Cablegate: Demarche Delivered: Proposed Arms Trade Treaty

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RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #2804 1512211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 312211Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7256
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0959
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS MEXICO 002804

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR PM/DTCP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC UNDC PARM MX
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PROPOSED ARMS TRADE TREATY
(ATT)

REF: STATE 63299

1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche on May 31 to the
Foreign Secretariat's (SRE's) Deputy Director General for
UN-Related Security and Legal Issues Julian Juarez Cardenas.
Juarez said the GOM is aware of U.S. opposition to the
UN-proposed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Mexico views the U.S.
as a source country for significant transfers of illegal arms
into Mexico which are seriously altering the balance of power
between criminal organizations and state security elements.
He indicated that Mexico would not be inclined to support the
U.S. position opposing the ATT. The GOM does not wish to
affect legitimate business trade, but rather wants to ensure
that arms producers and sellers act responsibly and are
careful about whom the arms reach. Juarez took note of U.S.
concerns regarding the treaty and commented that Mexico is
assessing the ATT's potential viability.

2. (SBU) Post does not feel that a public diplomacy campaign
to shape public opinion on this issue would be productive at
this time. GOM officials have regularly expressed to us
their concerns about illicit arms transfers across the
U.S.-Mexico border, and the Mexican media has underscored the
large quantity of these transfers. A public diplomacy
campaign in opposition to the ATT would almost certainly
cause government officials and members of the press to
intensify their criticism that the U.S. is not doing more to
stop illicit arms flows, and would have little likelihood of
resulting in Mexican support for the U.S. position.

Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap /
BASSETT

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