SALVADORAN FOMIN DEBRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON SUMMIT

id: 44751
date: 11/8/2005 22:59
refid: 05SANSALVADOR3034
origin: Embassy San Salvador
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 003034
 
SIPDIS
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2025
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KSUM, ES, UNSC, UNGA
SUBJECT: SALVADORAN FOMIN DEBRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON SUMMIT
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador H. Douglas Barclay.  Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
 
1. (C) On November 7, Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco
Lainez (protect) briefed the Ambassador on events surrounding
the Mar del Plata summit.  According to Lainez, the Argentine
government was prejudiced against the U.S. from the outset,
and proof positive was that the GOA allowed Hugo Chavez
access to a stadium and the logistical arrangements to hold
Chavez' so-called "summit of the people." Lainez further
opined that the GOA was passive in allowing the riots which
occurred during the summit.  Lainez was complementary of
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, and added that both
Martin and Mexican President Fox "did a very good job."  On
Fox, Lainez said that he did a very good job in explaining
the benefits of NAFTA for the Mexican economy, especially on
its highly positive impact on economic growth.  On Lula,
Lainez said that, while the Brazilian president did not
support the FTAA, at least Lula supported free trade in his
public pronouncements. Lainez added that Chavez was totally
disruptive, but thought that, if oil prices go down, Chavez
will have political problems at home.
 
2.  (C) Lainez stated that, prior to the Saca meeting with
President Bush, Saca had become very upset about the seating
arrangement for the heads of state dinner.  Lainez said that
Saca had assumed that, according to protocol, he (Saca) would
be sitting next to President Bush at the dinner.  Instead,
upon arrival Saca found that a former (unnamed) Argentine
president and the present Argentine vice-president were
sitting between Saca and the President. Lainez said that he
met with Saca after the dinner, that he had never seen Saca
so mad, and that Saca became even more insistent that Lainez
get a bilateral with the President. Lainez felt relieved that
Saca was granted a bilateral with the President, because Saca
had put tremendous pressure on Lainez. Regarding the
Bush-Saca bilateral, Lainez said that Saca raised El
Salvador's candidacy to the  Millennium Challenge Account,
asserted GOES support for accelerated deportations of
Salvadoran illegals, and advocated for a new TPS for El
Salvador.
 
3.  (C) Saca invited the President to El Salvador in January
to announce the start of CAFTA-DR.  Lainez offered that Saca
was privately concerned about the possibility of Guatemala
receiving a new TPS and El Salvador not getting one, and that
Saca wanted the President in January, not because of CAFTA,
but for the symbolic value of such a visit before the March
2006 national elections. Lainez said that the President told
Saca that he (the President) would have a problem visiting El
Salvador for a second time, not having visited any of the
other Central American countries even once. Lainez opined
that Saca feels he has a good rapport with the President, but
that Saca still does not feel totally comfortable in the
relationship.  Lainez said Saca feels he is out on the limb
supporting USG policies while most of his Latin American
neighbors are not.
 
4.  (C) Comment:  Lainez is not a Saca insider, has little
access to the president, and had an uphill battle in his bid
for the FoMin position.  As such, he feels he is on tenuous
ground and has told Embassy interlocutors who are very close
to Lainez that Saca insiders like Governance Minister
Figueroa and Private Secretary to the Presidency Charlaix
are, in essence, out to get him.  It was clear that Lainez
was under tremendous pressure from Saca to make the
presidential bilat happen.
 
Barclay

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