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Cablegate: Oas Spokepersons Conference

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

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001679

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/OAS, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA
(DPRINCE), INR/IAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PHUM KPAO CI
SUBJECT: OAS SPOKEPERSONS CONFERENCE


1. Summary: Action request in para 4. Embassy's
information officer attended a meeting at the La Moneda
Presidential Palace for a briefing on the August 17-18
seminar for OAS Spokespersons. The GOC delivered a draft
schedule and requested the names of each country's
participants by Friday, August 12. End summary.

2. Event schedule: Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and OAS
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza head the list of

SIPDIS
confirmed participants at the inauguration ceremony. (Post
Note: As of today, only the Dominican Republic has formally
confirmed attendance.) The conference is divided into four
sections: "Transparency and Access to Public Information in
the Hemisphere", "The Risks Involved in News Reporting",
"Dissemination of Central Themes Related to Strengthening
Democracy in the Hemisphere", and the "Fourth Summit of the
Americas." The GOC has drawn panelists for the sessions
from various media-related NGOs and associations,
universities, international organizations and participating
governments. OAS SecGen Insulza, Chile's Minister of
Government and Spokesman Osvaldo Puccio, and Assistant
Summit of the Americas Coordinator Leonardo Franco will hold
a press conference on Thursday, August 18 to discuss the
Summit of the Americas. The seminar's opening ceremony and
this press conference will be the only sessions open to the
media.

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3. Logistics: The OAS will assume all airfare and lodging
costs, though the GOC briefers did not specify economy or
business class. The GOC requested that the names, titles
and flight information for those who will attend the
conference be submitted by Friday, August 12. The
respective embassies of participating countries are expected
to provide transportation to the Sheraton Hotel, where the
GOC plans to lodge all conference participants. There will
be GOC representatives to receive arriving participants at
the airport and the VIP salon will available for their use.
The GOC will distribute credentials and conference
information to participants upon arrival at the hotel. The
nearby Clinica Indisa would provide health and ambulance
service for the conference. (Post Note: Post and RMO
generally use Clinica Las Condes and Clinica Alemana for
most medical needs. They are located about a 20-30 minute
drive from the Sheraton Hotel, depending on the time of
day.)

4. Action Request: The Embassy has been in contact with
WHA/OAS to identify an appropriate U.S. participant for the
conference. It is our understanding that WHA/OAS will
continue to take the lead in this endeavor. The USG
participant may be asked to participate on one of the four
panels. Irene Klinger, the OAS director of communications
and external relations, is coordinating the composition of
the panels from Washington, D.C. Post looks forward to
welcoming a USG participant. Please keep us posted.

KELLY

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