US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1123

UNCLAS ASUNCION 001123 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR, EAID, PREL, US, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: HURRICANE RELIEF -- RESCUE TEAMS 
 
REF: A. STATE 163423 
     B. STATE 163366 
     C. ASUNCION 
     D. 1110 
 
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Rescue Teams 
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1.  Ambassador Ceferino Valdez, the Foreign Ministry's 
Director of Bilateral Affairs, is the the brother of Rafael 
Valdez, the President of Paraguay's Voluntary Firemen's 
Association.  Valdez has offered to send 20-25 firemen who 
speak English and are experts in rescue, flooding, and 
recovery of bodies.  Paraguay would make arrangements with 
local representatives from American Airlines to fly these 
firemen to the U.S. free of charge.  They would travel with 
the necessary gear and equipment. 
 
2.  If funding from the U.S. or other sources were made 
available to fund travel expenses, Paraguay could send an 
additional 85 firemen of whom 55 speak English.  All are 
experts in rescue, flooding and recovery of bodies.  (Note: 
Paraguay's Voluntary Firemen's Association acquired valuable 
experience in the recovery of bodies in the aftermath of last 
year's tragic fire in a supermarket in Asuncion that took the 
lives of nearly 400 individuals.  End Note.) 
 
3.  Amb. Valdez speaks English and is Paraguay's point of 
contact for this offer.  His office phone number is 
011-595-21-494-900; his cell phone number is 
011-595-981-515-728; his email is ceferinovaldez@mre.gov.py 
 
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Post Point of Contact 
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5.  Political Officer, Susan Sutter, is Embassy Asuncion's 
Point of Contact on this matter.  Her office phone number is 
011-595-21-213-715, Ext. 2286; her cell phone number is 
011-595-971-202-100; her email is sutterss@state.gov. 
KEANE