Cablegate: Fm Zuquilanda to Attend Oas Special Session

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS QUITO 000720

SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS USOAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC PREL EC
SUBJECT: FM ZUQUILANDA TO ATTEND OAS SPECIAL SESSION

REF: A. QUITO 506

B. QUITO 364
C. QUITO 280
D. QUITO 121

1. In a wide-ranging March 31 conversation with Ecuadorian
Foreign Minister Patricio Zuquilanda (Septels), the
Ambassador reiterated USG support for Paco Flores, the former
El Salvadoran president and current OAS secretary general
candidate. Understanding Ecuador had come out publicly in
support of Chilean candidate Jose Miguel Insulza, she pressed
Zuquilanda for second-round support of Flores, should the
Chilean fail to advance.

2. The FM claimed Ecuador remained firmly committed to
Insulza. Only a South American candidate could understand
GoE interests, Zuquilanda maintained; he did not reveal
Ecuador's intentions should Insulza fall out. Zuquilanda
personally would chair Ecuador's OAS delegation at the April
7 special session to elect the next secretary general.

3. In a same-day conversation, MFA Multilateral Affairs
Undersecretary Jose Piedrahita told PolCouns that Mexican
candidate FM Luis Derbez was considering withdrawing from the
OAS SYG race. Piedrahita's source, the GoE's envoy in
Mexico, claimed that Derbez now believed his victory chances
slim and would bow out in Washington. Under this scenario,
Piedrahita continued, the elections could be delayed one
month, allowing countries that backed the Mexican time to
reconsider their votes; Caribbean votes would determine the
outcome.

4. COMMENT: Zuquilanda will travel to Washington days
before the SYG vote and expressed interest in meeting the
Secretary or other senior Department officials on the margins

SIPDIS
of the OAS session. We support the request, believing face
time better than telephone diplomacy in swinging the
Ecuadorians to our side. Such a meeting would allow us to
promote Flores and lobby Zuquilanda hard for an Ecuadorian
yes vote on the UNHRC Cuba resolution. If confirmed, we
should also raise our concerns on Ecuadorian democracy, free
trade, and other issues. END COMMENT.
KENNEY

© Scoop Media