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DE RUEHCV #1580 3191855
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O 141855Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2143
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS CARACAS 001580 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
TREASURY FOR MMALLOY 
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/WH/JLAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD KHLS PTER
EWWT, VE 
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA RESPONDS TO USG REQUEST FOR PORT VISITS 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) Post has received a Diplomatic Note dated November 
13 responding to the Embassy's October 6 Diplomatic Note, 
which stated that the GBRV must set a port visit date within 
30 days of the Diplomatic Note's receipt, or the Coast Guard 
would impose "conditions of entry".  An unofficial 
translation of the Note follows in para two. 
 
¶2. (SBU) BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF VENEZUELAN 
DIPLOMATIC NOTE 000643 
 
The Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, Office of 
the Vice Minister for North American Affairs and Multilateral 
Issues, salutes the Honorable Embassy of the United States of 
America and takes this opportunity to refer to Diplomatic 
Note No. 672 dated October 6, 2008, which requested a second 
United States Coast Guard visit to the port installations 
located in domestic territory. 
 
The Ministry would like to inform the Honorable Embassy of 
the United States that upon review of international and 
domestic legislation regarding this matter, the referenced 
visit is considered feasible ("viable" in Spanish), if and 
only if the visit consists of meetings and table top 
activities, and if the United Stated Coast Guard Command 
previously sends evidence that its inspections in other 
countries have contributed to an increase in port protection 
at those ports. 
 
Complimentary closing. 
 
Caracas, November 13, 2008 
 
END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Upon receiving the above Diplomatic Note on 
November 14, Econoff called the head of security at the 
National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA), who did not 
answer repeated calls, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MFA) to request a meeting with INEA to discuss port visits. 
The MFA official stated she did not know if a meeting with 
INEA and Embassy staff would be possible, but promised to 
look into it.  She then called back and suggested that the 
Embassy send a Diplomatic Note acknowledging receipt of the 
Venezuelan Diplomatic Note and requesting a meeting between 
Embassy personnel and INEA staff. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Embassy proposes that we respond to the note 
describing what the Coast Guard visits include and again ask 
for a specific date.  Clearly the BRV is playing for time. 
If they do not respond on a timely basis the USG should 
proceed as planned. 
 
CAULFIELD