Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Search

 

Cablegate: Andean Leaders to Washington to Lobby for Atpa

VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #2150 1702219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 192219Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5921
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4782
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUN QUITO 1290
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 1335
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LIMA 002150

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USTR FOR EEISENSTAT AND BHARMAN
COMMERCE FOR 4331/IEP/WH/MCAMERON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD OVIP ECIN PREL USTR PE CO EC BL
SUBJECT: ANDEAN LEADERS TO WASHINGTON TO LOBBY FOR ATPA
EXTENSION?


1. Freddy Ehlers, Secretary General of the Andean
Community (CAN), informed the Ambassador on June 19 that he
was attempting to organize a joint visit to Washington by
the presidents of Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador to
lobby for extension of the Andean Trade Preferences Act
(ATPA). Ehlers said the four presidents had agreed to this
at the suggestion of Alvaro Uribe during the June 12-14
CAN Summit in Tarija, Bolivia. Ehlers noted the likely
dates for this visit would be June 22 or June 25, and
that he was coordinating with the four foreign ministries
to try to make the trip happen. He said the fallback
option was for Ehlers himself to travel in representation
of the four countries. If Ehlers travels, he will
also request meetings with the executive branch, including
USTR, to discuss options for minimizing the impact of any
eventual gaps in ATPA coverage.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

2. Ehlers asked if the State Department could assist in
obtaining the appropriate high-level meetings with U.S.
congressional leaders. The Ambassador replied that these
requests are usually channeled through the foreign
embassies in Washington, and recommended that Ehlers
contact the four embassies to see which one would be best
able to make the appointment requests.

3. COMMENT: The CAN has unsuccessfully attempted to
organize a joint Washington visit by the presidents of the
four ATPA countries in the past. As happened once before,
this attempt is likely to fall apart due to difficulties in
coordinating agendas and obtaining meetings worthy of four
chiefs of state, resulting in the Secretary General being
dispatched instead.
STRUBLE

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.