US embassy cable - 05LIMA4599

UNCLAS LIMA 004599 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR L/DL AND WHA/AND - JMONSERRATE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KJUS, PE 
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE IN RESPONDING TO DIPLOMATIC 
NOTE 
 
REF: URS/MARGULIES E-MAIL 10/21 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified, Please Handle Accordingly 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Post requests guidance on 
how to respond to the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Note 
(DGL/CJE) 6-3/367 of October 13, 2005 regarding a request 
from the Superior Court of Justice of Lima (Corte Superior de 
Justicia de Lima) to the Peruvian Foreign Ministry concerning 
the Court's interest in receiving information on the 
whereabouts of former officials of Embassy Lima (Ambassador 
John Hamilton and Krishna Urs), for the apparent purpose of 
calling them as witnesses in a criminal trial.  A copy of the 
Diplomatic Note and attachments is being forwarded to WHA/AND 
for coordination with L/DL. 
 
2. (U) Begin unofficial translation of Diplomatic Note: 
 
(Complimentary opening) 
 
... and has the honor of referring to Memorandum No. 
5323-2005-P-CSJLI/PJ of October 5, 2005, written by the 
President of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima, a copy of 
which is attached. 
 
In this regard, with respect to the referenced memorandum, 
the Embassy is requested to provide information on the 
address of former Ambassador of the United States in Peru 
John Hamilton, as well as former Economic Counselor Krishna 
Urs, who were offered as witnesses in the criminal 
proceedings being brought against Pedro Huertas Caballero for 
the crime of influence peddling involving public officials, 
to the detriment of the Peruvian State. 
 
(Complimentary closing) 
 
Lima, October 13, 2005 
 
End Text. 
 
3. (SBU) Per Ref and based on documentation provided by the 
court, Post understands that this litigation is related to a 
civil suit brought by Chrysler Corporation against the 
Peruvian company Automotriz Beta.  Chrysler's suit was based 
on not having been fully paid for assets that it sold to 
Automotriz Beta after Chrysler liquidated its holdings in 
Peru in the 1980s.  Chrysler believed that it was unable to 
win compensation in the suit it brought against Automotriz 
Beta because of corruption in the Peruvian courts, and in the 
late 1990s, Embassy officials became involved in advocacy on 
behalf of Chrysler with officials in Peru's executive and 
judicial branches.  In the transcript of court proceedings 
forwarded along with the instant Diplomatic Note, several 
witnesses make reference to the interventions made by former 
Ambassador Hamilton and former Economic Counselor Urs. 
STRUBLE