its founding conference in Bloemfontein. Boesak, who was at the forefront of peaceful resistance to apartheid, has had a colorful career. He first rose to prominence in the 1980's as a cle [...] | 2008-12-19 15:02:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN251 | CAMPAIGN FINANCE: VIEW FROM THE WESTERN CAPE [...] (C) Summary: South African political parties are in full fundraising mode as next year's national election nears, and Western Cape campaign finance watchers and insiders see little change from past elections, at least for established parties. The ruling African National Congress (ANC),already [...] | 2008-12-22 13:25:00 | Consulate Cape Town | CONFIDENTIAL | SF PGOV PHUM ECON |
08CAPETOWN258 | OUSTED EASTERN CAPE MAYOR DISCUSSES POLITICS [...] (SBU) Summary. On December 23, Cape Town CG, Poloff, Econoff, PAO, and FCS met with Ntombentle Cordelia Peter, the former Mayor of Buffalo City (East London) in the Eastern Cape when she came to the Consulate to pick her visa for her forthcoming IV program. Peter discussed a range of issues, [...] | 2008-12-31 09:38:00 | Consulate Cape Town | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CAPETOWN47 | ID LEADER DE LILLE BELIEVES ZUMA GOING TO JAIL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Prominent opposition leader Patricia de Lille believes ANC President Jacob Zuma will likely be convicted on fraud and corruption charges. De Lille doubts Zuma's trial, scheduled to begin in August, will be complete before the national parliamentary elections in March/April 2009 [...] | 2008-03-07 09:27:00 | Consulate Cape Town | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM SF |
08CARACAS1000 | OPPOSITION STILL DIVIDED ON MOST STATE AND LOCAL [...] (C) Summary. Mainstream opposition parties announced consensus candidates for only seven of 22 gubernatorial races in November in a July 15 press conference. While predicting they would announce many more consensus gubernatorial and mayoral candidates before registration begins August 5, opp [...] | 2008-07-18 23:03:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS102 | AD-HOC BRV CONFISCATIONS FURTHER THREATEN FOOD [...] (C) Summary: During the period of January 21 - 23, the Venezuelan National Guard seized more than 500 tons of food produced by Polar, Venezuela's largest food processing company, claiming that the food was being smuggled illegally to Colombia or "hoarded." According to Polar representatives, [...] | 2008-01-25 19:53:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV EAGR VE |
08CARACAS1024 | CHAVEZ BUYS ARMS AND INVITES RUSSIAN NAVY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Communications Minister Andres Izarra on July 22 denied local media reports that President Hugo Chavez offered to base Russian troops at a military facility in Venezuela and that Chavez' arms deal with Russia has swollen to almost USD 30 billion. [...] | 2008-07-23 22:21:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PGOV PREL RU VE |
08CARACAS1042 | STRUCTURED NOTES RESOLUTIONS: TARGETED AT VARGAS? [...] (C) Summary: Our contacts point to Banco Occidental de Descuento (BOD) president Victor Vargas as the primary target of recent BRV resolutions ordering banks to divest themselves of structured notes within 90 days (ref A). They claim the regulatory action was taken following a business dispu [...] | 2008-07-28 20:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1058 | DRUG SUMMIT AND GO-IT-ALONE DRUG RHETORIC [...] (C) Summary: Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin will represent the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) at an August 1 regional drug summit in Cartagena hosted by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. According to sources at the Colombian Embassy, the BRV ignored the invita [...] | 2008-07-31 16:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SNAR VE CO |
08CARACAS1059 | FARC EXTORTION IN VENEZUELA [...] (C) Gustavo Sposito, (strictly protect throughout) the incoming president of the Tachira State Cattlemen Association, met July 29 with embassy and defense attachQ staff to discuss FARC and ELN criminal operations in Venezuela. Sposito explained how lawlessness along the permeable border with [...] | 2008-07-31 18:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET//NOFORN | PGOV PREL PTER VE CO |
08CARACAS1060 | INTERNATIONAL PRESSURES MOUNTS ON BRV TO DECIDE [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is growing increasingly defensive as international bodies are calling for it to rule on the constitutionality of disqualifying 272 candidates from running for public office in the November state and local elections. The Inter-American Co [...] | 2008-07-31 22:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM VE |
08CARACAS1062 | PRO-CHAVEZ FORCES STILL DIVIDED (NOT JUST THE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) have been publicly feuding with small pro-government parties, such as Patria Para Todos (PPT) and the Communist Party (PCV),over the selection of consensus candidates for the November state and local elections. [...] | 2008-08-01 11:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1078 | AMBASSADOR VISITS ANZOATEGUI AND NUEVA ESPARTA [...] (C) Summary. During a July 25 - 29 visit to Anzoategui and Nueva Esparta, the Ambassador met with local political leaders and media. Almost all interlocutors were in agreement that pro-opposition Nueva Esparta Governor Morel Rodriguez was a near lock to be re-elected in November's gubernato [...] | 2008-08-01 19:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EPET ECON SNAR KPAO VE NL TD |
08CARACAS1080 | BRV DEPORTS FARC GUERRILLA [...] (C) FARC chief of borders and finance, Gabriel Culma Ortiz A.K.A. "Guillermo" was turned over to Colombian authorities at the Tachira - Santander border on the evening of July 31. According to Colombia, Ortiz was a member of the unit responsible for the loss of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other [...] | 2008-08-01 20:57:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER VE CO |
08CARACAS1081 | VENEZUELAN MARKET INTERFERENCE LEADS TO BOTH FOOD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Although local headlines on July 31 reporting 60 tons of rotten chicken in a city dump proved to be exaggerated, the incident drew attention to continuing distortions in the Venezuelan food supply. While the dairy and poultry industries have successfully lobbied for a temporary [...] | 2008-08-01 21:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR PGOV VE ECON ETRD |
08CARACAS1089 | STUDENT LEADER BECOMES CABINET MINISTER [...] (SBU) President Chavez announced Sunday the appointment of pro-government student leader Hector Rodriguez as Minister of Popular Power for the Office of the President. Rodriguez replaces Jesse Chacon, who is the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV's) candidate for mayor of the Sucre bo [...] | 2008-08-04 21:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR |
08CARACAS1090 | ENABLING LAW ENDS WITH A BANG OF UNKNOWN [...] (U) Under the broad powers of an enabling law ("Ley Habilitante") that expired July 31 (or August 1, depending on one's interpretation),President Chavez has decreed 26 new laws. The titles of these laws were published in the official Gazette dated July 31 and available August 1. The text o [...] | 2008-08-04 21:36:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1093 | VISIT OF SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR VENEZUELA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Special Coordinator for Venezuela Robinson visited Caracas July 21-25. Editor Teodoro Petkoff, Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez, and third-country Ambassadors told him separately that they believed President Chavez's recent public overture to the USG on counter-narcotics cooperation w [...] | 2008-08-05 22:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1094 | CHAVEZ THREATENS FOURTH FLEET - AGAIN [...] (C) During the August 3 broadcast of his "Alo, Presidente" talk show, President Chavez accused the U.S. FOURTH FLEET of having a riverine capability in order invade Venezuela. The Venezuelan Commander-in-Chief promised that any U.S. brown water ships entering Venezuelan waters would soon be [...] | 2008-08-06 15:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1095 | SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS COMPTROLLER'S INELIGIBLES [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court ruled August 5 that the Comptroller may declare persons ineligible to run for office based on administrative sanctions. The ruling essentially ends the opposition's effort to obtain collective judicial relief from a government measure that disproportionately af [...] | 2008-08-06 22:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KJUS VE |
08CARACAS1099 | BRV DEFENSIVE ABOUT MERCOSUR HUMAN RIGHTS VISIT [...] (SBU) Uruguayan congressional deputy and president of the MERCOSUR parliament's Human Rights Commission, Adriana Pena arrived on August 6 in Caracas. All local media covered her arrival at the airport. Members of the Venezuelan National Assembly (NA),Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and othe [...] | 2008-08-07 21:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1103 | STATE OF BRV-ISRAEL RELATIONS C-NE8-00834 [...] (SBU) This cable is a response to State 064659 (C-NE8-00834) requesting details on Israeli relations with Venezuela. 2. (C) Summary. Relations between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) and Israel are severely strained. Bilateral relations, cool for the last several months, show [...] | 2008-08-07 22:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON IS VE |
08CARACAS1111 | VENEZUELA FORMALLY REJECTS TSA AIRPORT SECURITY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Since late 2006, Post has attempted to obtain an official response to TSA's request for airport inspections in Venezuela. Following four diplomatic notes, a letter from the current Ambassador, and multiple meetings over the years, the response finally arrived on August 7. Post re [...] | 2008-08-08 20:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC |
08CARACAS1114 | INELIGIBLE LIST AND ENABLING LAW FALLOUT INCREASING [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Comptroller's ineligible list and President Chavez's July 31 issuance of 26 far-reaching decree-laws are generating growing international and domestic opposition. In an August 8 briefing, Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez urged local diplomats [...] | 2008-08-08 22:49:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM VE |
08CARACAS1127 | CHAVEZ' ECONOMIC DECREES STRENGTHEN EXECUTIVE [...] (C) Summary: The laws decreed by President Chavez July 31 further consolidate executive control over the economy. In the specific area of food supply and the more general area of consumer protection, they give the Executive broad command and control powers and greater expropriation authoritie [...] | 2008-08-12 21:47:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EAGR ELAB PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1142 | CHAVEZ REJECTS ANTI-SEMITISM CHARGE IN MEETING [...] (C) SUMMARY. A delegation of Jewish leaders, led by World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald Lauder, visited Venezuela August 12 - 13 and met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. According to the President of the Confederation of Israelite Associations of Venezuela (CAIV),Chavez reje [...] | 2008-08-14 22:40:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KIRF VE |
08CARACAS1143 | PUBLIC ADMIN DECREE ALLOWS CHAVEZ TO APPOINT [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Organic Decree on Public Administration, one of the 26 laws promulgated by President Chavez on the last day of the now-expired Enabling Law, allows him to appoint like-minded regional leaders. It is widely believed the decree will be used selectively to neutralize opposition [...] | 2008-08-15 13:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1146 | VENEZUELAN ECONOMY FALTERING AS ELECTION SEASON [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela's economy appears increasingly fragile as campaigning begins to heat up for regional elections in November. The feeling of boom times has worn off in the face of increasing inflation, slower growth, tighter credit, and slowing consumption. The BRV has focused economi [...] | 2008-08-15 17:12:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1152 | VENEZUELA INCREASES REGULATED FOOD PRICES TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On August 11, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) freed prices for a number of price-controlled food products and raised maximum prices for several others. Press reports indicate the BRV has increased regulated food prices over thirty times since October 2007. Although t [...] | 2008-08-15 20:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR PGOV VE ECON ETRD |
08CARACAS1155 | PRO-GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION PARTIES ACHIEVE [...] (C) Summary. The opposition reached agreement on consensus gubernatorial candidates in 19 of 22 races by August 12, the last day for the registration of gubernatorial and mayoral candidates. Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) enjoys the consensus support of smaller pro-gover [...] | 2008-08-18 14:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1160 | BRV BLAMES U.S. FOR GEORGIA CONFLICT [...] (SBU) The BRV Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an August 14 press release asserting that the United States "planned, prepared, and ordered" the Georgian military offensive against the break-away region of South Ossetia. The statement continued, "The international community was once again w [...] | 2008-08-18 16:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RS GG VE |
08CARACAS1170 | VENEZUELA OFFERED CEMEX A LOWER PRICE THAN ITS [...] (C) On August 19 Venezuelan Vice President Carrizalez announced that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) had successfully negotiated the purchase of cement companies Lafarge and Holcim but had failed to reach an agreement with Mexico's Cemex. National Guard troops took possession of Ce [...] | 2008-08-19 22:15:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1177 | GM FACES CONTINUED LABOR PROBLEMS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Despite its intention to re-open its assembly plant on August 18, General Motors (GM) de Venezuela remains closed in the face of a plant takeover by radical workers who have refused to accede to either a court order ordering them to grant the company access or to pressure from th [...] | 2008-08-21 12:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV EIND ELAB PGOV VE |
08CARACAS119 | CNE REJECTS OPPOSITION REQUEST TO HOLD AMNESTY [...] (C) Summary. National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay Lucena rejected an opposition request to convoke a referendum on an alternative amnesty bill proposed by civil society groups. Lucena said the authority to issue amnesty decrees had been delegated to President Chavez under the E [...] | 2008-01-30 20:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1191 | CHAVEZ ACCUSES PRESIDENT BUSH OF BEING INTOXICATED [...] (SBU) President Chavez called President Bush, "the face of the Venezuelan opposition," and said he deserved a "gold medal for drunkenness" during an August 21 interview with a Venezuelan state television talk show. During the live coverage, Chavez presented still photos of President Bush view [...] | 2008-08-22 23:44:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1192 | SEN. SPECTER URGES BRV TO INCREASE COOPERATION [...] (C) SUMMARY. During his August 22 meeting with Foreign Minister Maduro, Senator Specter urged the BRV to tone down its rhetoric against the United States and increase bilateral communication and cooperation on issues of mutual concern, such as counternarcotics. The Senator urged the Ministe [...] | 2008-08-22 23:54:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PGOV PREL SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1197 | BRV SEEKS NULLIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL [...] (SBU) Summary. Lawyers associated with the government filed a brief on June 12 before the Supreme Court seeking nullification of a key clause in Venezuela's Investment Law as well as a reinterpretation of the Constitution. Article 22 of Venezuela's Investment Law is currently interpreted to [...] | 2008-08-25 16:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EINV PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1200 | VENEZUELAN CEMENT NATIONALIZATIONS DESIGNED TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: A senior executive from the Swiss cement company Holcim, nationalized by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) as of August 18, suggested that the BRV had rushed to nationalize the cement sector after months of relative inactivity out of a desire to claim ownership of a key [...] | 2008-08-26 16:33:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1206 | PPT AND CHAVEZ: A TENUOUS ALLIANCE [...] (C) Summary. National Assembly Second Vice President and Patria Para Todos Secretary General Jose Albornoz told PolCouns August 19 that he expects President Chavez to initiate "an opening" with the USG after the U.S. presidential election and Venezuela's November state and local elections. A [...] | 2008-08-27 18:54:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1207 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON REJECTION OF RECOGNITION OF [...] (SBU) Embassy delivered talking points in reftel to Foreign Ministry Affairs Director for North American Affairs Yaneth Arocha. No response is expected from the MFA. 2. (SBU) The Venezuelan government has so far refrained from recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, however President Ch [...] | 2008-08-27 21:36:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1209 | VENEZUELA'S HOUSING CRISIS - SOCIALISM THE ANSWER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: An estimated 2 million unit housing shortage is complicating Chavez' chances for success in the November state and local elections. In an effort to improve one of the worst housing construction records of any recent administration, Chavez has nationalized companies providing c [...] | 2008-08-28 14:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE SOCI |
08CARACAS1210 | SENATOR SPECTER ENGAGES A BROAD CROSS SECTION OF [...] (SBU) Summary. During his August 19-23 visit to Caracas, Senator Arlen Specter engaged leaders from religious, business, cultural, political and official government circles. A central theme for Venezuelans in all discussions was the importance of the upcoming November 23 elections in determ [...] | 2008-08-28 15:13:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR OVIP VE |
08CARACAS1215 | VENEZUELA MEDIA UPDATE: PROPOSED MEDIA LAW, OTHER [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to undermine independent media. A telecommunications bill is rumored to be in the works that will severely curtail free press in Venezuela, giving the executive branch the ability to control the flow of radio, TV, internet, an [...] | 2008-08-28 20:32:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1217 | ARAGUA GOVERNOR: OPPOSITION MUST STRIVE FOR [...] (C) Summary. Aragua Governor Didalco Bolivar, of the formerly pro-Chavez party Podemos, told the Ambassador August 22 that he expects the opposition to win five or six governorships and over 130 mayorships in November. Bolivar stressed that such electoral gains should be considered a signifi [...] | 2008-08-28 22:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MCAP VE |
08CARACAS1224 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETINGS IN COLONIA TOVAR AND VALENCIA [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador traveled August 29-30 to Colonia Tovar and Valencia. Aragua State Governor Didalco Bolivar and Colonia Tovar Mayor Esteban Bocaranda underscored that tourist town Colonia Tovar's economic success is due to private sector dynamism, not the small amount of government [...] | 2008-09-02 20:33:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1225 | BRV DEFENDS COUNTERDRUG EFFORTS; CHAVEZ THREATENS [...] (C) Summary. Senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials are vigorously defending the BRV's counter-drug efforts and accusing the USG of being complicit in the international drug trade. During his August 31 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called ONDC [...] | 2008-09-02 20:57:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1228 | VENEZUELAN ELECTRICITY SECTOR IN CRISIS AFTER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A power blackout that affected half of the country on September 1 illustrates the fragility of Venezuela's electrical power sector. The consequences of the government's failure to invest in the sector are now clear from insufficient generation to dilapidated distributions infr [...] | 2008-09-02 22:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1231 | CHAVEZ OUTFLANKS CONSTITUTION [...] (C) Summary. The Organic Law of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (LOFAB) was among the 26 decrees enacted into law by President Hugo Chavez on July 31 the last day of his special powers to rule by presidential fiat under the Enabling Law. In addition to resurrecting defeated constitution [...] | 2008-09-03 17:56:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1237 | VENEZUELA THREATENS TO ELIMINATE U.S. AIRLINES' [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 28 the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed receipt of a Diplomatic Note reiterating the August 8 statement to the Venezuelan Charge in Washington that TSA would issue a Public Notice on September 8 if the Venezuelan Government continues in its refusal to all [...] | 2008-09-04 19:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC SNAR |
08CARACAS124 | CHAVEZ PREPARING FOR STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is urging his supporters to unite in preparation for gubernatorial elections in 22 states and mayoral elections in over 300 municipalities in late 2008. However, during his January 27 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, Chavez threatened to expel any of his supporters [...] | 2008-01-30 21:07:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1245 | BRV ENACTS CREDIT CARD LAW [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Legislation approved by the National Assembly on September 4, (posited as necessary for public order and social interest) codifies existing regulations and promulgates new ones for the credit card industry in Venezuela. Among its most significant clauses, the law prohibits ba [...] | 2008-09-05 21:37:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1256 | JUSTICE AND INTERIOR MINISTER CHACIN RESIGNS [...] (SBU) Justice and Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin resigned September 8, leaving Tarek el Aissami as Acting Minister. This was the embattled Chacin's second stint as Minister, serving first in 2002 and then again from January - September 2008. Chacin told the local media that he was [...] | 2008-09-08 21:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR PINR VE |
08CARACAS1263 | CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES NAVAL EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA - MAYBE [...] (SBU). President Hugo Chavez hedged regarding a possible joint Naval exercises in November with visiting Russian vessels. During the September 7 episode of his Sunday television show "Alo Presidente," Chavez admitted Venezuela "was not ready" to host a port visit and exercise in September o [...] | 2008-09-09 21:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL RU VE |
08CARACAS1266 | VENEZUELA ANNOUNCES CUTS TO U.S. AIR CARRIER [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 10 Venezuela's civil aviation authority (INAC) informed the three U.S. carriers with operations in Venezuela that INAC would cut an undetermined number of their flights to and from the United States in retaliation for the September 8 Transportation Security Administra [...] | 2008-09-10 22:41:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC |
08CARACAS1269 | RUSSIAN BOMBERS LAND IN MARACAY [...] (SBU) Two Russian Tu-160 BLACKJACK supersonic bombers arrived in the early afternoon of September 10 at the Libertador airbase in Maracay, Venezuela. President Hugo Chavez revealed the arrival of the aircraft during a nation-wide broadcast inaugurating nine new medical clinics. Chavez was han [...] | 2008-09-11 19:30:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | MCAP MOPS PGOV PINR PREL RU VE |
08CARACAS1271 | CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-11 21:33:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1272 | OPPOSITION UNITES BEHIND CARACAS MAYORAL [...] (C) Summary. Opposition parties named Alianza Bravo Pueblo (ABP) leader Antonio Ledezma September 9 their consensus candidate for the Caracas mayorship. Ledezma also picked up the personal endorsement of Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez, who had led early polls in the same race, but whom the Comp [...] | 2008-09-12 13:02:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1274 | CHAVEZ EXPELS U.S. AMBASSADOR [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez announced the expulsion of the Ambassador and recall of the Venezuelan Ambassador in Washington during two televised political rallies the evening of September 11 (Ref A). Chavez said he was expelling the "Yankee Ambassador" to show solidarity with the Bolivian [...] | 2008-09-12 16:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL CASC PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1276 | VENEZUELA: EMBASSY DISCUSSES TSA NOTICE WITH MFA [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 11, Emboffs discussed the September 8 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Public Notice with representatives of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Emboffs urged that the BRV not proceed with threatened flight redu [...] | 2008-09-12 19:46:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PGOV MARR ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1278 | ACCUSATIONS FLY, ARRESTS BEGIN, INVESTIGATIONS TO [...] (C) Summary: As President Hugo Chavez accused businessmen, media outlets, opposition leaders, active duty and retired military of conspiring in a U.S. backed coup plot the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM) confirmed the arrest of four persons for "inciting rebellion." National Assem [...] | 2008-09-12 21:55:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1279 | FM MADURO: BRV WILL REEVALUATE RELATIONS WITH USG [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. In a short televised September 12 press conference Foreign Minster Nicolas Maduro read from a communique saying the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) will submit the U.S.-Venezuela bilateral relationship to "an intense process of reevaluation." The communique also include [...] | 2008-09-12 21:59:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1283 | CHAVEZ RATCHETS BACK ATTACKS ON USG; CONTINUES TO [...] (C) Summary. After reaching a fever pitch when he expelled Ambassador Duddy, President Chavez has toned down his anti-U.S. rhetoric over the past 72 hours. Chavez and his followers have said that relations with the United States would not be broken, although political relations were at a low [...] | 2008-09-15 19:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1284 | BRV OFAC DESIGNATIONS OVERSHADOWED BY EXPULSIONS, [...] (SBU) The designations of three BRV officials as FARC supporters by the Office of Foreign Assets Control have been largely overshadowed by President Chavez's bellicose rumblings about support for Bolivian President Morales. Chavez made a series of statements on state media September 12 - 14 d [...] | 2008-09-16 14:26:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BL CO VE |
08CARACAS129 | SUPREME COURT: JUSTICE SHOULD SERVE THE REVOLUTION [...] (SBU) At the opening of the 2008 Supreme Court session on January 28, the two senior justices who addressed the crowd made it clear that the Venezuelan courts exist to serve the Bolivarian revolution. While not chanting "Uh, Ah Chavez No Se Va!" (Chavez Don't Leave!) as the justices did at the [...] | 2008-01-31 21:49:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1293 | VENEZUELAN NATIONAL GUARD HARASSES DELTA FLIGHT [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 14, Delta Airlines Corporate Security contacted the Embassy to report that Delta crew members going through security for their September 13 flight felt threatened by Venezuelan National Guard comments to the point that the captain ordered a second, precautionary secur [...] | 2008-09-17 13:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR |
08CARACAS1298 | CHAVEZ UNSHAKEN AS COUP ACCUSATIONS BROADEN AND [...] (C) Summary: Despite his earlier bluster of U.S. F-16's coming to bomb the presidential palace, President Hugo Chavez told supporters on September 14 that the coup attempt "revealed" three days prior was "no threat," to him. A National Assembly (AN) Deputy claimed several prominent business [...] | 2008-09-17 19:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PGOV PINR PREL VE |
08CARACAS1299 | REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. Local reaction to the September 11 expulsion of Ambassador Duddy has largely been split along pro-Chavez and opposition lines. For the opposition and independent opinion-makers, the expulsion reinforces their view that an increasingly erratic Chavez is undermining the nation's i [...] | 2008-09-17 20:03:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1307 | BRV "REJECTS" USG DESIGNATION OF BRV AS MAJOR DRUG [...] (C) Summary: Senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials publicly "rejected" the USG designation of the BRV as one of the countries that failed to carry out its international counternarcotics obligations. Minister of Justice and Interior Tarek al Aissami and National Anti-Drug Age [...] | 2008-09-18 22:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1312 | BRV EXPELS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DIRECTOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. On the evening of September 18, the BRV expelled Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW),on the grounds of allegedly involving himself illegally in the internal affairs of Venezuela, attacking its democratic institutions, and violating the Venez [...] | 2008-09-19 19:05:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PGOV PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS1316 | REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. Local reaction to the September 11 expulsion of Ambassador Duddy has largely been split along pro-Chavez and opposition lines. For the opposition and independent opinion-makers, the expulsion reinforces their view that an increasingly erratic Chavez is undermining the nation's i [...] | 2008-09-19 19:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1320 | VENEZUELAN ASSOCIATION BELIEVES GOVERNMENT WILL [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 18, the Executive Director of the Venezuelan Air Transport Chamber (Ceveta) William Bracho told Econoffs he does not believe the Venezuelan Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) will follow through on its threat to cut U.S. carrier flights as market demand is extremely high [...] | 2008-09-22 14:21:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR |
08CARACAS1324 | CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATION WITH BRV [...] (C) SUMMARY. Charge met September 19 with Rene Arreaza, an unofficial high-level contact of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),to discuss bilateral relations. The Charge urged the BRV to work more closely with the Embassy to resolve pending and future operational issues including vi [...] | 2008-09-22 17:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1332 | CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, EXPULSION [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Charge met September 19 with MFA Director for Multilateral and North American Affairs Yaneth Arocha to discuss bilateral relations. This was the Charge's first meeting with MFA officials, and it followed President Chavez's expulsion of the Ambassador on September 11. Arocha [...] | 2008-09-23 12:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1333 | CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, EXPULSION [...] No summary [...] | 2008-09-23 12:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1334 | FEW NEW FACES AMONG OPPOSITION CANDIDATES [...] (C) Summary: The opposition, beset by parochial interests, appears to be relying on well-established politicians in November's gubernatorial and mayoral elections rather than cultivating "new faces" with broad public appeal. Moreover, the older and previously discredited parties, Copei and D [...] | 2008-09-23 12:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1340 | BRV DOING DAMAGE CONTROL WITH USG [...] (C) Summary. Prior to departing September 21 for Cuba, Portugal, France, Russia, and China, President Chavez continued to temper his anti-U.S. rhetoric (Ref A). The BRV reportedly moved a signing ceremony involving Chevron up to September 19, presumably to underscore continuity in the U.S.-V [...] | 2008-09-23 21:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1351 | DIVISIONS WITHIN CHAVEZ'S "PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE" [...] (C) Summary: Several former and current members of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) have broken ranks with the party to pursue their own political ambitions in the November 23 gubernatorial and municipal elections. Moreover, small pro-Chavez parties, such as Patria Para Todos (P [...] | 2008-09-25 22:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1364 | VENEZUELA REFUSES USG REQUEST FOR AVIATION [...] (U) On September 16 the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Venezuelan Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) both acknowledged receipt of the Embassy's diplomatic note requesting consultations under the authority of the 1953 bilateral aviation agreement with Venezuela. That note cit [...] | 2008-09-26 22:55:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR |
08CARACAS1374 | CHURCH CALLS FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS; CLASHES WITH BRV [...] (C) Summary: The Catholic Church is increasingly taking an active role in defense of democracy and human rights. In a September 24 press conference, Catholic Church leaders publicly urged all political actors to avoid any actions that might allow for the postponement of the November 23 state a [...] | 2008-09-30 15:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VT VE |
08CARACAS1375 | CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS ERECT STATUE OF FARC LEADER [...] (C) Summary. Radical Chavistas unveiled a bust of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) founder Manuel Marulanda in an poor eastern Caracas neighborhood on September 26. The Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) was the principal force behind the public ceremony honoring Marulanda, alth [...] | 2008-09-30 15:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE CO |
08CARACAS1380 | OPPOSITION ELECTS CONSENSUS CANDIDATES IN TACHIRA [...] (C) Summary: The Christian Democratic Party of Venezuela (Copei) won a decisive victory in the September 28 opposition primary in the western state of Tachira to determine the consensus candidates for the November 23 state and local elections. The opposition now claims that it has 20 consens [...] | 2008-09-30 20:26:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1381 | NOVEMBER STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: WHAT'S AT STAKE [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan voters are slated to elect 22 governors, state legislative assemblies, and 328 mayors on November 23. These state and local elections will be a key indicator of the future of Venezuela's fragile democracy, and the Embassy is actively promoting free and fair elections [...] | 2008-09-30 20:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PHUM SNAR VE |
08CARACAS1382 | AS ELECTION APPROACHES, WHERE'S THE SPENDING? [...] (C) Summary: An anticipated jump in spending prior to the November 23 state and local elections by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) does not appear to have materialized. Local analysts primarily attribute this surprising failure to boost spending significantly to increasing incomp [...] | 2008-09-30 20:33:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV EFIN VE |
08CARACAS1383 | IMMIGRATION, DISIP OFFICIALS STEP-UP HARASSMENT OF [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is stepping up its harassment of outspoken as well as perceived critics of the regime. In September, four persons reported being pressured by immigration and intelligence police (DISIP) officials at the Caracas airport to surrender thei [...] | 2008-09-30 22:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1388 | COMMUNAL ECONOMY CENTER [...] (SBU) Summary. EmbOffs visited a newly inaugurated communal economic center near Caracas. The center, extremely modern by Venezuelan standards, offers a space for communal cooperatives to sell local goods. However, many of the cooperatives did not sell locally produced goods or sold cheap [...] | 2008-10-01 15:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1390 | VENEZUELA: AMERICAN AIRLINES CREW DETAINED AT [...] (C) The evening of September 30, American Airlines Country Manager Omar Nottaro (strictly protect throughout) called Econoff to report that the captain and crew of American Airlines flight 903 were being held at the airport. He explained that upon landing a crew member said "Welcome to Venezuela. L [...] | 2008-10-01 16:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR VE |
08CARACAS1393 | VENEZUELAN CEMENT PRODUCTION DROPPING FOLLOWING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Mexican Ambassador to Venezuela Mario Chacon informed Econoffs that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has not budged from its initial, USD 500 million offer for Mexico's Cemex that, in effect, represents an expropriation of Cemex assets in Venezuela. Chacon believes the [...] | 2008-10-01 20:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE |
08CARACAS14 | CHAVEZ RESHUFFLES CABINET BUT KEEPS LOYALISTS CLOSE [...] (C) Summary. During a call-in to Venezolana de Television (VTV) on January 3 President Chavez announced the first of a series of thirteen cabinet changes. Chavez replaced former Vice President Jorge Rodriguez, Telecommunications Minister Jesse Chacon, and Communications Minister William Lara w [...] | 2008-01-04 20:50:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1404 | ZULIA STUDENT LEADER MURDERED IN HAIL OF BULLETS [...] (C) Unknown gunmen shot and killed Julian Soto, a 31-year old undergraduate and president of the Federation of University Centers (FCU) for the autonomous University of Zulia (LUZ) on October 1 as he drove to lunch. The University Centers are influential student bodies in Venezuela's five au [...] | 2008-10-03 13:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS1405 | EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FROM BRV PARLIAMENT FOR FIVE [...] (SBU) The Embassy received an official statement of support from the National Assembly (NA) of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) for five Cuban citizens held in the United States on spying charges. The expression of support, passed by the NA on September 23, 2008, condemns the case [...] | 2008-10-03 13:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1406 | WARNING: VENEZUELA'S NEW LABELING LAW HAZARDOUS TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuela's new food labeling law requires that original food product packaging be printed in Spanish, and prohibits the use of add-on Spanish-language stickers for imported goods. This requirement is contained in the set of 26 new decrees issued at the end of July, and came as [...] | 2008-10-03 13:02:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD EAGR PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1413 | GENERAL ARRESTED IN ANOTHER ALLEGED COUP PLOT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Mario Isea, president of the National Assembly special committee investigating the attempt to overthrow/assassinate President Hugo Chavez, announced the arrest of Air Force Inspector General Jose Felix Caraballo Gomez on September 26. The arrest is based on a tape recording bet [...] | 2008-10-03 21:43:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS1414 | EARLY ELECTORAL POLLS: CHAVEZ STILL STRONG BUT NOT [...] (C) Summary: According to recent independent polls shared with the Embassy, Venezuelans are chiefly concerned with the rise in crime, and secondarily by inflation, unemployment, and traffic. The scarcity of basic goods is much less of an issue than it was in the run-up to the December 2007 fa [...] | 2008-10-03 21:44:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1422 | GENERAL BADUEL ARRESTED [...] (SBU) Agents of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM),on October 3 unceremoniously pulled former Defense Minister General Raul Baduel off of the city streets of Maracay. General Ernesto Cedeno of the Judge Advocate General told the press that Baduel had to account for 31 billion Bs [...] | 2008-10-07 22:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS1427 | IPR CHANGES FOR PHARMACEUTICALS [...] (C) Summary. On September 12, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) agency responsible for intellectual property protection issued a press release resurrecting the Industrial Property Law of 1955, which expressly prohibits intellectual property rights for pharmaceuticals and other produc [...] | 2008-10-08 20:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD ECIN PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1434 | STUDENTS WILL PLAY ONLY A MINOR ROLE IN UPCOMING [...] (C) Summary: Widely perceived as the most trustworthy group in the country, student leaders are now trying to preserve their voice and role in Venezuelan politics. Many leaders eschew a direct political role, especially in the upcoming November 23 elections. However, some former leaders wh [...] | 2008-10-09 20:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1435 | CHAVEZ THREATENS TO DENY OPPOSITION STATES [...] (C) Summary. At an October 6 political rally, President Chavez threatened to deny future development funds to state and municipalities run by opposition politicians after the November 23 state and local elections. Chavez said he did not want to give the opposition resources to "steal and con [...] | 2008-10-09 21:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1436 | BOLIVARIAN INSIDER CLAIMS FOREIGN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary. Embassy Bolivarian contact Rene Arreaza expressed to ChargQ his frustration with the failure of his Foreign Ministry to end harassment of Embassy Caracas' operations and offered to make another attempt to overcome these "bureaucratic" problems. His comments revealed GBRV infigh [...] | 2008-10-09 21:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1440 | UNEVEN ELECTORAL PLAYING FIELD FAVORS CHAVISMO [...] (C) Summary: A number of opposition and even pro-government dissident candidates have complained to the National Electoral Council (CNE) about the PSUV enjoying an unfair advantage as state resources are being used in its favor. The government-owned media outlets are blatant in their support [...] | 2008-10-10 14:43:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC VE |
08CARACAS1443 | VENEZUELA: LABOR UNREST CONTINUES AT COCA-COLA [...] (C) Summary. Coca-Cola has taken control of most of its installations this week following the 4th labor blockade of 2008. Despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the company, earlier this year, radical National Assembly members have continued to push the claims of ex-company contractors. [...] | 2008-10-10 20:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1444 | VENEZUELA: BRV SHUTS MACDONALD'S FOR TWO DAYS [...] (SBU) The 115 MacDonald's restaurants in Venezuela were closed for 48 hours on October 9 following an inspection by the tax authority, Seniat. According to a Seniat press release, Seniat fined as many as 16 of the MacDonald's restaurants 1,150 BsF ($535 at the official exchange rate) because [...] | 2008-10-10 22:14:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1449 | CHAVEZ BLASTS POLITICAL ALLIES AND ZULIA OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: During campaign stops in three states October 11-13, President Chavez vociferously attacked both key opposition leaders and two pro-government allied parties. Despite his pledge not to air his weekly "Alo, Presidente" TV show, he used an obligatory two-hour "cadena" broadcast o [...] | 2008-10-15 16:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1453 | BRV DEVELOPS PUBLIC FINANCE TOOLS TO SQUEEZE [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) public finance system has undergone a series of important changes since 2005 that give the Executive the tools to limit significantly the resources available to state and municipal governments. These governments receive the vast ma [...] | 2008-10-16 19:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1456 | GBRV SQUEEZING DEMOCRACY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) are stepping up pressure on the opposition and civil society. Specifically, the GBRV is harassing opponents and the independent media, manufacturing coup plot agitprop, and disqualifying key oppos [...] | 2008-10-16 20:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS146 | CHAVEZ MARKS ANNIVERSARIES WITH THREATS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez delivered combative televised speeches February 2 and 4 to commemorate his ninth anniversary in the presidency and the sixteenth anniversary of his unsuccessful coup. On February 2, Chavez accused Colombia of preparing a conflict with Venezuela, adding that the [...] | 2008-02-07 15:23:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PHUM CO VE |
08CARACAS1463 | TAX AUTHORITY RAMPS UP TAX ENFORCEMENT AND MONEY [...] (SBU) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, through its tax agency, has ramped up enforcement of Plan Zero Evasion (Evasion Cero) first announced in 2005. The Plan involves audits of company accounting procedures and violations include fines, closures and "voluntary payments" of ta [...] | 2008-10-17 20:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1464 | CHAVEZ SOFTENS TONE ON BILATERAL RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary: During televised remarks to the nation on October 16, Chavez made several seemingly conciliatory remarks regarding bilateral ties in response to the U.S. presidential candidates' comments on the need to achieve energy independence from Venezuela and the Middle East. Chavez spec [...] | 2008-10-17 21:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1476 | OPPOSITION CONFIDENT IN ZULIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: The four major opposition parties are confident of maintaining control of the Zulia governorship, regaining control of Maracaibo, Venezuela's second largest city, as well as 17 of the 19 municipalities up for election. Outgoing governor Manuel Rosales is widely believed to be s [...] | 2008-10-21 22:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1477 | 2009 VENEZUELAN BUDGET: OPTIMISM FADES [...] (SBU) Summary. On October 21, Minister of Finance Ali Rodriguez formally presented the 2009 budget to the National Assembly. The budget continues to use unrealistic economic assumptions, such as a low inflation rate and overstatement of oil production and related revenue. Whereas the pres [...] | 2008-10-22 21:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS149 | AMBASSADOR VISITS BARQUISIMETO AND LARA STATE [...] (C) Ambassador and Mrs. Duddy visited Barquisimeto and Lara state January 30 - February 1. During the visit, the Ambassador met with local church and business leaders and civil society, all of whom agreed that support for Chavez was being affected by food shortages and a general lack of perso [...] | 2008-02-07 16:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1495 | GBRV STILL IGNORING EU AND OAS ELECTORAL [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) continues to ignore key recommendations issued by previous European Union (EU) and Organization of American States (OAS) election observation missions, thus skewing the electoral playing field to the GBRV's advantage. [...] | 2008-10-24 19:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1496 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS UPDATE--FOUR WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez is campaigning hard for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates in the run-up to the November 23 state and local elections. Chavez is conceding no electoral races, even in opposition strongholds, and is equating votes for PSUV candidates with a [...] | 2008-10-25 14:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1497 | VENEZUELA (OVER)REACTS TO EP CRITICISM, BLAMES U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) strongly rejected the October 23 passage of an European Parliament (EP) resolution condemning political rights abuses in the country. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly accused the United St [...] | 2008-10-25 14:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM VE |
08CARACAS15 | MEDIA REACTION: FARC FALLS FROM FRONT PAGE AS [...] (SBU) Days before Christmas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stated that a mission to liberate three FARC-held hostages ("Operation Emmanuel") would commence December 28th. As of January 4, the hostages remain captive, international observers have left Colombia accusations of blame are flying [...] | 2008-01-04 22:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV VE CO |
08CARACAS1506 | CHAVEZ ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL [...] (C) Summary: In the run-up to the November 23 state and local elections, Chavez has relied on his colloquial style and infamously colorful language to attack both the Venezuelan opposition and the United States. He has sought to depict the traditional political opposition as foolish and co [...] | 2008-10-30 14:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1507 | VENEZUELA: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT UPHOLDS [...] (SBU) On October 17, the Venezuelan Supreme Court (Court) upheld the constitutional viability of international arbitration. The decision interpreted Article 258 of the Constitution, which states "The law shall promote arbitration, conciliation, mediation and any other means of alternative d [...] | 2008-10-30 20:48:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1513 | VENEZUELAN AIRLINES ADMIT THEIR OWN CONCERN WITH [...] (C) On October 28, Emboffs met with 13 members of the Venezuelan Air Transport Chamber (CEVETA),one of whom raised serious concerns with Venezuelan airport security and spoke out in favor of immediate TSA security assessments. The association, which represents Venezuelan passenger and cargo [...] | 2008-10-31 17:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | VE CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR |
08CARACAS1518 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- THREE WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With three weeks until state and local elections on November 23, President Chavez has focused his attention on attacking the opposition in Zulia State. Chavez may be preparing the ground to declare Zulia State Governor Manuel Rosales ineligible to run for the Maracaibo mayorshi [...] | 2008-10-31 21:08:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS152 | CHAVEZ THREATENS TO EXPROPRIATE LARGE FOOD [...] (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified, Please Treat Accordingly. 2. (SBU) During a February 4 speech celebrating the 16th anniversary of his attempted 1992 coup (Septel),Chavez threatened to expropriate large food distributors and producers. Chavez said, "I have ordered Mr. Vice- [...] | 2008-02-07 20:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1522 | OPEN UP AND SAY AHHHH: VENEZUELA'S HEALTH CARE [...] (C) Summary. Conditions in public hospitals continue to deteriorate and private hospitals face a growing threat of nationalization. Despite multiple 2008 budgetary authorizations for increases in health care worker salaries, labor actions continue by health care workers. One public health [...] | 2008-11-03 18:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1526 | GBRV DISQUALIFIES AT LEAST ONE MORE OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: On November 3, the Supreme Court disqualified another opposition contender for the state and local elections on November 23 -- Yaracuy gubernatorial candidate and political exile Eduardo Lappi. The Supreme Court is also considering whether or not to declare another leading opp [...] | 2008-11-04 20:37:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1537 | CHAVEZ OBSCURES MIAMI VERDICT, FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (SBU) President Hugo Chavez took over the airwaves in an obligatory national "cadena" broadcast on November 3, squashing early news reports of Franklin Duran's guilt in the Miami "suitcase" trial. Venezuelan law requires free-to-air broadcasters to carry presidential "cadena" broadcasts in t [...] | 2008-11-06 12:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1545 | VENEZUELAN AIRLINE WITH KNOWN DRUG TRAFFICKING [...] (S) SUMMARY: Venezuelan airline Aeropostal, which halted its flights to the U.S. earlier this year, has filed an application with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to resume its U.S. routes. Given that the new owners of Aeropostal, the Makled family, are Venezuela's preeminent drug traff [...] | 2008-11-07 12:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | VE ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR SNAR PREL CVIS |
08CARACAS1546 | VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT IGNORES USG WARNING ON PORT [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) has not responded to two diplomatic notes and multiple Embassy requests for a meeting to discuss U.S. Coast Guard efforts dating back to 2006 to arrange port visits. Embassy maritime contacts believe that Venezuelan ports would not pas [...] | 2008-11-07 12:05:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | VE ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR EWWT ETRD KHLS |
08CARACAS1554 | THE 64 BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: HOW MUCH CASH [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez has argued that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) can endure a period of low oil prices by drawing down his government's savings. While no one disputes the BRV Government (GBRV) has accumulated financial assets during the oil bonanza, the value and liqu [...] | 2008-11-10 10:37:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1555 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- TWO WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With just over two weeks until state and local elections, the opposition remains relatively disorganized, divided in some races, and increasingly pessimistic about its election prospects. Moreover, there appears to be more electoral fatigue than excitement in most races. The GB [...] | 2008-11-10 10:40:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1556 | GBRV REACTION TO OBAMA WIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC [...] (C) Summary: Official reaction to President-elect Obama's victory following the U.S. election continues to be optimistic, yet tempered. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro sent positive signals November 5 about establishing new ties with Washington, although he added that the GBRV is neither "hur [...] | 2008-11-10 10:41:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1559 | GBRV IMPEDES VISIT OF LECH WALESA [...] (C) Summary. The GBRV discouraged the visit of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Poland Lech Walesa to Venezuela on November 2, citing security concerns. Walesa, a prominent pro-democracy figure, has at times been critical of President Chavez. The government reportedly notifie [...] | 2008-11-10 14:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL PL EZ VE |
08CARACAS1568 | CHAVEZ THREATENS MILITARY ACTION AGAINST OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez ratcheted up his threats against the opposition on November 8 and 9 while stumping for his candidates in Carabobo, Sucre, and Zulia States, states where opposition gubernatorial candidates are running strong. The Venezuelan president ordered a nearby garrison t [...] | 2008-11-10 22:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1570 | VENEZUELA: GM, FORD AND CHRYSLER ONCE AGAIN HALT [...] (C) Summary: GM, Ford and Chrysler, the three U.S. car manufacturers in Venezuela, are once again shut down due to a labor action against a parts supplier. The industry faces on-going, severe labor problems, power outages averaging once every three days, and a dramatically reduced 2008 vehicl [...] | 2008-11-12 20:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREL ETRAD PTER VE |
08CARACAS1572 | STUDENTS PREPARING FOR ELECTION DAY [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan university student activists appear interested in using their widely-respected legitimacy to safeguard the transparency of the state and local elections on November 23. Their efforts, however, have been undermined by lack of coordination and socioeconomic tensions be [...] | 2008-11-12 21:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1573 | VENEZUELAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHT BENEFITS OF FOURTH FLEET [...] (U) SUMMARY: Thanks to the combined efforts of the USS Kearsarge, SouthCom, and the U.S. Embassies in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, Venezuelans received a thorough and accurate look into the humanitarian work of the Navy's newly-reactivated Fourth Fleet. Reporters from two major Venez [...] | 2008-11-13 16:08:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1576 | BRV DEPORTS TWO DRUG TRAFFICKERS TO U.S. [...] (SBU) The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) turned over Colombian drug traffickers Henry Fortich Coneo and Wilmer Villadiego Coneo to the Drug Enforcement Administration for transport to the United States. National Anti-Drug Office (ONA) Director Nestor Reverol told th [...] | 2008-11-13 22:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS1580 | VENEZUELA RESPONDS TO USG REQUEST FOR PORT VISITS [...] (SBU) Post has received a Diplomatic Note dated November 13 responding to the Embassy's October 6 Diplomatic Note, which stated that the GBRV must set a port visit date within 30 days of the Diplomatic Note's receipt, or the Coast Guard would impose "conditions of entry". An unofficial transl [...] | 2008-11-14 18:55:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD KHLS PTER |
08CARACAS1582 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- 10 DAYS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With just over a week until the November 23 state and local elections, President Chavez is vigorously supporting his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates. He is simultaneously calling for arrests of opposition figures and pledging to make campaign stops in ele [...] | 2008-11-14 20:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1595 | NOVEMBER 23 STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: BY THE [...] No summary [...] | 2008-11-18 15:09:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1599 | CHAVEZ FIRES UP THE BASE [...] (C) Summary: During visits to Anzoategui, Barinas, and Zulia States from November 14 to 16, Chavez renewed his threats to arrest Zulia governor and Maracaibo mayoral candidate Manuel Rosales. He also told supporters to "stay in the streets" following the vote and "stay alert" against alleg [...] | 2008-11-18 20:12:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1607 | VENEZUELAN PORTS IN CHAOS, DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN [...] (C) Summary: Industry sources report that Venezuelan ports are in a "state of chaos" with long lines of ships waiting to dock, and numerous instances of ships diverted to other countries to unload cargo after failing to dock in Venezuela. Port authorities have reportedly advised shipping compa [...] | 2008-11-19 20:07:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD KHLS PTER |
08CARACAS1615 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: NINE STORIES TO WATCH [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez will retain full control over the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) no matter what the results of the November 23 state and local elections. Nevertheless, these elections may influence the extent to which Chavez can accelerate his Bolivar [...] | 2008-11-21 18:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1619 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- 48 HOURS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: To the end, Chavez has campaigned hard on behalf of his PSUV candidates in swing states before the November 23 state and local elections. The campaigns officially closed November 20 in the midst of torrential rains that have caused a dozen deaths and are forecasted to last thr [...] | 2008-11-21 20:09:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1620 | LEADING VENEZUELAN FOOD PROCESSING COMPANY [...] (C) SUMMARY: A well-placed source within Alfonso Rivas and Co., Venezuela's second leading food processing company, has informed AgAttache that official government stores will not purchase food products from this firm. According to their Government Relations officer, the reason is that a le [...] | 2008-11-24 12:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAGR PGOV ETRD VE |
08CARACAS1621 | HIGH CRIME EFFECTS VOTERS BUT SPARES CANDIDATES [...] (SBU) Venezuela's spiraling crime has resulted in weekends with a homicide every hour in Caracas and earned the nation the unflattering title of violent crime capital of the world. Recent polling by Alfredo Keller showed 78% of respondents thought crime was worse this year and 67% opined tha [...] | 2008-11-24 12:40:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CASC PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1622 | OPPOSITION CARVES OUT A NEW SPACE FOR ITSELF, [...] (C) Summary: By winning five of the most populous and resource rich states in the country, the opposition opened up new political space in Venezuela. The percentage of Venezuelans with an opposition governor increased from 25 to 40 percent and voter turnout was 65 percent, well above the h [...] | 2008-11-24 21:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1625 | CHAVEZ SPINS ELECTORAL RESULTS UNDERSCORING THE [...] (C) Summary: Chavez is seeking to spin the electoral results of the November 23 state and local elections to his favor. In a nationally-televised, five-hour long November 24 press conference with international journalists, the Venezuelan president blasted media reporting that his United So [...] | 2008-11-25 21:12:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1626 | CHAVEZ'S FIRST SALVO AT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT [...] (SBU) In a rambling nationally televised November 24 press conference following Venezuelan state and local elections, President Hugo Chavez labeled president-elect Obama's response to a congratulatory letter by Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad "disrespectful and a bad sign." Chavez stated [...] | 2008-11-25 21:53:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE IR |
08CARACAS1627 | IOC SUB-COMMISSION FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND ADJACENT [...] (U) SUMMARY: The USDEL to the tenth session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and adjacent regions (IOCARIBE, 22-26 October in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela) met its primary objectives: the US was reelected as Vice Chairman for IOCARIBE; NOAA's [...] | 2008-11-26 15:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON MARR PGOV EWWT AORC ICES KRVC SENV TPHY |
08CARACAS1628 | VENEZUELA: POINTS DELIVERED ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP [...] (U) Post delivered reftel points on the proposed Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food to the Ministries of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry and Commerce. Post will report a response if received, however, based on past experience, no reply is anti [...] | 2008-11-26 19:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV EAGR PREL ETRD VE |
08CARACAS1629 | VENEZUELA OFFERS MEETING ON PORT SECURITY VISIT [...] (SBU) Economic Counselor was contacted November 26 by Nelson Dominguez of Venezuela's National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA). Dominguez identified himself as the head of INEA's maritime security unit and said he had been tasked by the President of INEA to meet with the Embassy to discuss [...] | 2008-11-26 20:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ASEC MARR PGOV PREL PTER VE |
08CARACAS1633 | STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: WINNERS AND LOSERS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez emerges as both a loser and winner from the November 23 state and local elections. He must contend with more opposition governors in key states, as well as opposition mayors in important cities. Several opposition parties can point to somewhat encouraging elect [...] | 2008-11-28 19:55:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1635 | OPPOSITION GOVERNOR PROFILES [...] (C) Summary: The opposition won five of 22 governorships in the November 23 state and local elections and will govern approximately 40 percent of Venezuelans. Four of the five opposition governors are political veterans with extensive administrative experience. Morel Rodriguez, the re-e [...] | 2008-12-01 21:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS1636 | CHAVEZ SEEKS RE-ELECTION/GRABS POWERS FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez is on the political offensive after the opposition scored some noteworthy gains in the November 23 state and local elections. In a nationally-televised November 30 speech, President Chavez urged his supporters to launch a signature drive that would force a new re [...] | 2008-12-01 22:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1637 | VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT PROPOSES FEBRUARY 2009 COAST [...] (C) On December 1 Emboffs met with the President of the Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA) and representatives of the Ministries of Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs (MRE) to discuss the US Coast Guard's repeated requests for port inspections (ref A). The head of INEA Port Security, Nelson D [...] | 2008-12-02 18:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD EWWT VE |
08CARACAS1638 | VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT VERSUS THE COMBO MEAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan consumer protection law, passed July 2008, requires the government to approve all sales promotions with an eye to curtailing "excessive consumption" and punishing "capitalist impresarios" while also seeking to eliminate hoarding and speculation, particularly with fo [...] | 2008-12-02 20:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREL ETRD EAGR VE |
08CARACAS1640 | PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE: GLOBOVISION ON THE HOOK [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) is hardening its position against the remaining independent media outlets following the November 23 state and local elections. The government's telecommunication's agency (Conatel) is investigating Globovision, the cri [...] | 2008-12-02 21:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1664 | CHAVEZ MOVING FORWARD TO REMOVE TERM LIMITS [...] (C) Summary: Chavez announced December 1 that his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) would begin preparing a constitutional amendment to allow indefinite presidential reelection. Chavez said he hopes his supporters would send the proposed amendment to the National Electoral Counci [...] | 2008-12-05 14:22:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1668 | STATE AND LOCAL VOTING MOSTLY FREE AND FAIR ON [...] (C) Summary: Embassy Caracas deployed informal, unaccredited observation teams throughout Caracas and to six states during the November 23 balloting for state and local elections. They and other electoral observers confirmed scattered irregularities, such as late openings and closings of t [...] | 2008-12-05 18:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1669 | VENEZUELA: TAX AUTHORITY SURPASSES 2008 REVENUE [...] (U) Summary. The tax authority of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) announced December 2 it had already reached its tax revenue goal for budget year 2008. Tax officials predict record tax revenues for budget year 2009 and continue to find creative methods to increase compliance with [...] | 2008-12-05 18:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1670 | CHAVEZ STEERING AN EVEN MORE AUTHORITARIAN COURSE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez usually calibrates his efforts to concentrate power based on public opinion. But after losing the constitutional referendum in December 2007 and ceding more ground to the opposition in the November 23 state and local elections, the Venezuelan president appears to [...] | 2008-12-05 19:05:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS1676 | NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RELEASES FLIMSY REPORT ON [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) released a report calling on the Attorney General's Office (AG) to investigate retired military personnel, independent media owners, and businessmen for their supposed involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Chavez. It accused the USG of pr [...] | 2008-12-05 20:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS1677 | VENEZUELAN-RUSSIAN EXERCISE WAS NO WORKOUT [...] (S/NOFORN) SUMMARY: Despite the heavy media attention, the Venezuelan-Russian naval exercise was a rudimentary affair, and Russian efforts to down play its importance were very clear. The BRV hoped to use the fact the exercise took place at the same time as a state visit by Russian President M [...] | 2008-12-05 21:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET//NOFORN | MCAP PGOV PREL RU VE |
08CARACAS1685 | CHAVEZ DUAL TRACKS RE-ELECTION INITIATIVE [...] (C) Summary: Chavez announced that the process to amend the constitution to remove presidential term limits will be initiated by both seeking to acquire 15 percent of registered voters' signatures and the support of 30 percent of the deputies in the National Assembly. He did not explain his [...] | 2008-12-08 21:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS1693 | NEW PSUV GOVERNORS REFLECT PREFERENCE FOR LOYALTY [...] (C) Summary: Most of the new PSUV governors have served previously in local or national political office, and many of them have longstanding ties to Chavez personally or left-wing credentials. The incoming governors from Anzoategui, Barinas, Guarico, and Trujillo States are tried and true [...] | 2008-12-09 21:43:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS1700 | CHAVEZ'S BAND OF BROTHERS [...] (C) Six of the seventeen PSUV governors elected to office on November 23 were either co-conspirators in Chavez's 1992 coup attempt or his military contemporaries. Personal loyalty, reliability and the ethos of a military fraternity reflected in many of Chavez's ministerial appointments and w [...] | 2008-12-10 21:48:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1702 | VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TO ASSUME PERMANENT CONTROL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Aeropostal president Dr. Mustafa Flores reports he expects the government to take permanent control of the airline by December 12 and will then bankrupt it. He, along with all but two of the Aeropostal board of directors, plan to resign as they fear they will ultimately be blamed. [...] | 2008-12-11 13:45:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON CASC CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD |
08CARACAS172 | BRV WARNS GLOBOVISION OF POSSIBLE SANCTIONS, [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) harassment of Globovision, Venezuela's only independent all-news television network, is intensifying. The BRV appears to be laying the groundwork for the network's possible closure in the near future. Citing "public pressure," the BR [...] | 2008-02-12 23:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS1721 | CHAVEZ PERSONALIZING AMENDMENT PROPOSAL [...] (C) Summary: Chavez initiated the drive to collect signatures December 11 in support of a constitutional amendment to allow for indefinite reelection, and continues to reiterate that the referendum must be held by February. He has framed the amendment as a minor legal tweak and personalized [...] | 2008-12-16 13:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS1724 | PSUV STALWARTS RETAIN CONTROL IN SEVEN STATES [...] (C) Summary: The incoming United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) governors of Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Falcon, Monagas and Sucre States face significant challenges in meeting the needs of their relatively poor, sparsely-populated regions. The new PSUV governor of Merida will have to bal [...] | 2008-12-16 21:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS1738 | SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST NEW TRIBES MISSION [...] (SBU) The Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled November 4 that the rights of the New Tribes Mission (NTM) had not been violated when it was required in 2005 to remove its personnel from all indigenous areas in the country. Over the past three years the NTM had argued before the court that they had [...] | 2008-12-18 15:57:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS1739 | SUPREME COURT BLESSES AMENDMENT, PSUV GEARS UP THE [...] (C) Summary: The Supreme Court appears poised to remove any potential legal obstacles to Chavez's constitutional amendment proposal to remove presidential term limits, paving the way for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) to begin both its signature drive and discussions within t [...] | 2008-12-18 16:14:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE KDEM |
08CARACAS174 | CHAVEZ REPEATS THREATS TO PRIVATE SECTOR IN EFFORT [...] (SBU) Summary: On January 31, the BRV published a decree reforming the "Law Against Speculation and Hoarding," a 2007 decree that criminalized the hoarding and speculation of regulated goods, reduced the legal barriers for expropriations, and established harsh fines and jail time for violators [...] | 2008-02-13 16:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS1747 | VENEZUELAN CEMENT INDUSTRY HEADED TO INTERNATIONAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Cement companies Holcim and Lafarge are expected to soon join Cemex at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) after giving up hope of compensation for their nationalized operations in Venezuela. According to a Holcim executive, the company was rel [...] | 2008-12-19 16:36:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREL ETRD KHLS PTER VE |
08CARACAS1751 | CHARGE'S MEETING WITH MFA VICE MINISTER VALERO - [...] (C) Summary. Charge met December 19 with MFA Vice Minister Jorge Valero to press the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelan (GBRV) to resolve ongoing reciprocity issues and to sound out the GBRV's possible interest in a confidence-building dialogue on defense issues. Charge argu [...] | 2008-12-19 21:52:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR MCAP AMGT VE |
08CARACAS1753 | CHAVEZ'S FEBRUARY REFERENDUM DATE A LEGAL STRETCH [...] (C) Summary: Chavez continues to move forward on his amendment proposal, apparently with the hope of holding a referendum before the end of February. The National Assembly (AN) concluded its first debate December 18 in favor of the amendment and has another debate scheduled for the second [...] | 2008-12-19 22:05:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1754 | VENEZUELAN CABINET RESHUFFLE MAY AFFECT PORTS AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chavez appointed Diosdado Cabello Rondon, the person most frequently mentioned as a possible successor, as the new Minister of Infrastructure (Minfra) on December 6. Cabello lost his re-election bid for the governorship of Miranda State in the November 23 election. We have already [...] | 2008-12-19 22:08:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON CASC CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD |
08CARACAS1765 | CHAVEZ ORDERS THE EXPROPRIATION OF JEWISH-OWNED [...] (U) On December 21, during the last "Alo, Presidente" broadcast of 2008, President Chavez ordered the mayor of Libertador Borough of Caracas Jorge Rodriguez to expropriate a large commercial center in the final stages of construction. In his latest tirade against the private sector, Chavez r [...] | 2008-12-23 16:07:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV KIRF VE |
08CARACAS1777 | CHAVEZ'S PERPETUAL CAMPAIGN [...] (C) Summary: Since taking office in 1999, President Chavez has engaged in frequent, polarizing electoral campaigns to both burnish his democratic credentials and accumulate personal power. The Venezuelan president's electoral focus has hindered his government's ability to address pressing [...] | 2008-12-24 13:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS1783 | CHAVEZ LASHES OUT AT CARDINAL FOR CRITICIZING [...] (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez reacted harshly to Venezuelan Cardinal Jorge Urosa's December 25 criticism of a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate presidential term limits. Phoning in to a state media talk show on December 26, Chavez called Cardinal Urosa "immoral" and [...] | 2008-12-29 20:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM VT VE |
08CARACAS1784 | CHAVEZ BLAMES USG FOR ISRAEL'S AIR [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) continues to assert a singularly radical foreign policy out of step with most of the international community. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued December 18 and 27 communiques that criticized un [...] | 2008-12-29 20:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KIRF VE IS ZI |
08CARACAS18 | CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES HE WILL SLOW DOWN THE REVOLUTION [...] (C) Summary. During his January 6 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, President Chavez said he plans to apply the brakes to his Bolivarian revolution after the defeat of his proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution. He and his new cabinet will not change ideology, but will "review, rectify, and re [...] | 2008-01-07 21:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM VE |
08CARACAS186 | BANCO MERCANTIL PRESENTS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary: In a February 12 meeting with the Ambassador, senior economists of Banco Mercantil, one of Venezuela's four largest banks, argued that President Chavez was facing simultaneous adverse political and economic shocks following the December 2 referendum. Given his current vulnerabil [...] | 2008-02-15 14:47:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS188 | AMBASSADOR VISITS MARACAIBO AND ZULIA STATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Duddy visited Maracaibo in Zulia state February 7-9, 2008 meeting with American & local business leaders, students, news media, opposition party mayors and the state Governor of Zulia. All groups encouraged increased interaction with the USG. Crime, and particularl [...] | 2008-02-15 16:56:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KDEM PGOV PREL SENV VE |
08CARACAS197 | VENEZUELAN KEY RESOURCES AND CRITICAL [...] In response to reftel A, Venezuela has little or no critical infrastructure (as defined in reftel A) and few key resources that are vital to the United States. Venezuela's most significant resource that is supplied to the US is petroleum and petroleum products. Venezuela produces approximat [...] | 2008-02-19 17:18:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC EAID ECON ETTC PGOV PTER PERL EAGER EFIN |
08CARACAS206 | FM MADURO BLAMES USG FOR OIL DISPUTE, TERRORISM [...] (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro insisted to local media February 13 that the USG is behind ExxonMobil's dispute with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV). He also reiterated long-standing BRV accusations that the USG is working with the opposition and local media to destabi [...] | 2008-02-19 21:32:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENGR SNAR VE |
08CARACAS21 | NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SWEARS-IN NEW LEADERSHIP, FLORES [...] (C) SUMMARY. The National Assembly (NA) swore-in its new leadership team January 6. Cilia Flores, the current NA president, will serve out another term. Roberto Hernandez of the pro-government Communist Party (PCV) replaces Desiree Santos Amaral as First Vice President, while Jose Albornoz, [...] | 2008-01-08 17:53:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV VE |
08CARACAS213 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PODEMOS LEADERS - FEB 19 [...] (C) Summary. Podemos leaders told the Ambassador February 19 that their break with President Chavez is permanent. They now believe Chavez has abandoned principle in favor of perpetuating himself in power. They hope to make political gains by focusing on pressing national issues and capitali [...] | 2008-02-20 19:36:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PTER ENGR CO VE |
08CARACAS219 | VENEZUELA AND BRV REACT TO CASTRO'S RESIGNATION [...] (SBU) The February 19 announcement by Fidel Castro that he will step down as President and Commander-in-Chief after next Sunday's election was received by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) with a mixture of hero worship and denial. President Hugo Chavez told the local media, "What res [...] | 2008-02-21 14:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CU VE |
08CARACAS223 | EMERGING STUDENT LEADERS OUTLINE FUTURE STRATEGIES [...] (C) Summary. USAID Officer met February 9 with a dozen up-and-coming student leaders from western Venezuela. The students, primarily from the Law School Students' Association (Fedeve),were in the university town of Merida to prepare strategies for upcoming student elections. They were also [...] | 2008-02-21 15:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | PGOV KDEM PHUM VE |
08CARACAS227 | PSUV FOUNDING CONGRESS: DELAYS AND AN EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez publicly declared after his constitutional referendum defeat that shoring up his political base will be one of his highest priorities. Since then, he has focused considerable personal attention on launching his proposed single, pro-government party, the United S [...] | 2008-02-22 17:35:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM VE |
08CARACAS233 | NO SURPRISE, CHAVEZ BACKS RUSSIA AGAINST KOSOVO [...] No summary [...] | 2008-02-22 21:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL UNMIK VE KV EU |
08CARACAS238 | CHAVEZ: THE BEST PRESS IS A STATE-CONTROLLED PRESS [...] (C) President Hugo Chavez forced national electronic media February 21 to carry a 3-hour diatribe against the media and the "lies" they purvey, adding fuel to concerns that he is setting the stage to curtail what little free press remains in Venezuela. The ostensible reason for Chavez' speec [...] | 2008-02-25 12:02:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL |
08CARACAS245 | OPPOSITION PARTY COPEI IS CONFIDENT OF OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: Christian Democratic Party (COPEI) leader Luis Ignacio Planas called on the Ambassador on February 21 to discuss political developments in Venezuela and the opposition's expectations for the November 2008 state and local elections. The 35-year-old Secretary General is putting th [...] | 2008-02-26 20:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS25 | SAME FACES, DIFFERENT PLACES: BIOS ON CHAVEZ' NEW [...] (SBU) Summary: On January 6, President Chavez announced changes in eight key economic portfolios: the Ministry of Finance, Telecommunications, Planning and Development, Housing, Basic Industry and Mining, Light Industry and Trade, Food, Housing, and Social Development and Popular Participation [...] | 2008-01-09 19:35:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS26 | NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS SEEK TO REVIVE "BOSTON [...] (C) Summary: Five members of the National Assembly (NA) are seeking to establish an Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group with U.S. congresspersons, akin to the congressional relations they had cultivated via the informal "Boston Group." Foreign Policy Commission Chairman Saul Ortega and three [...] | 2008-01-09 21:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS267 | GOVERNMENT MAY MAKE 400 INELIGIBLE FOR ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan Comptroller's Office provided the National Electoral Commission (CNE) February 25 with a list of 400 Venezuelans that it has sanctioned and believes to be ineligible to run for elected office. There is a disagreement within the CNE whether these persons are automa [...] | 2008-02-28 19:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM VE |
08CARACAS273 | CHAVISTAS TAKE OVER CARACAS ARCHBISHOP'S RESIDENCE [...] (C) Summary. Hard-line Chavistas temporarily occupied the Archbishop's Residence in Caracas on February 27. They held a press conference on the premises to denounce Catholic Church leaders and the Papal Nuncio for hindering the revolution as well as to express support for the deceased bomber [...] | 2008-02-28 22:13:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KREL PHUM VE |
08CARACAS283 | RAUL REYES DEATH: CONFLICT DOES NOT APPEAR [...] (S/NF) Summary: Notwithstanding President Chavez' order that ten battalions be dispatched to the Colombian border in the wake of the March 1 killing of FARC's second-in command Raul Reyes, DAO reports only a minor increase in activity at two relevant BRV bases in two states west of Caracas and [...] | 2008-03-03 19:23:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MOPS PGOV PTER MCAP CO VE |
08CARACAS284 | FOREIGN MINISTRY: CHANGES AND VACANCIES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: THE VENEZUELAN MINISTRY OF PEOPLE'S POWER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) HAS GONE THROUGH SIGNIFICANT PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES IN RECENT MONTHS WITH FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE VICE-MINISTERS EITHER RESIGNING OR BEING RE-ASSIGNED. PRESIDENT CHAVEZ ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 19 THAT F [...] | 2008-03-03 19:30:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS286 | CHAVEZ PUTS FINISHING TOUCHES ON HIS PSUV PARTY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez presided over the final session of the founding congress of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) March 2 in Maracaibo. Over 1600 PSUV party delegates elected Chavez party president the week before. In Maracaibo, Chavez announced the names of 69 PSUV m [...] | 2008-03-03 22:15:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM VE |
08CARACAS288 | VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION PARTIES UNITE TO CONDEMN [...] (SBU) Summary: Within hours of President Hugo Chavez' March 2 order to mobilize the Venezuelan National Armed Forces against a "Colombian invasion," Venezuelan opposition members were responding to the belligerent rhetoric with equally breathless criticism. Beneath a banner reading "United [...] | 2008-03-04 14:57:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL VE CO |
08CARACAS293 | MINIMAL BRV ARMED FORCES RESPONSE TO DEPLOYMENT [...] (S) SUMMARY: Nearly 48 hours after Chavez ordered ten battalions to the Colombian border, there has been only small scale movements of troops or equipment from major combat units. Less than 12 light tanks or armored fighting vehicles have been seen preparing for movement at Carora in the wes [...] | 2008-03-04 19:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET//NOFORN | MCAP MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL VE CO |
08CARACAS301 | CHAVEZ INSULATES VENEZUELAN ARMED FORCES FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan Army withdrew from hosting the 28th Conference of the Armies of the Americas (CAA) and declined its turn to serve as president of the organization on February 18, less than four weeks before the scheduled transfer ceremony. This is the fourth military conference i [...] | 2008-03-04 22:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS302 | BADUEL CRITICIZES MOBILIZATION [...] (SBU) In a March 4 press conference Former Minister of Defense Raul Baduel joined the Venezuelan opposition parties (Reftel) in criticizing President Chavez's March 2 order to mobilize Venezuelan National Armed Forces (FAN) to the Colombian border. Baduel qualified Venezuela's actions as disp [...] | 2008-03-04 22:02:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM MOPS VE |
08CARACAS304 | DEMARCHE ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL'S ADOPTION OF [...] No summary [...] | 2008-03-05 19:27:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS313 | INFLATION STARTING TO TAKE ITS TOLL ON VENEZUELA'S [...] (C) Summary: Inflation, including the repressed inflation reflected in rolling shortages of price-controlled goods, is quickly becoming a stone around the neck of the BRV's economic management team. While most independent and opposition-aligned economic analysts agree that the primary cause [...] | 2008-03-06 16:07:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS319 | BRV DEPLOYMENT CONTINUES TO CREEP FORWARD [...] (S) SUMMARY: The deployment of Venezuelan troops to the areas near the border of Colombia continues with some movement being reported in local press at Fuerte Paramaracay in Valencia and Fuerte Mara in the border state of Zulia. This included, for the first time, reports of helicopter movement [...] | 2008-03-06 22:12:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS320 | 2008 DEMARCHE FOR THE MAJORS LIST REPORT TO THE [...] (C) POLCOUNS met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for North American and Multilateral Affairs, Yaneth Arocha on March 5 to encourage counternarcotics cooperation and to deliver the points in Ref A, among other matters. The Embassy had been trying unsuccessfully to deliver the demarch [...] | 2008-03-06 22:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS325 | CHAVEZ AND CORREA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Presidents Hugo Chavez and Rafael Correa held a joint press conference to condemn Colombia's incursion into Ecuador and heap scorn on a wide range of people and issues. Chavez challenged Uribe to face the International Criminal Court alongside him and threatened to nationalize C [...] | 2008-03-07 18:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EC VE |
08CARACAS326 | NO NEW TROOP MOVEMENTS REPORTED [...] (S) No additional troop movements have been reported in the March 7 open press. Considering the distances from major bases such as Fuerte Paramaracay in Valencia and Carora barracks in Lara state, it is reasonable to assume that elements of the 41st Armored Brigade, such as the 413th "Pedro [...] | 2008-03-07 21:26:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS327 | A GLIMPSE INTO FRACTURES WITHIN CHAVISMO? [...] (C) Summary. In February President Chavez removed the Director of the Venezuelan tax and customs service (SENIAT) Jose Gregorio Vielma Mora and replaced him with Infrastructure Minister Jose David Cabello. Vielma Mora was widely regarded within Venezuela as an efficient administrator, who by [...] | 2008-03-07 21:56:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS328 | PEACE MARCHES OVERSHADOWED BY PRO-CHAVEZ GROUPS [...] (C) Summary. Both pro-Chavez and civil society groups organized marches March 6 in 12 states in Venezuela to register their opinions on Venezuela-Colombian tensions. The pro-Chavez groups vandalized several Colombian consulates and harassed consulate workers. In contrast, civil society group [...] | 2008-03-07 22:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC VE |
08CARACAS329 | FOOD EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FURTHER THREATENED BY [...] (C) Summary: Recent BRV actions have complicated the situation for both food exporters and importers. To the great concern of exporters, on February 22 the BRV announced that it would add 77 food products to the list of Venezuelan goods requiring certificates of local sufficiency prior to per [...] | 2008-03-07 22:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS33 | STUDENT MOVEMENT FOCUSING ON 2008 LOCAL ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. Prominent Venezuelan student leader Yon Goicochea told Emboffs January 8 that the opposition student movement plans to focus on state and municipal elections that will be held by November 2008. The student movement intends to press opposition parties to name consensus candidates [...] | 2008-01-10 19:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS332 | ITALIAN AMBASSADOR ON MADURO, CHAVEZ MEETINGS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Italian Ambassador to Venezuela Luigi Maccotta briefed the Ambassador March 6 on the Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema's February 29 visit to Venezuela. The visit comes shortly after a settlement agreement was reached between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) [...] | 2008-03-10 17:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EPET IT VE |
08CARACAS334 | PSUV BATTALION LEADERS ELECT LOYALISTS TO PARTY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV) held intra-party elections March 9 to fill the PSUV's 15-member leadership committee. PSUV local ("battalion") leaders elected well-known loyalists to one-year terms on the party's steering committee from the 69 nam [...] | 2008-03-10 20:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM VE |
08CARACAS335 | ARGENTINE PRESIDENT'S MARCH 5-6 VISIT TO VENEZUELA [...] (C) Polcouns and Poloff met with Argentine First Secretary Luis Alberto Hidalgo March 7 to discuss Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's March 5-6 visit to Venezuela, her first to Venezuela since assuming the presidency. Hidalgo said the visit was intended to be low profile, bu [...] | 2008-03-10 21:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AR VE |
08CARACAS338 | CHAVEZ STRIKES CONCILIATORY TONE, RESTORES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez abruptly changed roles from Field Marshal to Peacemaker after returning from the Rio Summit in Santo Domingo. During his March 8 International Day of the Woman speech, Chavez struck a conciliatory tone toward Colombia by reopening diplomatic miss [...] | 2008-03-11 14:47:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS341 | LABOR DISPUTES INCREASING IN THE BRV [...] (C) SUMMARY: A series of labor disputes involving Japanese-owned Bridgestone Firestone (BF),Mexican-owned FEMSA Coca-Cola, predominantly Argentinean-owned Terrium Sidor, and the Venezuelan state-run electricity sector have broken out since January. Many of these labor conflicts are the resu [...] | 2008-03-11 20:26:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB PGOV EINV ENRG VE |
08CARACAS342 | BRV REACTS TO U.S. MEDIA REPORT OF POSSIBLE USG [...] (SBU) Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials and sympathizers reacted angrily to a March 10 article in the "Miami Herald" that reported on a supposed White House inquiry into whether Venezuela should be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. At a book signing event that evening, Mi [...] | 2008-03-11 21:35:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS349 | THE COLOMBIAN PATIENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: On March 11, news services were reporting rumors that FARC directorate member Milton Jesus Toncel was being treated at a medical clinic in the town of Rubio in the Venezuelan border state of Tachira for a wound to the face. Guardia Nacional Operations Chief Juan Carlos Hidalgo lat [...] | 2008-03-12 21:53:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS350 | BRV BUSTS MAJOR COLOMBIAN NARCO-TRAFFICKER [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan law enforcement personnel arrested Colombian drug trafficker, para-military and gunrunner Hermagoras "Gordo" Gonzalez Polanco on March 8. Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin confirmed the arrest of Gonzalez during a March 10 press conference. Chacin [...] | 2008-03-12 21:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL PGOV CO VE |
08CARACAS359 | CHAVISTA NA DEPUTY ON PSUV FORMATION AND COCA-COLA [...] (C) National Assembly Deputy Francisco Torrealba told Poloff March 13 that much work still needs to be done in President Chavez's new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Torrealba said the party still needed to: -- determine how to select candidates; -- revise party statutes; and, -- [...] | 2008-03-13 20:56:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR ELAB VE |
08CARACAS361 | BRV OFFICIALS REACT TO POTUS' MARCH 12 SPEECH AND [...] (C) Summary. The President's March 12 speech received extensive coverage in the Venezuelan media, further fueling speculation and concern about a possible USG designation of Venezuela as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodr [...] | 2008-03-13 21:32:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS365 | ANZOATEGUI STATE: CHAVISTAS ON THE DEFENSIVE; [...] (C) Summary. Pro-government forces appear to be on the defensive in the oil-rich eastern state of Anzoategui, until recently a Chavista stronghold. Governor Tarek William Saab, a staunch loyalist of President Chavez, is widely perceived as a poor administrator, and the "No" vote carried Anzoat [...] | 2008-03-14 17:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS367 | CHAVEZ SLIPPING IN THE POLLS; OPPOSITION STAGNANT [...] (C) Summary. Recent local polling data shows that President Chavez's approval rating is dropping to similarly low levels of support as he had in 2003. Local analysts cite economic problems and crime as well as the Chavez's effort to radicalize his administration in 2006 as the leading causes [...] | 2008-03-14 22:36:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS371 | POLAR STILL SKATING ON THIN ICE [...] (C) Summary: According to Polar's Director of Government Relations Jose Machado (strictly protect throughout),Polar has stopped exporting many of their products due to government restrictions. Polar is Venezuela's largest food processor. Imports of vital components for domestic production t [...] | 2008-03-17 13:11:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS379 | BRV YET TO REACT TO ID OF FARC FIGHTERS IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Claims and counter-claims regarding the identities of two presumed FARC fighters (REFTEL) seeking medical care in Venezuela have been reported in the media since March 11. On March 14, the Colombian Defense Minister identified the two men as FARC fighters "Lucas" and "Jaime," ap [...] | 2008-03-17 21:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS38 | THE RESHUFFLE: SUPPLEMENTAL BIOS ON KEY POLITICAL [...] (C) Summary. During his January 6 "Alo, Presidente" television broadcast Chavez formally announced changes to five political cabinet-level positions: the Vice Presidency, the Office of the Presidency, the Ministry of Interior and Justice, Ministry of Communications, and Ministry of Sports and [...] | 2008-01-10 21:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR VE |
08CARACAS386 | THE FOOD SHORTAGE SAGA CONTINUES: THE MEAT CHAPTER [...] (SBU) Summary: The president of the National Beef Council blamed meat shortages on BRV land seizures and the BRV's role in falling domestic productivity, labor shortages and price controls. The BRV has failed to provide coherent regulations in the beef sector and a reasonable level of physical [...] | 2008-03-19 13:52:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS388 | PEACE, MUSIC AND THE OAS [...] (U) SUMMARY: The issue of peace in South America is on the media's mind. Coverage of Sunday's "Peace Without Frontiers" concert in Colombia was wide spread, being broadcast live on television and with front page articles and photo spreads in Monday's newspapers. The weekend also saw articles ab [...] | 2008-03-19 16:50:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS389 | BRV RENEWS ATTACKS ON UNITED STATES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Minister for Communications, Andres Izarra in a Sunday, March 16 television interview asserted President Bush was frustrated by Venezuela's recent international political successes. As a result the United States was probably planning both a military invasion of Venezuela and the [...] | 2008-03-19 16:50:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS395 | THE FOOD SHORTAGE SAGA CONTINUES: THE SUPERMARKET [...] (C) Summary: The National Supermarket Association reports that Chavez appears to be losing the public relations battle on the food shortages. This is likely contributing to his drop in the polls (ref C). Chavez' demands that Venezuela become self-sufficient in terms of food production have le [...] | 2008-03-19 21:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS420 | EMBASSY STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN -- [...] (U) This is an action request - see paragraph 12. 2. (C) Summary: Embassy Caracas requests DOD support in the execution of its strategic communications plan. The goal for this program is to influence the information environment within Venezuela. The strategy's goal is to counter the active and de [...] | 2008-03-26 20:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS422 | RUSSIAN ARMS ARRIVE IN VENEZUELA, AIR DEFENSE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Nineteen shipping containers carrying Russian made ammunition for AK-103 assault rifles were transferred from Puerto Cabello to Maracay under heavy security on March 25 according to local media. General Alejandro Tineo of the 41st Armored Division added that the shipment incl [...] | 2008-03-27 15:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV MCAP PTER BO RS VE |
08CARACAS432 | MINISTRY OF TOURISM OUT OF THE LOOP ON TIP ISSUES [...] (C) Summary. During a March 26 meeting with Ministry of Tourism officials to discuss trafficking in persons (TIP),the Director of the International Relations Office told Poloff that the government has not given the ministry a mandate to combat trafficking. However, she expressed interest in [...] | 2008-03-28 15:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KCRM KWMN UK VE |
08CARACAS435 | CODEL WYDEN'S MARCH 26-28 VISIT TO VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary: On his March 26-28 visit to Caracas, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) discussed the political situation in Venezuela with interlocutors from the political, business, media, and NGO communities. He also conducted internal meetings with Embassy personnel, took a driving tour of a poor ne [...] | 2008-03-28 19:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON VE |
08CARACAS437 | PRO-CHAVEZ LEGISLATOR ACCUSES CHAVEZ FAMILY [...] (C) Summary. Chavista National Assembly member Wilmer Azuaje is publicly accusing the father and two brothers of President Chavez (but not the Venezuelan president himself) of abusing their government positions in Barinas State to acquire farms and further their electoral ambitions. Azuaje t [...] | 2008-03-28 21:16:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS453 | SIP MEETING BEMOANS MEDIA FREEDOM IN VENEZUELA; [...] (C) Summary. During its mid-year conference held in Caracas, the Inter-American Press Association (SIP) criticized the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) systematic harassment of the independent media and commented on the state of the press in several Latin American countries. The BR [...] | 2008-04-02 17:09:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS468 | CLANDESTINE AIRFIELD DESTROYED [...] (SBU) The Bolivarian News Agency announced on March 28 the start of Operation Boquete I, an Army effort to destroy all clandestine airstrips in Venezuela. By March 30 the Venezuelan Army claimed to have destroyed 67 of an estimated 157 dirt runways in the south-western border state of Apure a [...] | 2008-04-03 21:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PGOV PREL SNAR CO VE |
08CARACAS47 | CHAVEZ EXPLOITS FARC HOSTAGE RELEASE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is trying to extract maximum political advantage from the January 10 release of FARC-held hostages Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo. He personally met the freed hostages and their families at his Miraflores presidential palace hours after their relea [...] | 2008-01-11 19:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS473 | PDVAL: THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT'S NEWEST FOOD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The State oil company PDVSA's new subsidiary for Production and Distribution of Venezuelan Food (PDVAL),is trying to increase the quantity of price regulated food distributed in Caracas and Venezuela's interior. PDVAL, launched at the direction of President Chavez in January [...] | 2008-04-04 13:24:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV EAGR EINV VE |
08CARACAS484 | CHAVEZ FILLS IN PSUV PARTY STRUCTURE [...] (C) Summary. After months of infighting and organizational difficulties, and more than a year after President Chavez announced its creation, PSUV leaders finally sought official National Electoral Commission (CNE) recognition of the PSUV on April 2. President Chavez, who is also president of [...] | 2008-04-04 21:03:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS488 | CHAVEZ'S STREET REVOLUTIONARIES STAGE SMALL REVOLT [...] (C) Summary: On April 3 representatives of thirty political gangs took to the streets of "23 de Enero," one of Caracas' poorest neighborhoods, to protest searches by Venezuela's investigative and intelligence service, DISIP. DISIP has carried out a series of raids and searches in the neighborh [...] | 2008-04-07 11:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS494 | CHAVEZ TO NATIONALIZE VENEZUELAN CEMENT INDUSTRY [...] (C) Summary: On April 3, President Chavez ordered the nationalization of the cement industry "in the short term," saying the state would pay whatever it costs (an estimated USD 2 billion) to take over the cement companies. In a meeting on April 4 with Cemex, Holcim, and Lafarge, it quickly be [...] | 2008-04-08 13:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS498 | MORE TWISTS IN CASE OF SLAIN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR [...] (C) Summary: Prosecutor Hernando Contreras accused former Attorney General (AG) Isaias Rodriguez of doctoring witness testimony that could have proved unfavorable to the government in the case of slain public prosecutor Danilo Anderson. AG Luisa Ortega dismissed the allegations against her pr [...] | 2008-04-08 17:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM CO VE |
08CARACAS502 | AIR ACCIDENTS SHAKE UP VENEZUELAN AVIATION [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela's civilian aviation authority, INAC, was recently restructured as a result of 13 aviation "incidents" including multiple plane crashes within a 2 month period. In one of his first acts, the new INAC Director rescinded US charter airlines Falcon Air Express and Sky King [...] | 2008-04-09 15:42:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS514 | UPDATE ON MONICA FERNANDEZ; OUTLINES LEOPOLDO [...] (C) Summary. Former judge and director of the judicial NGO Foro Penal Monica Fernandez has resumed her work schedule following an attempt on her life in January. She told Poloff April 7 that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has not shown interest in investigating the attack against h [...] | 2008-04-11 19:31:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS515 | SIMONOVIS, VIVAS, FORERO TRIAL WINDING DOWN [...] (C) Summary. The trial against three former Caracas police commissioners and eight other police officers for deaths relating to the April 2002 attempted coup is in its final stages. Pilar Simonovis, the wife and lawyer of ex-commissioner Ivan Simonovis, told Poloff April 8 that closing argume [...] | 2008-04-11 19:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV VE |
08CARACAS516 | CHAVEZ'S TACTICAL RETREAT ON EDUCATION - FOR NOW [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan government is promoting a highly politicized new school curriculum designed to create "new citizens" and a "new Republic" based on vague Bolivarian values. Teacher training efforts to implement the new pre-K-through-high school curriculum by September sparked teac [...] | 2008-04-11 21:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI PHUM VE |
08CARACAS528 | CHAVEZ SEEKS REVOLUTIONARY LOYALTY [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) sponsored a week of activities to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the failed 2002 coup attempt. In a series of nationally televised speeches Chavez attacked the United States and the "Venezuelan oligarchy" while stressing the them [...] | 2008-04-16 14:27:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MCAP PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS532 | CHAVEZ TO NATIONALIZE LATIN AMERICA STEEL LEADER [...] (C) Summary: BRV Vice President Ramon Carrizalez announced April 9 that President Chavez had decided to nationalize the steel company, Ternium Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor),owned by Luxembourg based Ternium and controlled by Argentine group Techint. The announcement comes after a year of la [...] | 2008-04-16 21:02:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB ENRG PGOV EINV AR VE |
08CARACAS535 | VENEZUELAN AUTO INDUSTRY STALLS [...] (SBU) Summary: After doubling over the last few years, US auto exports to and production in Venezuela are sharply declining. Venezuelan auto imports, which doubled over the past two years, have consumed a significant portion of Venezuela's dollar holdings. In response, the BRV decided to sha [...] | 2008-04-17 18:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS536 | BRV APPOINTS OLD FACES TO NEW PLACES [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) confirmed three veteran loyalists as ambassadors to the United Nations (UN),Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) on April 10. Vice Foreign Minister for North American Affairs Jorge Valero will reportedly [...] | 2008-04-17 19:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR VE |
08CARACAS550 | BRV CALLS DEA "IMPEDIMENT" TO COUNTER-NARCOTICS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan Minister of Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin called the Drug Enforcement Administration "an impediment" to counter-narcotics and U.S. anti-drug assistance to Colombia a "facade" for destabilizing the region. Chacin made these remarks at an April 18 press conference publ [...] | 2008-04-22 14:40:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL PGOV VE |
08CARACAS551 | BRV RELEASES TIP LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA [...] (SBU) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) provided USG officials on April 8 with an eleventh-hour summary of its trafficking in persons (TIP) law enforcement efforts in 2007, including the number of victims assisted and prosecution figures. The release follows repeated USG requests for [...] | 2008-04-22 14:51:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM KWMN VE |
08CARACAS560 | CHAVEZ'S NEW LABOR MINISTER URGES WORKERS TO UNITE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez named National Assembly First Vice President Roberto Hernandez to replace Jose Ramon Rivero as Labor Minister on April 15. Prior to joining Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in 2007, Hernandez was one of Venezuela's most prominent Communist Pa [...] | 2008-04-22 20:48:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB ECON EINV PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS562 | BRV HAILS PARAGUAYAN ELECTION OF LUGO [...] (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) lauded the April 20 election of Fernando Lugo as Paraguay's next president. The BRV has tried to re-package Lugo's victory to assert that "Bolivarianism is on the march." In his congratulatory message to Lugo, [...] | 2008-04-23 15:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PA VE |
08CARACAS579 | NGO PROVEA ON "CRIMINALIZATION" OF PROTESTS, [...] (C) SUMMARY. Prominent local human rights NGO Provea convoked the diplomatic corps on April 23 to provide a trimestral update on the human rights issues it considers most worrisome. Provea outlined the BRV's efforts to "criminalize" protests by opening criminal cases against demonstrators. I [...] | 2008-04-28 15:07:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV ELAB VE |
08CARACAS581 | THREE AMCIT FARC HOSTAGES: RICHARDSON SEEKS [...] (C) Summary. New Mexico Governor Richardson traveled April 25-27 to Caracas as the personal emissary of the families of three Amcit FARC hostages. He met April 26 with President Chavez and other senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela officials to enlist the BRV's help in securing the Amcit [...] | 2008-04-29 12:09:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER ASEC PGOV VE |
08CARACAS582 | HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS OF CARACAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan daily, "El Universal", reported on April 16 that the murder rate had risen 14% in the first trimester of 2008, despite the launch of "Safe Caracas 2008" by the Ministry of Justice in January. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),which had been reporting plungi [...] | 2008-04-29 12:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ASEC KCRM VE |
08CARACAS583 | VENEZUELAN AVIATION UPDATE [...] (C) Summary: Sources within the Venezuelan airline industry report that once again, Venezuela's civil aviation authority, INAC, is facing change. Less than two months after INAC's restructuring, American Airlines reports the BRV is creating a new office to supervise INAC. The office will li [...] | 2008-04-29 12:11:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS586 | BRV COOKS UP CONSPIRACY THEORY TO LINK USG TO [...] (C) SUMMARY. The local media reported April 23 that former Attorney General (AG) Isaias Rodriguez again accused the FBI and CIA of orchestrating the death of federal prosecutor Danilo Anderson. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has repeatedly tried to connect opposition figures and [...] | 2008-04-29 14:46:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM CO VE |
08CARACAS596 | HITTING A NERVE IN VENEZUELA: BRV BROADSIDE AT NEW [...] (U) Ambassador Duddy's high-profile opening of a new American Corner in the city of Maracay (in Aragua state, about 50 miles outside Caracas) April 23 - and the cocomitant signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the local Pedagogical University - generated an almost immediate response [...] | 2008-04-30 14:25:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL VE |
08CARACAS598 | BLACK-OUT HITS FIFTY PERCENT OF VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) Summary: On April 29, a black-out caused chaos for several hours in thirteen Venezuelan states. The BRV described it as a failure in the national grid system due to a forest fire near key, high tension lines. The incident drew attention to the lack of investment in Venezuela's largely [...] | 2008-04-30 19:43:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS599 | CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP 2-D WANTS TO PUT BRAKES ON [...] (SBU) Prominent civil society leaders held a press conference April 29 to launch the 2-D/Democracy and Liberty Movement, a coalition that aims to curb President Chavez's efforts to implement aspects of his failed constitutional reform package. (Note: 2-D refers to the December 2 defeat of the [...] | 2008-04-30 21:17:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS6 | CHAVEZ DECREES PARTIAL AMNESTY LAW FOR EVENTS OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez announced a partial amnesty December 31 for those accused of involvement in the events that temporarily removed him from power in April 2002. The decree also included a "humanitarian" pardon for 36 persons currently imprisoned. The Amnesty Law only applies to in [...] | 2008-01-03 22:28:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV VE |
08CARACAS600 | US AUTOMAKERS' DIFFICULTIES CONTINUE IN VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) On April 29 labor negoiations between General Motors (GM) and its union reached a breaking point. GM Venezuela's legal counsel confirmed media reports that GM stopped production as a result of the impasse. In response to the halt in production, GM workers rioted, damaged 28 cars, and b [...] | 2008-04-30 21:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS609 | CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES 30 PERCENT HIKE IN MINIMUM WAGE [...] (U) Speaking on the evening of April 30 at a commemoration of International Worker's Day, President Chavez announced a 30 percent increase in the minimum wage and in all public sector employees' salaries. The new monthly minimum wage is 799 bolivars (Bs),or USD 372 at the official exchange [...] | 2008-05-02 21:39:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ELAB PGOV VE |
08CARACAS62 | CHAVEZ HIGHLIGHTS COLOMBIAN HOSTAGE RELEASE, [...] (C) Summary. Chavez used numerous events over the January 11-13 weekend to claim credit for the Colombian hostage release, urge international understanding for the FARC and to blame others, including the USG, for the failure of earlier efforts to secure release of the hostages. He also ackno [...] | 2008-01-16 23:19:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS624 | UPDATE ON VENEZUELAN CEMENT NATIONALIZATIONS [...] (C) Summary: Negotiations to nationalize the "Big Three" cement companies in Venezuela are proceeding slowly (reftel.) The BRV is following the model they used to nationalize the oil industry right down to using the same PDVSA negotiating team. The BRV and PDVSA lack in-house expertise in the [...] | 2008-05-07 15:54:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON PGOV VE |
08CARACAS625 | CHAVEZ ACCUSES USG OF SECESSIONIST PLOT - AGAIN [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez accused the USG of plotting with the Venezuelan opposition to promote secessionism in western Venezuela during his May 4 "Alo, Presidente" television program. Chavez explicitly linked the Santa Cruz autonomy referendum in Bolivia to the November state and local [...] | 2008-05-07 20:58:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS VE |
08CARACAS626 | THE BATTLE FOR CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary. Chavistas and the opposition are competing for control over the public Central University of Venezuela (UCV)in the May 9 administrative elections. The winners will head the university for the next four years and, given the prominence and prestige of the UCV, will influence high [...] | 2008-05-07 21:04:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SCUL VE |
08CARACAS64 | DENGUE CASES DOUBLE IN VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary: The Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS) ceased publishing dengue and malaria statistics from July 21 to December 22, during the lead up to Chavez' failed December 2 constitutional reform vote. Now we know why: the latest official epidemiology bulletin, released January 8, [...] | 2008-01-17 16:09:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | TBIO SOCI PGOV VE |
08CARACAS640 | MANUEL ROSALES RUNNING FOR MARACAIBO MAYOR [...] (C) Summary. Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales is planning to run for the Maracaibo mayorship, according to Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party leaders. Rosales is telling his party that he needs to run in order to boost the UNT's prospects for his young protQgQ to replace him as governor and for the op [...] | 2008-05-12 12:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS647 | CADIVI AT FIVE YEARS: GETTING WORSE [...] (C) Summary: Complaints about delays and corruption in CADIVI, the BRV's Commission for Administering Foreign Exchange, are increasing among private sector contacts. Although it has authorized more foreign currency liquidation on a daily basis thus far in 2008 than it did in on average 2007, [...] | 2008-05-12 21:08:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV VE |
08CARACAS649 | CHAVEZ DEFLECTS FARC AND ELECTION WORRIES WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his May 11 "Alo, Presidente" television broadcast, President Chavez tried to deflect concerns about upcoming revelations from the FARC computers and potential state and local election losses with shrill insults and accusations. Chavez said Interpol is putting on "a show" b [...] | 2008-05-12 21:33:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS650 | EDUCATION MINISTER CHAVEZ REPLACED BY NAVARRO [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez replaced his brother Adan Chavez with Hector Navarro as Minister of Education on April 30. Adan's next mission will be to take charge of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV) reelection campaign in the Chavez family's home state of Barinas. Adan's rem [...] | 2008-05-12 21:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS653 | THE COLOMBIAN PATIENT - DISCHARGED? [...] (C) SUMMARY: Local news services reported May 7 that FARC fighters Freddy Martinez Mendoza, a member of the 38th Front's General Staff and his companion Jose Ortiz Barrera, wanted in Colombia on charges of rebellion, had been quietly given conditional release on their own recognizance from th [...] | 2008-05-13 20:12:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS659 | STUDENTS BROADEN THEIR AGENDA, CRACKS IN UNITY [...] (C) Summary. Student leaders tell us that the university student movement is currently focusing on developing a new generation of leaders, strengthening the Student Parliament, and developing a common platform on political issues rather than street demonstrations. They stress they stand ready [...] | 2008-05-14 18:48:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM VE |
08CARACAS670 | PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES WINS PLEDGE OF 30,000 BPD [...] (C) Summary: Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates won pledges of 30,000 barrels of oil per day from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez while on a May 13-15 state visit to the Bolivarian Republic. Portugal will pay for the oil, estimated by Chavez as having an annual value of USD 1 billion, [...] | 2008-05-15 21:01:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENGR EINV ECON PO VE |
08CARACAS677 | CHAVEZ PREPARES TO (S)ELECT STATE/LOCAL CANDIDATES [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez' new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) will hold internal party elections in early June to help determine the PSUV's candidates for 22 gubernatorial and over 300 mayoral races slated for November. While Chavez and PSUV leaders are heralding these "prima [...] | 2008-05-16 16:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM VE |
08CARACAS679 | RCTV INTERNATIONAL EXECS OPTIMISTIC BUT NETWORK [...] (C) Summary. Executives at Radio Caracas Television International (RCTVI),previously RCTV, claim the company has positioned itself as a viable cable network. However, they also noted difficulties in attracting corporate sponsors, partly due to fear of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) [...] | 2008-05-16 20:27:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS68 | VENEZUELA'S ECONOMY IN 2008: A DIFFICULT YEAR AS [...] (C) Summary: 2008 is likely to be a difficult year for Venezuela economically due to continued inflation, shortages, and policy-induced distortions. Nonetheless, the BRV's relatively strong external and fiscal positions, buoyed by record crude prices, should allow it to weather these problem [...] | 2008-01-17 20:26:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EPET EINV PGOV VE |
08CARACAS680 | BRV LASHES OUT FOLLOWING INTERPOL REPORT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) didn't waste any time in beginning its efforts to try to discredit Interpol and the contents of the defunct FARC commander's hard drives. On the morning of the May 15 Interpol report, Defense Minister Gustavo Rangel Briceno called the FA [...] | 2008-05-19 13:22:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CO VE |
08CARACAS684 | FM MADURO PROTESTS FIR VIOLATION; CONVOKES [...] (C) Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and Defense Minister Gustavo Rangel Briceno held a May 19 press conference to protest the violation of Venezuelan Air Space by an American military plane in the vicinity of Orchila Island and to denounce what the BRV perceived to be Colombian government "pro [...] | 2008-05-19 21:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR VE |
08CARACAS686 | BRV ACCUSES COLOMBIAN ARMY OF INCURSION [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) alleges that Colombian soldiers crossed into the southwestern Venezuelan border state of Apure on May 16. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reportedly filed a formal protest calling for an immediate stop to these "violations of inter [...] | 2008-05-19 22:21:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS69 | BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA: 2008 INVESTMENT CLIMATE [...] Per request in reftel, this cable transmits the 2008 Investment Climate Statement for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Begin text ------------------------------ Openness to Foreign Investment ------------------------------ Given economic and political uncertainties, a recent history o [...] | 2008-01-17 20:38:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV EFIN ETRD ELAB KTDB PGOV USTR OPIC VE |
08CARACAS690 | BOLIVARIZING THE FOREIGN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary: The politicization of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelan (BRV) Foreign Ministry is nearly complete. Only fifteen of ninety-seven ambassadorships at Venezuelan Embassies are currently filled by career professionals, according to a local media study. Foreign Minister Maduro an [...] | 2008-05-20 18:34:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL VE |
08CARACAS695 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FM MADURO -- FARC AND [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador met May 20 with Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro ostensibly to receive a protest note involving an accidental overflight of Venezuela by a U.S. navy aircraft. Instead, most of the meeting focused on U.S. concerns over revelations of Venezuelan ties with the FARC and [...] | 2008-05-21 16:05:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER SNAR VE |
08CARACAS700 | FARC DATA FALLOUT: NERVOUS BRV IS LASHING OUT [...] (S) Summary. Former Chief of Staff to the Vice President Rene Arreaza and Office of Narcotics Affairs (ONA) Director Nestor Reverol met separately with the DCM and DEA Chief on May 20 and 19, before the Ambassador's May 20 meeting with Foreign Minister Maduro. Arreaza and Reverol revealed tha [...] | 2008-05-21 22:20:00 | Embassy Caracas | SECRET | PREL PGOV SNAR PTER PHUM VE |
08CARACAS702 | CHACIN DEFENDS CHAVEZ FROM FARC LINKS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) Minister of Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, during a May 20 interview, sought to protect President Hugo Chavez from incriminating computer files linking him with the FARC. Chacin announced Chavez "had no direct relation" with the FARC [...] | 2008-05-22 15:46:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO VE |
08CARACAS703 | BRV SLAPS NAS-FUNDED NGO AFTER AMBASSADOR ATTENDS [...] (C) Summary: The BRV stripped NGO Prevencion Alternativa of the requisite certification to work in the area of demand reduction after the Ambassador attended a May 17 ceremony to honor participants in a series of NAS-funded workshops in the economically depressed neighborhood of Petare. In hi [...] | 2008-05-22 17:10:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS706 | ANTISEMITISM IN VENEZUELA: BRIEF RESPITE, [...] (C) Summary. Leaders of the Confederation of Israelite Associations of Venezuela (CAIV) told Poloffs May 20 that government pressure on the Jewish community has declined so far in 2008. They believe that after the December 2007 raid on the Caracas Hebrew Center by the Venezuelan special pol [...] | 2008-05-22 20:29:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VE |
08CARACAS707 | TEXT OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE PROTESTING VIOLATION OF [...] (SBU) The text of the diplmatic note received by Ambassador Duddy at his May 20 meeting with BRV Foreign Minister Maduro (reftel) follows. Begin Text: The Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela raises its strongest protest to the Government [...] | 2008-05-23 13:00:00 | Embassy Caracas | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL VE |
08CARACAS716 | DANCING DEVILS AID CAPRILES DURING ATTACK BY [...] (C) Summary. Chavistas attacked Baruta Mayor Henrique Capriles Radonski May 22 as he attempted to participate in Corpus Christi Day activities in Yare, Miranda state. Capriles was harassed by Glen Rivas, an ardent Chavista and president of the Miranda state assembly, and told to depart Yare. [...] | 2008-05-23 21:54:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM VE |
08CARACAS717 | BRV POSITIVE ON SOUTH AMERICAN SECURITY COUNCIL [...] (C) In response to Reftel query, post assesses that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) publicly supports any South American multi-lateral organization that excludes the United States and advances Chavez' vision of Latin American integration. President Chavez and other senior BRV offic [...] | 2008-05-23 22:13:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PGOV PHUM PINR PTER |
08CARACAS73 | JUDGE DENIES AMNESTY MOTION IN SIMONOVIS CASE, 11 [...] (C) Summary. The judge in the case against former police commissioners Simonovis, Vivas, and Forero and eight other police officers denied January 16 a motion to dismiss charges under President Chavez's December 31 amnesty decree. The ex-commissioners are accused of ordering Caracas police o [...] | 2008-01-18 23:06:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV VE |
08CARACAS731 | CHAVEZ REITERATES INTENTION TO RUN AGAIN [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and his close confidant Miranda State Governor Diosdado Cabello publicly and unambiguously declared recently that the Venezuelan president intends to run for a third term in 2012. Chavez will still need to alter the 1999 Constitution's two-term limit, one of the [...] | 2008-05-28 20:57:00 | Embassy Caracas | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM VE |
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