VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0181 0252226
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 252226Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4109
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/FO GIOVANNI SNIDLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL MARR MCAP CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: UNIVERSALIZATION OF THE FRAMEWORK 
TREATY ON DEMOCRATIC SECURITY IN CENTRAL AMERICA 
 
REF: A. STATE 9539 
 
     ¶B. 05 SAN JOSE 1488 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The MFA told us that the Framework Treaty 
on Democratic Security in Central America stands no chance of 
ratification in Costa Rica without substantial modifications. 
 Negotiations on modifying the treaty took place three years 
ago, and Costa Rica is willing to restart those negotiations 
this year.  The goal of the GOCR would be to clearly 
delineate and separate police and military functions so that 
it would not be necessary for Costa Rican authorities, all of 
whom are civilian, to cooperate with Central American 
militaries.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On January 25, Polcouns delivered ref A demarche to 
Acting MFA Director General Edwin Arias and Deputy Director 
for Multilateral Affairs Carlos Cordero.  He also left a 
nonpaper.  Cordero and Carlos Alvarado of the Ministry of 
Public Security have been involved in the Framework Treaty on 
Democratic Security in Central America for many years. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Cordero explained that after the treaty was signed 
by then-President Figueres, it was sent to the Assembly for 
ratification.  An ad hoc Assembly committee was established 
to study the treaty and issued a report that took the unusual 
position of recommending against ratification.  The reason 
for the committee's position, according to Cordero, was that 
there was too large a "gray area" concerning police functions 
versus military functions.  Cordero noted that the 
legislators did not want Costa Rican authorities, all of whom 
are civilian, working with the military of other countries, 
even in the event of a natural disaster or to enforce 
environmental or archeological laws. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) When there was a change of government and of 
governing party in 1998, the new government informally polled 
the new Assembly and determined that "the environment was 
still not favorable" for treaty ratification.  The treaty 
therefore was not reintroduced. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Three years ago when Costa Rica was president pro 
tempore of the Central American Integration System (SICA), 
there were a number of meetings in Costa Rica to modify those 
provisions of the treaty for which Costa Rica and Panama had 
expressed reservations.  Cordero said that the SICA members 
made a lot of progress but did not complete the work. 
Subsequent SICA presidencies had other priorities and 
abandoned the project.  Even Panama decided to focus on trade 
and security, rather than on the treaty. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Cordero pointed out that Panama again assumed the 
SICA presidency this month, and Costa Rica assumes the 
presidency in July.  Therefore, he believes, 2006 is an 
auspicious year to complete the modifications of the treaty. 
Nonetheless, Cordero said that without clearly delineating 
and separating police and military functions so that it is 
unnecessary for Costa Rican authorities to cooperate with 
foreign militaries, the treaty stands no chance of 
ratification in Costa Rica. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In responding to the demarche, Cordero and Arias 
admitted that the treaty had many positive aspects that were 
deserving of Costa Rica's support.  Cordero claimed that even 
though Costa Rica has not ratified the treaty, it is 
complying with most of its provisions, including providing 
inventories of its armaments and cooperating on cross-border 
automobile theft.  He said that the GOCR was an active 
participant on SICA's Central American Security Commission 
and its Counternarcotics Committee. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Comment:  Any perceived mixing of police and 
military functions is anathema to Costa Ricans.  There will 
be a new government in Costa Rica in May, but that new 
government, probably headed by Oscar Arias and Laura 
Chinchilla (see ref B), likely will be more hostile to the 
treaty as drafted than the current government is.  Embassy 
believes that the best chance for ratification in Costa Rica 
lies with renegotiating those articles for which Costa Rica 
and Panama have expressed reservations.  That, we believe, 
can be done now or in an Arias Administration. 
LANGDALE