VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKL #1618 2400919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 280919Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7431
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE 0015
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA IMMEDIATE 0021
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0978

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001618 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IO, WHA AND EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016 
TAGS: PREL KDEM UNSC VE MY
SUBJECT: COUNTERING CHAVEZ'S UNSC LOBBYING IN MALAYSIA 
 
REF: STATE 140182 
 
Classified By: Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark rea 
sons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
¶1.  (C) As Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez conducted a state 
visit to Malaysia (below), Polcouns delivered reftel demarche 
August 28 on countering Venezuela's UNSC lobbying to the 
Malaysian Foreign Ministry's Acting Under Secretary for 
American Affairs Khairi Omar.  We particularly highlighted 
Venezuela's unhelpful behavior in many multilateral fora.  We 
questioned Khairi regarding an August 27 international news 
report, sourced to Caracas, in which Chavez stated that 
Malaysia had confirmed in writing its support for Venezuela's 
UNSC bid.  Khairi said he had no information on Chavez's 
statement and he could not confirm or deny Malaysian support 
to Venezuela's bid.  Polcouns also contacted other senior and 
mid-level Foreign Ministry officials engaged in Chavez's 
visit, including those handling multilateral political 
affairs, but none would comment on the August 27 news report. 
 
¶2.  (U) Local and international press reported Chavez's 
August 27 arrival in Kuala Lumpur at the start of a four-day 
state visit to Malaysia.  A public statement released by the 
Malaysian Foreign Ministry described the visit as focused on 
situation in the Middle East, and on cooperation in the areas 
of oil and gas, as well as palm oil.  Malaysia accorded 
Chavez a regal welcome in a state ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on 
August 28.  Chavez was scheduled to call on Prime Minister 
Abdullah Badawi late on August 28.  Visits to palm oil 
locations reportedly will occupy Chavez's schedule on August 
¶29. 
SHEAR