Cablegate: Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry - "Miguel D'escoto Has

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DE RUEHMU #1068 2332019
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 202019Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3050
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001068

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WAH/CEN JUSTICE
DEPT FOR DRL G. MAGGIO
DEPT FOR INR/IAA - EMERSON
DEPT FOR IO
DEPT FOR USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2018
TAGS: NU PINR PREL UNGA PREZ
SUBJECT: NICARAGUAN FOREIGN MINISTRY - "MIGUEL D'ESCOTO HAS
CHANGED"

REF: MANAGUA 776

Classified By: CDA Richard Sanders for reasons 1.4(b,d)

1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: On August 6, EmbOff met with Ambassador Magda
Enriquez Beitler, the Senior Advisor to Miguel D'Escoto
Brockmann, President Elect for the 63rd General Assembly of
the United Nations ("UNGA"). Enriquez sought to convey two
clear messages: first, she will be the focal point for
relations between the United States and Nicaragua regarding
UNGA bilateral issues; second, D'Escoto "is a changed man."
Changed or not, D'Escoto is not likely to tone down his
anti-U.S. rhetoric at UNGA when given the opportunity. END
SUMMARY

2. (C/NF) Ambassador Magda Enriquez Beitler, a dual United
States - Nicaraguan citizen, is the main liaison between the
United States Embassy and the Nicaragua Foreign Ministry's
Office of International Organizations. Educated at Temple
University in Philadelphia and politically aligned with the
Sandinista Party ("FSLN"), she was a Nicaraguan
representative to the UN in the 1980s. With the return of the
FSLN to power, Enriquez is currently the Director of
Nicaragua,s Office of International Organizations with
responsibilities in the following areas: UN Mission,
Organization of American States, International Summits and
Non-Aligned Nations Movement. She will join D'Escoto in New
York as his Senior Advisor, but will retain her position in
Nicaragua, with her three deputies handling the portfolio.

3. (SBU/NF) Enriquez conveyed her strong desire to work with the
United States in advance of the September UNGA session to
address difficult issues "off the table, because it is better
to solve problems before they happen." The issues that she
believes will consume the UNGA session include: Food Prices
and Subsidies, Climate Change, Africa Aid, and UNGA reform.

4. (SBU/NF) Regarding UNGA reform, Enriquez explained that UNGA
President-Elect D'Escoto wants to "reform the UN General
Assembly using outside experts that do not represent any
particular national government." These independent experts,
such as scientists and economists, would participate in what
D'Escoto calls an "interactive, thematic dialogue" to bring
out the best ideas for reform. D'Escoto, who is a former
Catholic Priest, wants to "bring the prophets" or independent
experts from "the U.S., Nicaragua, Algeria" to bring "new
vision and purpose" to the UNGA.

5. (C/NF) Enriquez believes that Miguel D'Escoto has "changed" -
that he is not the same virulent critic of the United States,
capitalism and globalization that he was during the
Sandinista revolution. Even though he is almost 75 years
old, Enriquez observed that D'Escoto "is still a good
student, and changes his mind" when presented with new
information. She explained that D'Escoto has been working on
his UNGA opening address since his candidacy was announced,
constantly revising and rewriting it. The speech sets the
tone for the UNGA session and will be the platform for
announcing the priorities and UNGA reforms D'Escoto seeks.
She said that he has read several different versions of the
speech to her on multiple occasions, and that D'Escoto has
been open to her constructive criticisms.

6. (C/NF) COMMENT: Post believes that Enriquez was placed in her
new UNGA position to be a moderating influence on D'Escoto.
As a dual U.S.-Nicaraguan citizen, however, she is not
completely trusted by small circle that surrounds President
Ortega. Other figures such as Presidential Advisor Paul
Oquist, a former UN system official, are likely to also have
input. In her role as D'Escoto,s Senior Advisor and
confidant, Amb. Enriquez would not explain what she meant
regarding a "new vision or purpose" for the UNGA body. When
pressed for specific themes from his most recent draft of his
opening address, she admitted that everything could change
and that "he will not have a final version ready until just
before he speaks." We suspect that a mercurial D'Escoto at
the UNGA bully pulpit, backed by an increasingly bellicose
Ortega, is not likely to tone down his anti-U.S. rhetoric
when given the opportunity.
SANDERS

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