US embassy cable - 05SANTIAGO1679

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001679 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/OAS, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA 
(DPRINCE), INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, PHUM, KPAO, CI 
SUBJECT: OAS SPOKEPERSONS CONFERENCE 
 
 
1.  Summary: Action request in para 4.  Embassy's 
information officer attended a meeting at the La Moneda 
Presidential Palace for a briefing on the August 17-18 
seminar for OAS Spokespersons.  The GOC delivered a draft 
schedule and requested the names of each country's 
participants by Friday, August 12.  End summary. 
 
2.  Event schedule: Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and OAS 
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza head the list of 
 
SIPDIS 
confirmed participants at the inauguration ceremony.  (Post 
Note: As of today, only the Dominican Republic has formally 
confirmed attendance.)  The conference is divided into four 
sections: "Transparency and Access to Public Information in 
the Hemisphere", "The Risks Involved in News Reporting", 
"Dissemination of Central Themes Related to Strengthening 
Democracy in the Hemisphere", and the "Fourth Summit of the 
Americas."  The GOC has drawn panelists for the sessions 
from various media-related NGOs and associations, 
universities, international organizations and participating 
governments.  OAS SecGen Insulza, Chile's Minister of 
Government and Spokesman Osvaldo Puccio, and Assistant 
Summit of the Americas Coordinator Leonardo Franco will hold 
a press conference on Thursday, August 18 to discuss the 
Summit of the Americas.  The seminar's opening ceremony and 
this press conference will be the only sessions open to the 
media. 
 
3.  Logistics: The OAS will assume all airfare and lodging 
costs, though the GOC briefers did not specify economy or 
business class.  The GOC requested that the names, titles 
and flight information for those who will attend the 
conference be submitted by Friday, August 12.  The 
respective embassies of participating countries are expected 
to provide transportation to the Sheraton Hotel, where the 
GOC plans to lodge all conference participants.  There will 
be GOC representatives to receive arriving participants at 
the airport and the VIP salon will available for their use. 
The GOC will distribute credentials and conference 
information to participants upon arrival at the hotel.  The 
nearby Clinica Indisa would provide health and ambulance 
service for the conference.  (Post Note: Post and RMO 
generally use Clinica Las Condes and Clinica Alemana for 
most medical needs.  They are located about a 20-30 minute 
drive from the Sheraton Hotel, depending on the time of 
day.) 
 
4.  Action Request: The Embassy has been in contact with 
WHA/OAS to identify an appropriate U.S. participant for the 
conference.  It is our understanding that WHA/OAS will 
continue to take the lead in this endeavor.  The USG 
participant may be asked to participate on one of the four 
panels.  Irene Klinger, the OAS director of communications 
and external relations, is coordinating the composition of 
the panels from Washington, D.C.  Post looks forward to 
welcoming a USG participant.  Please keep us posted. 
 
KELLY