VZCZCXYZ0014
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #0745 2262048
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 132048Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3592
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000745
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/BSC AND PM--JEFF BURNETT
DEFENSE FOR OSD--KRISTI HUNT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR CI
SUBJECT: CHILE PARTICIPATION IN DEFENSE MINISTERIAL OF THE
AMERICAS
REF: STATE 83680
1. (U) Poloff met with Ambassador Boris Yopo, Chief of the
International Affairs Division of the Ministry of Defense,
and Maria Ines Ruz, on August 8 to discuss reftel request on
Chile's participation in the Defense Ministerial of the
Americas.
2. (SBU) Chile wants the ministerial to focus on broad
regional themes without being sidetracked by bilateral issues
or revisiting issues already discussed in past fora. Ruz
said that in recent weeks Chile had feared that the conflict
between Colombia and Ecuador would dominate the ministerial,
and they are relieved that this issue has been resolved. In
general terms, Chile is interested in maintaining the
ministerial as an open space for dialogue across the
hemisphere and wants to avoid rehashing issues that have
already been discussed at previous meetings. (Note: Ruz and
Yopo did not specify which issue they feared other countries
might try to re-open for discussion. End Note.) Chile is
interested in maintaining the Williamsburg agenda and using
the upcoming ministerial to further strengthen civilian
control of the military in Latin America.
3. (U) In terms of specific topics of interest, Ruz said
that Chile hoped to discuss three topics:
--Military participation in disaster preparation
--Military participation in peacekeeping operations generally
and specifically the MINUSTAH operation in Haiti
--Military participation and regional cooperation in
preparation for major political events/meetings, particularly
in the Caribbean
4. (U) On August 12, Ruz informed Poloff that the Chilean
delegation will include: Defense Minister Jose Goni;
Undersecretary of War Gonzalo Garcia; Chief of the General
Staff of National Defense Gen. Ivan Fabry; and Ministry of
Defense International Affairs Advisor Maria Ines Ruz. (Note:
In a separate meeting August 11 with DATT, an advisor to U/S
Garcia expressed doubt that Garcia would attend. Post is
unsure if this hesitation is related to a recent Bachelet
request for all Ministers to rein in travel spending. End
Note.)
5. (U) Ruz noted that Chile would be open to bilateral
meetings with the U.S. or other countries. Chile also hopes
to continue discussions about a planned November 2008 seminar
on defense modernization. Ruz noted that at a June 27
meeting in Santiago, Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies
Director Richard Downie mentioned that the DMA would be a
good opportunity for the U.S. and Chile to continue their
discussions about preparations for this seminar. Chile is
interested in continuing this conversation in Banff. Claudio
Ortiz, Advisor to Defense Minister Goni, is the Chilean point
of contact for this request and can be reached at
cortiz@defensa.cl.
6. (U) Speaking in general terms about US-Chile relations,
Yopo and Ruz noted that defense relations between the two
countries have grown closer since 2005, owing in particular
to regular Defense Consultative Commission (DCC) meetings.
They noted that one theme that Chile hopes to explore in its
ongoing defense dialogue with the U.S. is ways to improve
Chile's defense cooperation with other Latin American
countries.
SIMONS