US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION514

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000514 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON 
NSC FOR KIM BREIER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY ON COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES: ENCOURAGING 
CONSTRUCTIVE PARTICIPATION 
 
REF: STATE 66782 
 
1. On April 18, PolOff delivered reftel talking points to MFA 
Director of International Organizations Martha Moreno. 
 
2. Moreno confirmed that FM Rachid will lead the GOP 
delegation to the April 28-30 Ministerial in Santiago. 
Moreno and MFA Human Rights Director Julio Duarte will 
accompany Rachid. 
 
3. PolOff inquired about initiatives the GOP might propose in 
the context of the Ministerial, and suggested that Paraguay 
was well positioned to advocate for, and help develop, 
election standards for the Americas, including the use of 
electronic voting machines.  Paraguay's electoral commission 
(Tribunal Superior de Justicia Electoral) is strong, clean 
and independent, and enjoys a solid reputation.  In 
Paraguay's 2003 national elections, nearly 50 percent of 
voters entered their votes by means of electronic voting 
machines.  Moreno said that the MFA is currently reviewing 
the draft Declaration for the Ministerial and formulating 
ideas, but that it, too, is considering an initiative on 
election standards and electronic voting. 
KEANE