VZCZCXRO5623
PP RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHPB
DE RUEHPE #4248 3042214
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 312214Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2862
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION 0008

UNCLAS LIMA 004248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON APECO ETRD PTER PARM TSPL PE
SUBJECT: PERU'S VIEWS ON APEC 2006 AND HOSTING APEC 2008 
 
REF: A. STATE 139460 
     ¶B. LIMA 3489 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  The GOP sees eye-to-eye with the USG on 
priorities for the November APEC Leaders' and Ministers' 
meetings.  Having passed the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement 
(PTPA) in its Congress in June, Peru has already signed on to 
many of the USG's trade priorities.  It is likely that 
President Alan Garcia will not attend the November meeting 
because of Peru's regional and local elections on November 
19, and because Garcia is trying to contrast himself to his 
"extravagant" predecessor, Alejandro Toledo, by traveling and 
spending less.  The GOP has already begun planning for 
hosting the APEC meetings in 2008, and has requested USG 
assistance in training and equipping security personnel.  End 
Summary. 
 
2006 PRIORITIES 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (U)  On October 26, Econoff delivered Ref A demarche 
sharing USG priorities for the November 15-19 APEC Leaders' 
and Ministers' meetings to the GOP's lead on APEC issues, 
Ambassador Juan Capunay of the MFA's Asia/Pacific 
Subsecretariat.  Capunay said the GOP supported all of the 
USG's priorities, singling out Doha, anti-corruption (Peru 
co-sponsored the anti-corruption / transparent government 
initiative approved at the SOM III and plans to host a 
regional conference in October 2007), and public-private 
partnerships.  He said Peru had no problems with the USG's 
Proposed Draft Language for the Leaders' Statement on WMD 
Trafficking and Financing.  See Ref B for further details on 
Peru's 2006 priorities. 
 
PRESIDENT GARCIA MAY NOT ATTEND 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Ambassador Capunay said that officially President 
Garcia would still be representing Peru at the Leaders' 
Meeting.  However, it is likely that Garcia will not make the 
trip.  The media reports that Garcia does not want to be in 
Asia during Peru's hotly-contested local and regional 
elections on November 19, where his APRA party is struggling 
to win key races.  Garcia, who took office in July, has 
striven to build an austere image, traveling and spending 
less than his unpopular predecessor, Alejandro Toledo.  Trade 
and Tourism Minister Mercedes Araoz and Foreign Minister Jose 
Antonio Garcia Belaunde are planning on traveling to Vietnam. 
 
AMB. CAPUNAY MOVING ON 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Capunay told Econoff that he would be named as 
Ambassador to an Asian country in January.  He introduced 
Econoff to his most likely successor, Raul SALAZAR Cosio, who 
was most recently Minister Counselor at Peru's Embassy in 
Spain.  Capunay's current deputy, Julio CARDENAS Velarde, 
will stay on and will also play a key leadership role leading 
up to APEC 2008. 
 
PRIORITIES/THEMES FOR 2008 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  The GOP has already put much thought into its role as 
host of the APEC meetings in 2008.  Capunay said that an 
overarching theme would be "A New Commitment for Asia-Pacific 
Development," stressing public-private partnerships and 
Corporate Social Responsibility.   See Ref B for further 
details on Peru's 2008 priorities. 
 
SECURITY HELP FOR 2008 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Post received a diplomatic note from the MFA dated 
October 16 requesting USG assistance in training and 
equipping security personnel as part of preparations for Peru 
hosting the APEC meetings in 2008.  Specifically, the request 
includes training in:  security and protection for 
dignitaries (for 42 officials and 210 sergeant majors); 
building (e.g. hotels, airports, events) security (for 30 
officials and 500 sergeant majors); operational planning and 
security management (for 5 superior officials); canine 
explosives detection; detecting ultrasonic waves, sound and 
radial emissions around reserved areas (for equipment 
operators); and basic and intermediate level English language 
(for security escorts and bodyguards). 
POWERS