US embassy cable - 05SANTIAGO2352

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 002352 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND (FIFE), USOAS/POL (GARCIA), WHA/BSC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PTER, OAS, PREL, CO, CI 
SUBJECT: CHILE LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OAS MISSION IN 
COLOMBIA 
 
REF: STATE 207709 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Craig Kelly.  Reasons: 1.4 (b and d). 
 
1. (C) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on support 
for the OAS Mission in Colombia to Foreign Ministry Director 
General for External Affairs Carlos Portales (the number 3 in 
the MFA) on November 16.  The Ambassador noted the OAS 
Mission was playing an essential role in the peace process, 
but contributions to date had fallen short of what was 
needed.  He noted our understanding that Chile was 
considering contributing and asked for more details. 
 
2. (C) Portales affirmed the GOC was committed at the highest 
political level to supporting the peace process.  MFA 
Director of Multilateral Affairs Pedro Oyarce, who was also 
present at the meeting, elaborated that President Lagos 
recently had told President Uribe that Chile wanted to play 
an active role in Colombia.  As a result, Chile was reviewing 
its assistance to Colombia with an eye towards identifying 
"concrete projects" that would further the peace process. 
Oyarce added that while Chile most likely would make 
contributions to the OAS Mission in the area of human rights 
and "two or three other areas," the Chilean government had 
not decided whether to make a financial contribution. 
Neither Portales nor Oyarce indicated when Chile was likely 
to finalize its decision-making process on assistance for the 
OAS Mission. 
KELLY