VZCZCXRO8608
RR RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHHO RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS
DE RUEHCV #0064 0262219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 262215Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0356
INFO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS CARACAS 000064 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ADPM APER ADCO AMGT CMGT PREL VE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY STAFF OPENS DIALOG WITH NEWLY APPOINTED MFA PROTOCOL 
STAFF 
 
¶1.       (SBU)    SUMMARY: Embassy representatives met with newly 
appointed MFA Protocol and Immunities and Privileges personnel to 
clarify procedures for expediting Embassy requirements in the areas 
of approval of Venezuelan visas for TDY and permanently assigned 
staff, importation of vehicles, credentialing of staff, diplomatic 
pouch exchanges, issuance of diplomatic license plates and the 
construction of the new Marine House.  Future meetings were agreed 
upon to continue to clarify any questions the MFA may have that 
could delay Embassy operations. END SUMMARY 
 
 
 
¶2.       (SBU)    Consul General Ron Kramer, Management Counselor 
Cecilia Elizondo Herrera, Facilities Management Officer Nat 
Marchiano, and Human Resources Officer Eric Anderson met with MFA 
representatives to discuss a variety of issues.  Protocol Director 
Gregorio Flores and the Director of Immunities and Privileges 
Gerallynd Gonzalez Graffer met with the Embassy staff to discuss 
Venezuelan visa issues, importation of eight cylinder armored 
vehicles, diplomatic license plates, and credentialing of children 
born in Venezuela  to  U. S. diplomats. 
 
Emboffs also made a presentation on the plans for the construction 
of a new Marine House on the Embassy compound.  The cordial meeting 
resulted in the approval of credentials for newborn children, the 
agreement to continue the diplomatic pouch service procedure now in 
place, and to allow replacement 8 cylinder armored vehicles to come 
into the country.  Gonzalez was clear that until the MFA files are 
reconciled with our reports of returned plates they cannot issue 
any diplomatic plates to the mission. 
 
 
 
¶3.       (SBU)    The Consul General and the Management Officer 
will meet with Gonzalez the week of Jan 25 to review visa cases 
awaiting MFA approval and the issuance of diplomatic license 
plates.  The MFA representatives were clear that they were new and 
just getting organized and that at times the political climate 
between the U. S. and Venezuela also interfered with the ability to 
get things done.  This frank admission that the MFA was 
disorganized and previous assistance from his office had been 
lacking hopefully seemed to augur well for relations on Management 
and consular issues. The Consul General requested as much lead time 
as possible for large groups of Venezuelans traveling to the United 
States, such as UNGA delegations, to be sure all visas could be 
issued in a timely fashion, to which Protocol Chief Flores agreed. 
 
 
 
 
¶4.       (SBU)    This meeting with the new leadership and the 
future meetings planned between the Management Counselor and 
Protocol will offer the opportunity to address some of the annoying 
problems that have affected our administrative and consular 
relationships in the recent past.  Although the tone in the 
Embassy's relationship with the Protocol office has improved, it is 
still not clear if this will result in action to resolve our 
administrative issues on a timely basis. 
CAULFIELD