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courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06BRIDGETOWN1897, AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL TOUR: ST. VINCENT AND

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06BRIDGETOWN1897 2006-10-27 17:18 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Bridgetown
VZCZCXYZ0030
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #1897/01 3001718
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271718Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3592
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1543
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0811
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2501
RUEADRO/HQ ICE DRO WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0088
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0117
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
ICE MIAMI FOR MLOONEY AND JMAHABIR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAIR ETRD UNSC KPAO VE VC XL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL TOUR: ST. VINCENT AND 
THE GRENADINES 
 
REF: STATE 168324 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 16, Ambassador Kramer paid 
farewell courtsey calls on the Foreign Minister, Prime 
Minister, and Governor General of St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines.  In her meeting with the Foreign Minister, he 
candidly admitted that the Government of St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines (GOSVG) will support Venezuela throughout the 
voting for a seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) because 
Venezuela is playing a major role in constructing St. 
Vincent's future international airport.  Rather than meeting 
with Ambassador Kramer in private as expected, the Prime 
Minister called a press conference to discuss U.S.-GOSVG 
collaboration in seizing a sailing vessel from a convicted 
narcotics smuggler.  Finally, the Ambassador's meeting with 
the Governor General was pleasantly simple.  These meetings 
were followed by various press events.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------ 
FM STRAKER: WE NEED AN AIRPORT 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) In Ambassador Kramer's October 16 meeting with 
Foreign Minister Sir Louis Straker, the two discussed a 
number of issues including the GRULAC vote for the UNSC, 
Article 98, and the recent waiver of APSA IMET provisions. 
The Ambassador was accompanied by PAO Julie O'Reagan and 
PolOff, who served as notetaker.  Permanent Secretary 
Patricia Martin accompanied the Foreign Minister. 
 
3. (C) On the GRULAC vote for the UNSC, Straker admitted that 
the GOSVG is committed to Venezuela because of the assistance 
Venezuela has given St. Vincent and the Grenadines in recent 
years.  Specifically, Straker cited Venezuela's promise to 
assist in constructing St. Vincent's future international 
airport.  When explaining the potential negative consequences 
of Venezuelan participation in the Security Council, Straker 
simply explained that, "we need that airport badly."  He also 
stated that if the United States would assist with the 
airport, then that would change the GOSVG's vote.  Taiwan, 
Mexico, Canada, and Cuba are also contributing to the 
airport.  Construction should begin next year.  In addition 
to citing the airport, Straker mentioned Petrocaribe and 25 
Venezuelan state scholarships for Vincentian students as 
reasons why the GOSVG is committed to voting for Venezuela. 
 
4. (C) Straker and Ambassador Kramer also discussed 
U.S.-Caribbean relations, including unfriendly rhetoric from 
the GOSVG towards the United States.  The Ambassador cited 
Secretary Rice's meetings with Caribbean leaders as an 
 
SIPDIS 
example of U.S. efforts to improve relations, to which 
Straker replied that he wants to see actions, not meetings. 
As an example, he said it was nice to see the President's 
recent waiving of APSA IMET provisions for St. Vincent and 
the Grenadines (reftel).  In discussing this waiver, Straker 
showed a misunderstanding of Article 98, stating that the 
GOSVG cannot sign anything contrary to the treaty of Rome 
because it has been committed to the treaty since its 
inception and it cannot pull out of this commitment.  The 
Ambassador explained that Article 98 is not against the 
Treaty of Rome nor does it request a signatory to renege on 
the treaty.  (Note: Straker's comments to the Ambassador and 
statements in the press by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves 
show that the GOSVG believes the recent waiver of APSA IMET 
provisions comes unconditionally and that IMET funding will 
once again flow at previous levels.  End Note.) 
 
5. (C) Straker also expressed a number of enduring concerns, 
including the maintenance of the Regional Security System's 
C-26s, the need for a strong visa relationship, and the 
perceived problem of Vincentians deported from the United 
States increasing crime in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as 
well as new concerns with the Western Hemisphere Travel 
Initiative.  Furthermore, Straker and the Ambassador 
discussed free trade for the region, to which Straker stated 
that the GOSVG is currently exploring the possibility and 
making sure the benefits outweigh the costs.  St. Vincent's 
 
biggest fear is having its economy killed by U.S. exports. 
 
6. (C) BIONOTE:  Straker lived in the New York for 31 years 
and previously held U.S. citizenship, which he had to 
renounce to run for public office in St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines.  He spoke fondly of New York and explained that 
no one in his government is more pro-U.S. than he is.  He 
still visits often as his family lives in New York.  However, 
his misunderstandings of the sources and uses of U.S. foreign 
assistance is considerable given he is a former U.S. citizen 
and taxpayer. 
 
------------------------ 
DERAILED BY PM GONSALVES 
------------------------ 
 
7. (SBU) Ambassador Kramer expected a private, bilateral 
meeting with Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, but instead the 
PM called a press conference to discuss U.S.-GOSVG 
cooperation in the seizing and auctioning of the sailing 
vessel "Preference," a ship forfeited by the owner as part of 
a federal investigation into narcotics smuggling. 
 
8. (SBU) In 2001, Robert Young and his wife Sara Wuchevich 
were arrested for numerous federal firearm and parole 
violations.  They both plead guilty in 2002 and, as part of 
the plea agreement, forfeited all their assets derived from 
illegal activities.  One of the forfeited vessels, the 
"Preference," was seized and auctioned with the assistance of 
the GOSVG Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).  The USG 
provided an asset sharing funds check for $77,045, 
approximately half of the auctioned value, from the 
Confiscated Asset Fund that Ambassador Kramer was to present 
to PM Gonsalves during their meeting.  (Note:  DHS/ICE 
requested no media release in e-mail as the investigation is 
still ongoing.  End note.) 
 
9. (SBU) Rather than meeting with the Ambassador in private, 
PM Gonsalves called a press conference that solely focused on 
the asset sharing check.  The PM went into detail on Young's 
background, the investigation, and the collaboration between 
the two countries in apprehending the "Preference."  He then 
went on to discuss the GOSVG's efforts to crack down on money 
laundering, citing the Crime Prevention Act of 2001 and the 
creation of the FIU in 2002.  He praised the FIU and the work 
it has been doing since its creation in 2002 and also 
detailed why money laundering is bad for the economy and must 
be stopped.  Throughout the press conference, the PM also 
emphasized the positive U.S.-St. Vincent relationship, 
emphasizing that the assets sharing is just one example of 
how the two countries work well together. 
 
10. (SBU) After the press conference, the PM excused himself, 
leaving Ambassador Kramer without an opportunity to speak 
with him one on one. 
 
------------------------------------ 
COURTESIES WITH THE GOVERNOR GENERAL 
------------------------------------ 
 
11. (SBU) The Ambassador had a protocolary meeting with Sir 
Frederick Ballantyne, Governor General of St. Vincent and the 
Grenadines.  They discussed marijuana production in St. 
Vincent, education, and health care. 
 
------------ 
PRESS EVENTS 
------------ 
 
12. (U) After official meetings, the Ambassador held a press 
conference at St. Vincent National Trust where she reflected 
on her tour of duty as Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean, 
assistance the United States provided to the region during 
her tenure, and her appreciation for the Caribbean.  The 
Ambassador also signed a grant from the Ambassador's Fund for 
Cultural Preservation for repair to the Carnegie Library 
building housing the National Trust.  She then donated a 
collection of children's books to the National Library.  All 
three events were covered by the media. 
 
KRAMER