US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1117

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 001117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2015 
TAGS: EAIR, KJUS, MARR, MASS, PREL, SNAR, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY WILL NOT SEEK SHOOTDOWN LEGISLATION 
 
REF: STATE 151379 
 
Classified By: PolOff Mark A. Stamilio, reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) On 8/30 and 8/31, the Ambassador drew on reftel 
talking points to convey to Minister of Defense Roberto 
Gonzalez and Acting Foreign Minister Emilio Gimenez, 
respectively, the U.S.'s concerns about recent GOP 
expressions of interest in seeking legislation that would 
authorize the Paraguayan military to shoot down aircraft 
suspected of involvement in the transport of illicit goods 
such as narcotics.  Gonzalez and Gimenez assured the 
Ambassador that the GOP had no intention to seek such 
legislation anytime in the foreseeable future. 
 
2. (C) Gonzalez explained that he recently met with two 
members of Paraguay's Congress to discuss ways to combat 
illicit trafficking.  While the meeting included limited 
discussion of shootdown legislation in force in Colombia and 
Brazil, the primary topic of discussion was asset forfeiture 
legislation that would enable Paraguayan security forces to 
utilize aircraft and automobiles seized from traffickers. 
Following the meeting, one of the members of Congress 
mentioned to the press, without further clarification, that 
the group had discussed shootdown legislation. 
 
3. (C) Gonzalez stressed that the GOP understood the 
sensitivities involved in enacting such legislation, and the 
fact that Paraguay was a signatory to the Treaties of Chicago 
and Montreal pertaining to civilian aircraft.  He also noted 
that Paraguay lacked the radar and aircraft it would need to 
implement a shootdown policy.  (Note: Gonzalez welcomed any 
assistance the USG could provide with respect to acquiring 
radar.  The Ambassador informed him that the USG was 
exploring the possibility of deploying mobile radar or other 
assets to Paraguay on a temporary basis to establish baseline 
data on the number of unregistered flights in and out of the 
country's territory.  The U.S. is considering this 
possibility as part of a broad, phased, inter-agency effort 
to improve anti-narcotics efforts.  These efforts are laid 
out in Operation "Southern Light," a joint Country 
Team-SouthCom plan.  End Note.) 
 
4. (C) Gimenez seconded Gonzalez's assurances that the GOP 
was not even remotely considering shootdown legislation.  He 
noted that the situation in Paraguay was nothing like the 
extraordinary threat posed by illicit drug trafficking in 
Colombia. 
KEANE