Cablegate: German Response to Demarche On Assistance To

VZCZCXRO2515
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHRL #1702 3571414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221414Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2914
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY 0047
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF PRIORITY 0171
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 7804
RUEHAG/AMCONSUL HAMBURG PRIORITY 0240
RUEHLZ/AMCONSUL LEIPZIG PRIORITY 0175
RUEHMZ/AMCONSUL MUNICH PRIORITY 1963
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BERLIN 001702

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CEN(KRAAIMOORE),EEB/IFD/ODF,IO/EDA AND EUR/AGS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ECON EAID PREL UNGA NU GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON ASSISTANCE TO
NICARAGUA FOLLOWING FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS

REF: STATE 132044

1. (SBU) On December 22, 2008, Econoff spoke with Christiane
Botschen, Deputy Head of Division for Mexico, Central America
& Caribbean, German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to urge host
country suspension of assistance to Nicaragua following the
fraudulent November 9 municipal elections. Having frozen
budgetary aid a year ago, Germany is in broad agreement with
U.S. imperatives regarding the suspension of assistance to
Nicaragua, reported Botschen. Germany is a member of the
International Donors Group and is also the head of the
Elections Group, she said, which issued a separate statement
critical of the November 9 elections. Botschen said the
European Union (EU) was likewise engaged on the issue. EU
Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner
recently sent a letter to Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Samuel
Santos Lopez informing him the EU Commission would suspend
assistance as of 2009, according to Botschen.

2. (SBU) Botschen noted Germany had not drawn a direct link
between assistance to Nicaragua and the November 9 elections
in its communications with the Nicaraguan government.
Rather, Germany's statements emphasized the need for
adherence to "democratic principles." Germany is in
"constant talks" with the government of Nicaragua concerning
the need for democratic reform, she commented. Botschen
confided, however, she was not optimistic at this point.
Koenig

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