US embassy cable - 05QUITO2064

UNCLAS QUITO 002064 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE 1 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR, EAID, PREL, EC 
SUBJECT: TFUS01:  PRESIDENT PALACIO OFFERS HURRICANE 
KATRINA RELIEF 
 
REF: SECSTATE 163429 
 
1.  President Alfredo Palacio spoke with the Ambassador on 
September 2 to express GOE condolences and reiterated the 
GOE's willingness to send a boatload of bananas to the U.S. 
to aid victims.  He named Agriculture Minister Pablo Rizzo as 
the GOE point person for Hurricane Katrina relief. 
 
2.  The Ambassador thanked the president for the generous GOE 
offer, accepted it in principle, informed Palacio that U.S. 
disaster experts are still evaluating our critical needs, and 
pledged to inform the GOE after U.S. experts make a 
determination of how we can use the assistance offered. 
 
3.  Minister Rizzo told PolChief on September 5 that the GOE 
was prepared to donate 100-120,000 cases of bananas, 
currently in various locations in the U.S.  Rizzo named Vice 
Minister Jose Hernan Chiriboga to work out the logistical 
details of the donation with the Embassy and U.S. disaster 
experts.  Chiriboga (who speaks English) can be reached at 
011-593-2-252-3043.  To help prevent misunderstandings, the 
Embassy prefers to facilitate communication with the 
Agriculture ministry. 
 
4.  Embassy POC is PolChief Erik Hall.  Office phone: 
011-593-2-256-2890, ext. 4409; cell: 011-94-135-122. 
 
5.  Material assistance offered:  100-120,000 boxes of 
bananas, weighing 18.5 lbs each.  In varying states of 
ripeness.  Currently warehoused in Miami and Los Angeles, 
possibly other locations in the U.S. 
JEWELL