VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0591 1961347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151347Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1035
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEABND/DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMIN HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH  PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000591 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, INL/LP AND PM, SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR 
FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MASS PINR OVIP CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: MINISTER RODRIGO ARIAS VISITS SOUTHCOM 
 
REF: A. SAN JOSE 587 
     ¶B. SAN JOSE 525 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On July 8, Rodrigo Arias, Minister of the 
Presidency and brother of President Oscar Arias, visited 
SOUTHCOM, focusing on high-level strategic security 
cooperation.  Minister Arias told us the GOCR was grateful 
for the USG's (and in particular, SOUTHCOM's) strong 
bilateral security relationship with Costa Rica as well as 
the last two years of increased humanitarian assistance (Ref 
B).  Arias briefed new SOUTHCOM Commanding General Douglas 
Fraser on the GOCR's renewed focus on long-delayed security 
reforms and requested even more cooperation and assistance 
from SOUTHCOM (and USG in general for programs such as 
Merida).  Finally, Arias discussed the current Honduran 
political crisis (Ref A).  This visit represented the highest 
level visit from the Arias Administration since it took 
office in 2006 and was a long-planned reciprocal visit to 
Admiral Stavridis' December 2008 visit to Costa Rica. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 8, Minister Arias, who is the Prime Minister 
equivalent and oversees Costa Rica's intelligence service 
(DIS) as well as its ONDCP equivalent (ICD), met with new 
SOUTHCOM Commander General Fraser and provided him a focused 
brief on the Arias Administration's priorities.  Arias was 
accompanied by Luis Diego Escalante, Costa Rican Ambassador 
to the United States and Lorena Sanchez, Costa Rican Consul 
General in Miami.  Arias explained that since "the bruising 
CAFTA debate was now over," his brother's administration had 
shifted its full attention to long-overdue security reforms. 
Arias said that recently completed reforms included the 
passage of a victims and witness protection law as well as an 
organized crime bill (expected to be signed into law soon). 
The organized crime law will include important provisions on 
the establishment of a national communications interception 
(wiretap) center, critical to criminal prosecutions. 
 
¶3. (SBU) After receiving the JIATF-S counternarcotics 
briefing, Arias agreed and emphasized that Costa Rica's 
geographical location was a critical drug transshipment point 
on the Isthmus.  Arias underscored that Costa Rica had become 
far more than just a drug transit country, it was now a major 
"warehouse" for illegal drugs in storage (mainly cocaine), 
while awaiting further shipment north. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Minister Arias thanked SOUTHCOM (and the USG in 
general) for its assistance over the past few years in both 
counternarcotics and humanitarian programs.  When asked if 
Costa Rica would accept further and perhaps even more 
assistance in the future, Arias resoundingly replied that 
Costa Rica would welcome enhanced assistance and cooperation. 
 He said that Costa Rica needed all the help it could get, 
especially considering the increasingly high rate of both 
petty and violent crime in the country.  Arias specifically 
requested more assistance in counter drug operations and more 
(and sustained) Merida Initiative assistance. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Finally, Arias discussed the Honduran political 
crisis (see Ref A for full read-out). 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6. (SBU) This long-awaited visit by Minister Arias to 
SOUTHCOM paid off and validated the increased level of 
military support that DoD, as implemented mainly by SOUTHCOM, 
has provided to Costa Rica over the past two years.  Arias 
clearly appreciated the support that Costa Rica had received 
and looked forward to even more USG assistance.  Ambassador 
Escalante, meanwhile, clearly views his role in Washington as 
one of obtaining/advocating for further security assistance 
from, and cooperation with, the U.S. 
 
¶7. (U) Post thanks SOUTHCOM and JIATF-South for putting this 
visit together, which we see as an important milestone in the 
USG-GOCR relationship. 
BRENNAN