US embassy cable - 05QUITO789

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 000789 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MASS, MOPS, SNAR, PTER, EC, CO 
SUBJECT: CJCS VISIT SUPPORTS DEMOCRACY, IMPROVED MIL-MIL 
RELATIONS 
 
REF: QUITO 773 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Richard 
Myers' April 11 visit to Quito advanced bilateral relations 
with Ecuador by signaling our continued commitment to 
military cooperation, and supported our pro-democracy and 
pro-stability agenda at a sensitive moment.  To President 
Gutierrez, Gen. Myers praised GOE support for the war on 
drugs, regional security and international peacekeeping in 
Haiti, and especially for strong mil-mil relations with us. 
President Gutierrez expressed his government's appreciation 
for USG support, reaffirmed GOE commitment to secure its 
northern frontier from narco-trafficking and spill-over from 
the Colombian conflict, and said the GOE would soon expand 
its commitment to the peacekeeping mission in Haiti. 
Ecuadorian Joint Command Chief Adm. Victor Rosero briefed 
Gen. Myers about Ecuadorian military posture and needs, 
requesting USG support for arms destruction efforts and IMET. 
 To the press, Gen. Myers praised GOE military cooperation, 
emphasizing that the transnational nature of today's threats 
require coordinated efforts.  He expressed hope that 
Ecuadorians would resolve their problems in a democratic and 
constitutional manner, reaffirming USG support for democracy 
and its institutions.  End Summary. 
 
President Gutierrez:  "We Remain Committed" 
------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) In a private meeting with Gen. Myers and the 
Ambassador, President Gutierrez welcomed Chairman Myers and 
introduced Mauricio Pozo, Ecuador's Ambassador-designate to 
the U.S.  Gutierrez also thanked Gen. Myers and the 
Ambassador for USG support for Ecuador's democracy.  He 
praised as particularly helpful the Ambassador's recent call 
for political dialogue to address Ecuador's judicial crisis. 
 
3.  (SBU) A subsequent and more formal meeting took place in 
the Cabinet room, where the chants of pro-government 
demonstrators echoed through the windows of the presidential 
palace.  President Gutierrez was accompanied by Minister of 
Defense Nelson Herrera; Gen. Myer's counterpart, Joint 
Command Chief Victor Rosero; Acting Foreign Minister Edwin 
Johnson; MFA U/S for Sovereignty Diego Stacy; and 
Presidential Palace Commander Gen. Miguel Maldonado.  Gen. 
Myers was accompanied by the Ambassador, members of his team, 
and Embassy staff. 
 
4.  (C) Gen. Myers thanked the President for his welcome, 
briefly described his impressions of Colombia (good visit, 
high military morale, optimism about the chances for success, 
expanded control of the countryside), and mentioned the GoC's 
appreciation for Ecuador's cooperation.  He said the USG 
wished to be a good partner to Ecuador.  These visits are 
very useful, he said, to exchange views and help inform U.S. 
policy makers  He looked forward to working with Ecuador's 
new Ambassador in Washington. 
 
5.  (C) Gutierrez thanked Gen. Myers for USG support in the 
war against drugs and terror, reaffirming a strong GoE 
commitment to maintain its efforts to protect and secure 
Ecuador's northern border.  He cited excellent relations with 
the Embassy and MILGRP and the need for "regional solidarity 
against these threats" and said Gen. Myers visit was viewed 
in this light.  After Colombia, he said, Ecuador suffers the 
most from Colombia's ills, including narco-transit and 
spill-over from the conflict. The border region was most 
greatly affected, with the population terrorized and the 
inroads of narco-trafficking.  Gutierrez claimed "great 
cooperation and friendship" with President Uribe, and cited 
the positive results of GoE cooperation (FARC leaders and 
narco-traffickers apprehended and turned over to the GoC). 
Ecuadorian military leaders would make the case for increased 
USG assistance to "help balance our forces with those of the 
narco-traffickers," he said. 
 
6.  (C) The Ambassador thanked the President for the 
cooperation of various elements of his government, including 
the MFA, and expressed confidence that Ambassador Pozo would 
receive the same cooperation in Washington.  She noted the 
government's respect for freedom of expression, congratulated 
Gutierrez for calling for political dialogue and praised the 
professionalism of the armed forces.  Gutierrez said the 
press was also absolutely free to express views differing 
with the government, and did so with regularity. 
 
Meeting with Joint Staff 
------------------------ 
 
7.  (C) At a working lunch with his joint chiefs attending, 
Adm. Rosero presented an overview of GoE posture and assets 
guarding its northern border with Colombia from 
narco-traffickers and spill-over from the Colombian conflict. 
 A total of 5,585 soldiers are posted in the three northern 
border provinces, with just one plane, seven helicopters and 
seven boats to man the 400-mile riverine border.  This 
deployment was severely straining GOE resources, but the 
GoE's commitment to remain was firm, he said. 
 
8.  (C) Rosero said the GoE was also interested in destroying 
obsolete and contraband arms caches, but lacked sufficient 
resources to do so.  He requested USG assistance to help 
Ecuador rid itself of these dangerous stores.  Rosero, a 
Naval War College graduate, closed with a plea to re-open 
American war colleges to Ecuadorian officers.  ASPA 
restrictions on Ecuadorian access to American military 
colleges were denying a younger generation of officers from 
benefiting from exposure to American military doctrine.  Gen. 
Myers agreed this was unfortunate, and requested Rosero's 
support for an Article 98 agreement.  Rosero said it was 
important for the GoE to prepare to enter into dialogue on 
this issue. 
 
Press and Reaction 
------------------ 
 
9.  (U) In a brief press conference following his meetings, 
Gen. Myers noted that Ecuador is an important ally, praised 
Ecuador's efforts in fighting drug trafficking and commended 
the participation of Ecuadorian engineers as part of the 
peacekeeping contingent in Haiti.  He declined to respond to 
questions about Ecuador's political crisis but expressed U.S. 
support for democracy in Ecuador and hope that challenges 
would be resolved through democratic and constitutional 
means.  Asked whether his presence could be viewed as support 
for President Gutierrez, he denied it had anything to do with 
the current political situation; it had been planned for 
months.  He added that he had discussed Ecuadorian and 
regional security matters with the president.  Press coverage 
of the visit was factual and highlighted Gen. Myers 
statements in support of democracy. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
10.  (C) Coming at a difficult moment in Ecuador's domestic 
politics, the visit by the Chairman clearly signaled our 
continued commitment to military cooperation with Ecuador. 
With the Gutierrez government embattled and facing 
potentially debilitating protests in coming days, the Myers 
visit helped support our pro-democracy message.  That message 
will not be lost on Ecuador's fractious political and 
economic elites, ever searching for signs of USG fatigue with 
the Gutierrez administration, and helped to reinforce the 
professional role of Ecuador's military.  For this we are 
very grateful to Gen. Myers and his team. 
KENNEY