US embassy cable - 04GUATEMALA717

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000717 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EB/MST FOR NISSEN 
USTR FOR BOHLING 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR KEHOE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, GT, UNCTAD, WTRO 
SUBJECT: ENGAGING TRADE MINISTERS IN UNCTAD XI 
 
REF: A. STATE 62119 
 
     B. STATE 51412 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  UNCTAD is a traditional preserve of the 
MFA, which is prone to G-77 views and rhetoric.  The new Vice 
Minister of Trade understands our concerns and plans to work 
with the pro-trade Minister of Foreign Affairs to align 
Guatemala's positions in UNCTAD with its Cairns Group agenda. 
 He has asked for a chance to work this internally, and we 
will be following up.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU)  EconCouns discussed preparations for UNCTAD XI 
with Vice Minister of Economy for Integration and Trade 
Eduardo Sperisen the evening of March 18.  Sperisen, recently 
returned to government with the inauguration of the Berger 
Administration in January, had not followed developments in 
UNCTAD for a number of years but was familiar and sympathetic 
with the USG's general concerns.  Sperisen said that the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs was traditionally responsible for 
UNCTAD issues, noting that he had regularly sparred over 
UNCTAD with MFA officials when he was Guatemala's PermRep to 
the WTO.  He further noted that the MFA official with whom he 
had sparred in Geneva was the current Director General for 
Multilateral Affairs, Amb. Carla Rodriguez.  He confirmed 
that the views of MFA careerists were generally stuck in G-77 
and dependency school rhetoric whereas Guatemala's national 
policies were aligned with the Cairns Group's free trade 
agenda.  He said it was a mistake to let the MFA have control 
of any issues linked to trade policy. 
 
3.  (SBU)  EconCouns asked Sperisen's advice on how best to 
influence Rodriguez, whom Embassy knows quite well. 
EconCouns wondered whether a quiet approach to Foreign 
Minister Briz, former President of the Guatemalan Chamber of 
Commerce and a committed free-trade advocate, might not be 
the way to proceed.  Sperisen said he liked the idea but 
asked that we give him a chance to work through Briz before 
contacting the MFA directly.  Comment:  Sperisen evidently 
sees a chance to take control of the policy, not simply 
influence Rodriguez.  We believe that Briz will be a willing 
ally, and we will follow up over the coming days to see where 
matters stand.  End Comment. 
HAMILTON