Blog PostsWikiLeaks Cable - Cuba and South America
By John Andrews at Dec 19, 2010 |
|
Almost immediately, the conversation turned to
recent events in Venezuela and Bolivia. Dezcallar and
the Secretary agreed that while both situations are
domestic problems, they are developing into crises of
international concern. The Secretary noted that while
she sympathizes with the Bolivian people, the Bolivian
regime is making it very difficult for the United States
to help them. Dezcallar agreed that the Bolivian people
are suffering, and that resolution is "through
consultation, not violence." Both agreed that Bolivian
President Morales is "out of his league" in his attempts
to govern the country.
A similarly dismissive view of Hugo Chavez:
On Venezuela, Ambassador Dezcallar recounted how
he was forced to wait three hours for a meeting with
Chavez several years ago, then heard mindless chatter
from Chavez for a few hours before being allowed to make
his official request for Venezuela to turn over 6 ETA
members wanted for killing 36 Spaniards. When Dezcallar
was finally able to make his appeal, Chavez readily
agreed. Only when Dezcallar got out of the meeting did
he learn that Chavez stalled for enough time to let the
ETA members escape from detention. The Secretary
responded that the United States has found that ignoring
Chavez is the best policy, and the lack of attention
frustrates him more than admonition.
The ongoing obsession with Cuba:
The Secretary stated she remains unconvinced of the sincerity of minor post-Fidel changes in Cuba. She emphasized the need to make real change, as opposed to cosmetic ones. For example, Cubans should have access to cell phones and the Internet. The Ambassador countered that GoS doesn't think that changes in Cuba since Raul's ascent to power have been cosmetic. He denied that Raul is another Fidel, but warned against being too heavy-handed and "scaring him off, or he will be even more difficult." Dezcallar commented that Cuba is going through hard times this hurricane season, and the Secretary confirmed that the United States has already offered humanitarian aid.
A request for Spain to formally recognise Kosova; a country in the news recently as the Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci has been accused of being a gangster, a drugs baron and complicit in the murder of Serbs for the sale of their bodily organs:
Turning to Europe, the Secretary asked if there
was any chance Spain would recognize Kosovo. Dezcallar
demurred "not any time soon." The Secretary replied
that she hoped Spain would not recognize the breakaway
Georgian provinces of South Ossetia or Abkhazia, and
Dezcallar assured her they would not.
And a dismissal of the Human Rights Council:
Mirroring FM Moratinos' request to the
Secretary during their May 19 meeting, Ambassador
Dezcallar again asked for the United States' support of
Spanish candidacy to the Human Rights Council in the
next election (2010). Similar to her response then, the
Secretary said the U.S. may not vote at all, as she
considers the council a "disaster." However, she noted
that the council needed countries with good human rights
records, like Spain, to hold seats.
Okay, nothing new, but still a bit disturbing to see in print.
