VZCZCXYZ0017
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPO #0190 1282221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 072221Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0161

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000190 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA CHAD WEST AND WHA/CAR JACKIE ROSHOLT 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL NS
SUBJECT: EVALUATION OF PARTICIPATION OF RABINDRE PARMESSAR IN FY 
2008 MULTI-REGIONAL PROGRAM: "U.S. FOREIGN POLICY" 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  Mr. Rabindre Parmessar, opposition Member of 
Parliament from Suriname, participated as an international visitor 
in the FY 2008 Multi-Regional program "U.S Foreign Policy" from 
February 28 to March 20, 2008.  Parmessar was overwhelmingly 
positive upon his return, and said visiting the United States of 
America changed in many ways how he perceives the country, including 
his perception of diversity within the United States.  Parmessar 
said the discussions and speakers were on a very high level: "the 
people we met were very, very highly qualified."  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Rabindre Parmessar, a member of Parliament and a former 
(and likely future) Presidential candidate, was effusive in his 
praise of the FY2008 Multi-regional program "U.S. Foreign Policy" 
(February 28 - March 20, 2008), emphatic in his thanks "for the 
opportunity," and enthusiastic in the detail in which he presented 
his experiences at a lunch hosted by the Ambassador on April 17. 
Parmessar told us his IV experience changed the way he perceives the 
United States and gave him a better understanding of U.S. diversity. 
 Parmessar said he was impressed by the number of different 
institutions that provide input into the foreign policy-making 
process, and that he noticed that individual states have a lot of 
room to maneuver.  Parmessar talked most warmly about Kansas; he 
said it is one of the best places in the world when it comes to 
animal health, and he asked himself why Suriname does not send 
students there. He said he noticed that the state is very active on 
environmental issues. 
 
¶3.  (U)  The program delivered immediate results, as Parmessar said 
he now sees lots of business opportunities for Suriname in the U.S. 
In fact he acted on one within a week of the program's completion 
organizing a business deal through acquaintances in Florida. 
Parmessar also said he noticed that quality clothes are cheaper in 
the U.S. than in Suriname, and came up with the idea of sending a 
business delegation to the U.S. 
 
¶4.  (U)  When asked if there were any things that could have been 
better, Parmessar emphasized again that the program had been 
excellent.  He was pleased with the high quality of the discussions 
and speakers, saying "the people we met were very, very highly 
qualified."  He also said he had already had a chance to share any 
suggestions for improvement before leaving the States, and that he 
mentioned the following at that time: at a certain point in the 
program the participants were split up into several groups traveling 
to different cities.  He suggested that in the future participants 
be given the opportunity to indicate their preferences on these 
splits, so they can be optimally matched. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Post was extremely pleased with the selection and 
participation of Parmessar, and with the extremely positive 
impression he says it had on him.  His political party, the National 
Democratic Party, is frequently critical of the United States in the 
press, and its Chairman has a poster of Hugo Chavez on his office 
wall.  Parmessar is a likely contender for President in 2010, and 
his party is Suriname's largest. 
 
SCHREIBER HUGHES