US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR3034

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 003034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KSUM, ES, UNSC, UNGA 
SUBJECT: SALVADORAN FOMIN DEBRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON SUMMIT 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador H. Douglas Barclay.  Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
1. (C) On November 7, Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco 
Lainez (protect) briefed the Ambassador on events surrounding 
the Mar del Plata summit.  According to Lainez, the Argentine 
government was prejudiced against the U.S. from the outset, 
and proof positive was that the GOA allowed Hugo Chavez 
access to a stadium and the logistical arrangements to hold 
Chavez' so-called "summit of the people." Lainez further 
opined that the GOA was passive in allowing the riots which 
occurred during the summit.  Lainez was complementary of 
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, and added that both 
Martin and Mexican President Fox "did a very good job."  On 
Fox, Lainez said that he did a very good job in explaining 
the benefits of NAFTA for the Mexican economy, especially on 
its highly positive impact on economic growth.  On Lula, 
Lainez said that, while the Brazilian president did not 
support the FTAA, at least Lula supported free trade in his 
public pronouncements. Lainez added that Chavez was totally 
disruptive, but thought that, if oil prices go down, Chavez 
will have political problems at home. 
 
2.  (C) Lainez stated that, prior to the Saca meeting with 
President Bush, Saca had become very upset about the seating 
arrangement for the heads of state dinner.  Lainez said that 
Saca had assumed that, according to protocol, he (Saca) would 
be sitting next to President Bush at the dinner.  Instead, 
upon arrival Saca found that a former (unnamed) Argentine 
president and the present Argentine vice-president were 
sitting between Saca and the President. Lainez said that he 
met with Saca after the dinner, that he had never seen Saca 
so mad, and that Saca became even more insistent that Lainez 
get a bilateral with the President. Lainez felt relieved that 
Saca was granted a bilateral with the President, because Saca 
had put tremendous pressure on Lainez. Regarding the 
Bush-Saca bilateral, Lainez said that Saca raised El 
Salvador's candidacy to the  Millennium Challenge Account, 
asserted GOES support for accelerated deportations of 
Salvadoran illegals, and advocated for a new TPS for El 
Salvador. 
 
3.  (C) Saca invited the President to El Salvador in January 
to announce the start of CAFTA-DR.  Lainez offered that Saca 
was privately concerned about the possibility of Guatemala 
receiving a new TPS and El Salvador not getting one, and that 
Saca wanted the President in January, not because of CAFTA, 
but for the symbolic value of such a visit before the March 
2006 national elections. Lainez said that the President told 
Saca that he (the President) would have a problem visiting El 
Salvador for a second time, not having visited any of the 
other Central American countries even once. Lainez opined 
that Saca feels he has a good rapport with the President, but 
that Saca still does not feel totally comfortable in the 
relationship.  Lainez said Saca feels he is out on the limb 
supporting USG policies while most of his Latin American 
neighbors are not. 
 
4.  (C) Comment:  Lainez is not a Saca insider, has little 
access to the president, and had an uphill battle in his bid 
for the FoMin position.  As such, he feels he is on tenuous 
ground and has told Embassy interlocutors who are very close 
to Lainez that Saca insiders like Governance Minister 
Figueroa and Private Secretary to the Presidency Charlaix 
are, in essence, out to get him.  It was clear that Lainez 
was under tremendous pressure from Saca to make the 
presidential bilat happen. 
 
Barclay