VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #0641 0682315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 092315Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9413
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1004
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000641 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/EPSC, EEB/TPP/ABT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID NU VE
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA - VENEZUELA LETTER OF INTENT ON 
IMPROVING NICARAGUA'S FOOD STORAGE SYSTEM 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  As part of a series of Bolivarian 
Alternative agreements between Nicaraguan and Venezuela 
signed on January 11, 2007, the President of the Venezuelan 
Corporation for Agricultural Services and Supply (LA CASA) 
and the Director General of Nicaraguan National Supply 
Company (ENABAS) signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate on 
improving Nicaragua's food storage system.  The commitment 
involves little more than LA CASA sending a technical 
commission to Nicaragua to analyze weaknesses, infrastructure 
requirements, and food storage needs and facilities, with a 
view to making recommendations to improve Nicaragua's food 
storage system and a pledge to cooperate on doing so.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) This Letter of Intent between the Corporacion de 
Abastecimiento y Servicios Agricolas, SA (LA CASA) and La 
Empresa Nacional de Abastecimiento (ENABAS) was one of a 
series of thirteen commitments with Venezuela negotiated by 
the Ortega government before it came to power on January 10, 
¶2007.  President of LA CASA Erika Del Valle Farias Pena and 
Director General of ENABAS Roger Ali Romero Santamaria signed 
the letter on January 11, 2007.  The substance of this letter 
along with the other commitments was kept from the public for 
weeks, although the Embassy managed to obtain an unsigned 
copy.  This cable reports on the substance of this particular 
letter of intent. 
 
Preambular Language 
------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) Relatively extensive preambular language in the 
letter states that the two parties are motivated by the will 
to form closer ties of friendship and brotherhood between the 
two countries and their people.  The fight against poverty 
and the social exclusion, as a fundamental priority, requires 
joint plans and projects for the benefit of both countries. 
The parties are determined to deepen cooperative relations as 
well as Latin American and Caribbean social and economic 
integration with a view to encouraging political integration 
as a strategic option.  Both parties are committed to create 
material and social conditions to fulfill millennium goals, 
and to deepening strategic alliances and economic 
complementarity in the framework of promoting fair trade and 
"multipolarity."  Both parties reaffirm their will to 
strengthen integration, understanding that it is a gradual 
and progressive process through which nations voluntarily 
take joint decisions.  This language is the same as that in 
the Letter of Intent between MERCAL and NICARAOCOOP 
concerning the creation of a "peoples network" for marketing 
food (septel). 
 
Intentions 
---------- 
¶4. (SBU) The substance of the letter involves little more 
than La CASA SA sending a technical commission to Nicaragua 
to analyze weaknesses, infrastructure requirements, and food 
storage needs and facilities.  The commission will present a 
technical and financial proposal to La Casa and ENABAS to 
undertake food storage in Nicaragua.  La Casa and ENABAS will 
undertake to negotiate the terms of technical cooperation and 
the coordination of their activities in the area of food 
storage. 
 
Duration and Termination 
------------------------ 
¶5. (SBU) The letter shall be effective for one year from the 
date of signature, unless the parties decide in writing to 
extend or terminate it.  Termination will become effective 
thirty days thereafter, but not affect ongoing activities, 
programs, or projects unless so stated by the parties. 
TRIVELLI