US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA636

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GUATEMALA 000636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, MOPS, BEXP, GT, CU, KICC 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GUTIERREZ 
 
REF: GUATEMALA 511 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN R. HAMILTON, AMERICAN EMBASSY GUATEMALA. 
  REASON: 1.5 (d) 
 
 1. (SBU) Ambassador met one on one for a few minutes with FM 
Gutierrez March 7 on the heels of the fourth high-level 
working group meeting on narcotics, which the two had just 
chaired.  That meeting is being reported septel.  Following 
is a quick rundown: 
 
Gutierrez in Washington 
------------------------------- 
2. (SBU)  The FM is making a proposal to the OAS Permanent 
Council to charge the Unit for Promotion of Democracy with 
managing a system of early warning for developing situations 
of ungovernability.  He describes it as a proposal for a 
pilot program.  Gutierrez hopes to schedule appointments in 
the Department (WHA only) the afternoon of March 17; the 
Guatemalan embassy in Washington will seek the appointments. 
Gutierrez is traveling on to Geneva after that. 
 
Cuba 
------- 
3. (SBU) The Ambassador raised the Cuba resolution again, 
briefing Gutierrez on his conversation with President 
Portillo (reftel) and making the point again that pique over 
unrelated issues is not a posture for a serious government to 
be caught in.  Gutierrez pledged that his recommendation to 
President Portillo would be based on &Guatemalan national 
interest and international relations,8 including the 
importance of Guatemala,s relations with the U.S.  The 
Ambassador told him that this resolution is the way in which 
the international community keeps faith with the democratic 
opposition in Cuba, brave individuals who endure incredible 
hardship to keep the democratic aspirations of the Cuban 
people alive.  They deserve the support of people, like 
Gutierrez himself, who know what it means to suffer under 
undemocratic regimes.  Gutierrez said this was a good point 
and, recalling a report from Guatemalan ambassador to the 
U.S. Arenales on his lunch with NSC,s Emilio Gonzalez, said 
that the visit here this week of the Cuban FM reflected a 
programming decision made months ago, before he became FM, 
and is not UNHRC-related. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  This last should not be taken seriously. 
 
Article 98 
------------- 
5. (SBU)  The Ambassador asked if the latest feedback from 
MFA staff (asking to reorder some text but not to change it) 
indicated that a political decision had been made to reach an 
Article 98 agreement.  The FM said no, not yet, as he had not 
yet really pushed the issue with President Portillo. 
Reminded of the approaching July 1 cutoff of IMET absent an 
agreement, he said he would jack up the priority of this 
issue. 
 
New Horizons 
------------------- 
6. (SBU)  The FM took note of the Ambassador,s brief on 
plans for a NH exercise next year and the need for an 
exercise-specific SOFA agreement. 
 
Human Rights case 
------------------------ 
7. (C)  The Ambassador raised the case of journalist 
Mariellos Monzon, who has reported middle-of-the-night 
menacing phone calls and like harassment.  When Monzon met 
with the DCM March 5, she had heard nothing from the 
government about her situation (amply reported in the press). 
 Gutierrez said he had raised her situation with Government 
Minister Reyes only the day before, and thought she would be 
getting a call offering support. 
 
Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) complaint 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
8. (C) The Ambassador raised with Gutierrez a complaint of 
RDC, which has a US$10 million investment here in a 50-year 
concession granted in 1997, that they are being extorted for 
$500,000 over a legally bogus usufruct issue.  Gutierrez said 
he would take the issue to President Portillo and phoned 
March 10 to say he had done so and that the President, 
concerned, wanted more details.  We are providing a non-paper 
based on information provided by RDC. 
 
Clandestine Groups Commission 
----------------------------------------- 
9. (SBU)  Gutierrez said he had already sent invitations to 
UN and OAS Secretaries General Annan and Gaviria, 
respectively, asking that they name a Commission member. 
Although there is not yet overall agreement on the scope, 
size and mandate of the commission, Gutierrez said there is 
no disagreement on UN and OAS participation and he thought 
extending the invitations would help build confidence with 
the Guatemalan NGO community.  Pressed on the issue of size 
(five versus three members), which is the most contentious, 
Gutierrez stuck to a repetition of the Government,s thinking 
behind its preference for a larger commission.  He 
nonetheless expressed confidence that agreement should be 
possible during the visit of Human Rights Watch executive 
Jose Miguel Vivanco the week of March 10 and said the MFA has 
prepared  legislation authorizing the Commission for 
Congressional consideration. 
 
Presidential meeting 
-------------------------- 
10. (SBU)  In a follow-on phone call, Gutierrez asked if the 
April 11 meeting between the President and the Central 
American presidents is now &official,8 i.e., public.  The 
Ambassador said no and that it is the prerogative of the 
White House to make the announcement.  Gutierrez pledged not 
to confirm the meeting to the press which, because  word 
appears to have filtered out elsewhere in the region, is 
asking. 
 
HAMILTON