VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #1090/01 1382103
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 182103Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5109
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 001090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR JASON MACK WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC PREL PARM PGOV IZ CS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER STAGNO'S LETTER TO 
SECRETARY RICE ON IRAQ 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REF: SAN JOSE 1087 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 6. 
 
¶2.  As expected (see reftel), Embassy received an official 
request from the GOCR for "the definite exclusion of the name 
of Costa Rica from any official websites that refer to the 
'Coalition' and the support given to the war in Iraq."  The 
letter was faxed to the Ambassador in the evening of May 17 
and hand-delivered to poloff in the morning of May 18.  It 
was provided in both Spanish and English.  Below is the 
English version: 
 
¶3.  Begin text: 
 
Non-official translation 
 
San Jose, May 17th, 2006 
 
Your Excellency: 
 
As you are aware, on March 19th, 2003, during the past 
administration of President Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, a 
press release was emitted supporting the war against the 
Government of Iraq.  In virtue of such support, the 
Government of the United States included the Republic of 
Costa Rica in a list of member counties committed to the 
so-called "Coalition of the Willing". 
 
The decision to support the war was highly controversial, 
taking some Costa Rican citizens to interpose actions of 
unconstitutionality before the Constitutional Court.  On 
September 8, 2004, under resolution 2004-09992, the 
Constitutional Court requested the Executive Branch to "take 
the necessary formalities in order for the United States 
government to exclude our country from the list of 'allied' 
countries of the 'Coalition' or 'Alliance' that is shown in 
the White House official website." 
 
On September 9th, 2004, in diplomatic note DM-377-04, the 
former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica 
asked the Department of State to exclude Costa Rica from the 
list of "allied" countries in the White House official 
website.  Today, the name of Costa Rica is still linked to 
the "Coalition" in the following White House websites: 
 
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/2003 0327-10.html 
www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/iraq/news/20030326 -7.html 
 
Taking into account the ruling of the Constitutional Court, 
which the present administration of President Oscar Arias 
Sanchez shares and respects integrally, and taking into 
consideration that the support given was contrary to the 
Constitution, the Charter of the United Nations, the 
international law accepted by Costa Rica, and Security 
Council resolutions 660 and thereafter, which did not 
authorize the use of force, I hereby request the definite 
exclusion of the name of Costa Rica from any official 
websites that refer to the "Coalition" and the support given 
to the war in Iraq. 
 
I avail of this opportunity to express to Your Excellency the 
assurance of my highest consideration and esteem. 
 
Bruno Stagno Ugarte 
 
Her Excellency 
Mrs. Condoleezza Rica 
Secretary of State 
 
SIPDIS 
U.S. Department of State 
Washington, D.C. 
 
End text. 
 
¶4.  Embassy proposes to respond on behalf of Secretary Rice. 
Below is proposed response: 
 
¶5.  Begin test: 
 
San Jose, (date) 
 
Dear Minister Stagno: 
 
Secretary Rice asked me to respond on her behalf and that of 
 
SIPDIS 
the U.S. Government to your letter of May 17 regarding the 
appearance of Costa Rica on two lists in the White House Web 
site. 
 
The Government of the United States has previously 
acknowledged and accepted the decision of the Government of 
 
Costa Rica to withdraw its support for the coalition on Iraq. 
 The lists to which you refer are dated March 26 and March 
27, 2003, before your government's withdrawal, and appear in 
the White House Web site archives and elsewhere in the Web. 
They are historical documents; they are accurate; and they 
cannot now be altered or removed from the Web. 
 
Since receiving the Government of Costa Rica's diplomatic 
note of September 9, 2004, the Government of the United 
States has not issued any new documents that included Costa 
Rica in the coalition on Iraq or otherwise claimed continuing 
Costa Rican support for coalition efforts. 
 
Please accept, Excellency, the renewed assurance of my 
highest consideration. 
 
Mark Langdale 
 
His Excellency 
Bruno Stagno 
Minister of Foreign Relation 
Republic of Costa Rica 
San Jose 
 
End text. 
 
¶6.  ACTION REQUESTED:  Please approve or revise the text in 
paragraph 5 or otherwise instruct post how to respond to the 
GOCR. 
LANGDALE