VZCZCXRO5417
PP RUEHLMC
DE RUEHMU #0789 0851255
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261255Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9604
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0008
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1029
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0039
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 000789 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CEN, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM NU PREL IZ
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA REACHES OUT TO IRAQ 
 
REF: MANAGUA 0179 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli.  Reasons 1.4 (B,D). 
 
¶1.  (C) Ambassador Magda Henriquez, the Director of the 
Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry's Multilateral Affairs Office, 
informed PolCouns on March 23 that she had met last week with 
Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid Al-Biyati, as a 
first step towards renewing diplomatic ties between the two 
countries.  Henriquez reported that Al-Biyati appeared to be 
very pleased with the GON's approchement, noting she was 
impressed by the Iraqi Ambassador's intelligence and breadth 
of knowledge.  She also took advantage of the meeting to 
pitch Nicaragua's bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights 
Commission. 
 
¶2.  (C) Background/Comment:  Although the Nicaraguan 
government (GON) never formally broke its diplomatic ties 
with Iraq, it has not maintained them for years.  Last year, 
we encouraged Nicaragua's previous Foreign Minister Norman 
Caldera to consider renewing the GON's ties with Iraq, 
starting perhaps with a meeting between the two countries' UN 
ambassadors.  Although Caldera appeared receptive to the 
idea, to our knowledge, he took no action.  In January we 
raised the idea with newly installed Foreign Minister Samuel 
Santos, who also appeared interested in our suggestion 
(Reftel), and in late February with Henriquez, who assured us 
she would meet with al-Biyati when she traveled to New York 
the week of March 12.  The GON has never established an 
embassy in Baghdad and Henriquez believes it is unlikely to 
do so anytime in the near future.  However, its interest in 
restoring diplomatic channels is encouraging. 
TRIVELLI