US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA1642

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 001642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/USOAS AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, KJUS, GT, UN, OAS 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VIELMAN SAYS GOG IS PRESSING UN FOR 
ACTION ON CICIACS 
 
 
Classified By: Human Rights Officer Katharine Read, reasons 1.5 (B and 
D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: On June 23, Acting DCM and Human Rights 
Officer met with Ambassador Maritza Ruiz de Vielman, Foreign 
Minister Gutierrez's Special Advisor, to discuss the state of 
play on the proposed mixed commission to investigate 
clandestine groups (CICIACS), to commend GOG collaboration 
with the NGO community on CICIACS, and to pledge continued 
support for CICIACS's formation.  Vielman said that a UN 
technical team will be visiting Guatemala in the second week 
of July to make an assessment for commission set-up, that FM 
Gutierrez remains committed to CICIACS and to further 
collaboration with the NGOs, and that she appreciated past 
and future USG support.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) On June 23, Acting DCM and Human Rights Officer met 
with Ambassador Maritza Ruiz de Vielman, former Foreign 
Minister and former negotiator for the GOG-UN agreements 
establishing MINUGUA.  Vielman was appointed by FM Gutierrez 
to spearhead the GOG's efforts to establish CICIACS, and 
visited New York in April to lobby the UN for early 
participation in CICIACS.  Vielman said that officials at the 
UN agreed to send a technical team to Guatemala in late April 
to assess details for setting up the commission.  Vielman 
noted that the technical team has since been delayed, and 
that she recently heard from her sources at the UN that the 
team is slotted to arrive in Guatemala the second week of 
July. 
 
3. (C) Acting DCM congratulated Vielman on establishing 
credibility with the often skeptical and frequently 
fragmented human rights NGO community.  Vielman said that she 
found the human rights leaders easy to work with now that 
they are convinced of the GOG's commitment to CICIACS. 
Vielman also said that, in her last meeting with the NGOs, 
the GOG and the NGOs decided to draft joint letters to the UN 
SYG thanking him in anticipation of the UN technical team's 
visit in July. 
 
4. (C) Vielman said the NGOs would continue to play a role in 
CICIACS after the UN technical team's assessment by helping 
to select the Guatemalan commissioner, and by informing the 
debate on how to incorporate the Public Ministry into 
CICIACS.  Vielman also said the NGO community will inevitably 
serve as a primary source of information and advice during 
the CICIACS's investigative and conclusion-formulating 
periods. 
 
5. (C) When Acting DCM asked Vielman how the USG could 
provide further assistance, she mentioned that the UN team 
would want an international perspective during their visit 
and asked if we could meet with them.  Acting DCM assured her 
that we could accommodate that request in addition to our 
financial support. 
 
6. (C) Comment: The long-awaited arrival of the UN 
exploratory mission in July is a welcome sign that the 
establishment of CICIACS will soon get underway.  Vielman 
reassured us that the GOG has the will and the know-how to 
establish an international commission with UN and OAS 
participation.  The difficulties as Vielman laid them out 
seem to be mitigating bureaucratic delays in the UN, OAS, and 
GOG.  We share a joint interest in seeing that CICIACS is 
established before the November elections complicate domestic 
atmospherics, and stand ready to assist any attempts to 
expedite that process. 
 
HAMILTON