Ir¨¢n y Am¨¦rica Latina
Cable en el que Lieberman advierte sobre la presencia iran¨ª en Bolivia y la relaciona con el uranio
Durante una gira sudamericana en 2009, el ministro de Exteriores israel¨ª relaciona directamente el tama?o de la delegaci¨®n diplom¨¢tica de Ir¨¢n en Bolivia con la b¨²squeda de uranio
| ID: | 220949 |
| Date: | 2009-08-14 20:49:00 |
| Origin: | 09LIMA1191 |
| Source: | Embassy Lima |
| Classification: | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Dunno: | |
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 001191 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2019 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, PTER, PE SUBJECT: ISRAELI FM VISIT: REGIONAL TIES, IRAN, SHARED THREATS Classified By: Amb. P Michael McKinley for reasons 1.4b and d. 1. (C) Summary: Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman paid an official visit to Peru in late July as part of an extended tour through South America. According to Israeli Embassy contacts, the Minister's main goal was to strengthen ties with friends and partners in the region and raise awareness of the growing Iranian presence in Venezuela and Bolivia. In his public interventions, Lieberman focused largely on Middle Eastern issues and Iran while underplaying their connection to local concerns. End Summary. 2. (U) During his July 26-28 visit to Peru, Foreign Minister Lieberman met with President Alan Garcia, Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde, Defense Minister Rafael Ray, and Congress President Luis Alva Castro. He also did a full page interview in the prominent newspaper El Comercio, and attended a dinner hosted by Peru's Jewish Community for local notables and diplomats. The Ambassador attended the dinner, and chatted briefly with the FM on its margins (see notes below). Strengthening Regional, Bilateral Ties -------------------------------------- 3. (C) Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's official visit to Peru July 26-28 was the first by an Israeli Foreign Minister in 23 years, according to Israeli diplomat Gali Dagan. He described the South America tour as designed to bolster Israel's relations beyond its traditional sphere of concern (Europe and the US) and to diversify its foreign policy focus beyond the Israel-Palestine issue and the broader Middle East. Lieberman's trip included stops in Colombia and Peru -- Israel's closest allies in South America -- as well as Brazil and Argentina, Israel's most important commercial partners here. Lieberman told the Ambassador that the visits were useful in allowing him to present the realities of Israel and described the Government of Argentina as in crisis and in thrall to the Chavez model. 4. (C) Dagan noted that Israeli's positive relations with Peru began with Peru's decision to support the establishment of the state of Israel in the initial 1948 UN vote. He said that Peru's small but influential Jewish community had contributed to strong cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries. He added that Israeli trade with and investment in Peru had grown in recent years, the latter to $600 million, and said his government hoped this figure would double within a few years. One of the Minister's specific goals was to promote a Bilateral Investment Treaty, currently under negotiation, which would help protect Israeli investments and lay the foundation for a possible future free trade agreement. Dagan also mentioned Israeli's security relationship with Peru, including the recent sale of Spike (anti-tank) missiles, but did not confirm Israel's rumors concerning used F-16s. The FM visit also highlighted a recent bilateral agreement to drop tourist visa requirements. Concerns About Iran ------------------- 5. (C) The Foreign Minister emphasized the growing Iranian presence in Venezuela and Bolivia, Dagan said. In his meetings with GOP counterparts, FM Lieberman observed that uncontrolled travel from Iran to Venezuela and Bolivia was particularly worrisome because it meant that local authorities would have no way of knowing who had entered their countries and with what intentions. The Israeli FM also mentioned concern about Iran's disproportionately large diplomatic mission in Bolivia which the Israeli government believed was connected with Iran's interest in gaining access to Bolivia's uranium deposits. Public Focus on Middle East --------------------------- 6. (SBU) Foreign Minister Lieberman's public comments focused almost entirely on Middle East issues. In his dinner speech and newspaper interview, after a nod to relations with Peru, Lieberman spoke of the challenges to peace in the Middle East. He said that the real conflict is not between Israelis and Palestinians but between moderates and extremists, and that the biggest threat faced by Arab governments is not Israel, but Hamas, the Jihad, Hizbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood. He also dismissed the argument that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are an obstacle to peace, countering that tensions between Israelis and Palestinians predated not only the 1967 war but also the 1948 founding of Israel. Lieberman argued that the biggest problem in the Middle East is Iran, and warned of a regional nuclear arms race if Iran acquires the bomb. He ended with a call for the international community to work together to stop radicalism everywhere in the world. Comment: Failure to Connect --------------------------- 7. (C) Jewish community attendees at the dinner described the speech as over-the-top but in line with Lieberman's previous public rhetoric. One prominent Congressperson told the Ambassador Lieberman's message appeared not directed at Peru but to a broader international audience. Judging from these representative reactions, it may have been helpful for Lieberman to focus more on non-Middle East issues or to place bilateral ties here in terms of international cooperation and common international objectives. MCKINLEY |
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