VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0019/01 0401738
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091738Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0199
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000019 
 
SIPDIS 
WHA/BSC FOR DRUCKER, FRIEDMAN, DASCHBACH 
WHA/PD FOR DICKSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR PREL ASEC KPKO HA UY
SUBJECT: URUGUAY: FM'S TAKE ON HAITI, UNASUR, AND THE PATHWAYS INITIATIVE 
 
REF: MONTEVIDEO 80 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Summary 
 
------------ 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Nelson presented a copy of his credentials to 
Foreign Minister Pedro Vaz February 8, before completing the 
credentialing process with a call on President Tabare Vazquez that 
same evening.  In a warm meeting, Vaz confirmed Uruguay would send 
more peacekeepers to Haiti, explained Uruguay's objectives with 
regard to the February 9 UNASUR summit, and expressed Uruguay's 
desire for meaningful participation in the Pathways to Prosperity 
Initiative, and reiterated Uruguay's intention to seek a seat on 
the UNSC in 2015-16. 
 
 
 
Haiti 
 
------ 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) The ambassador thanked Vaz for Uruguay's contributions to 
MINUSTAH and to the wider relief effort in Haiti, and noted in a 
private aside that U.S. officials have expressed a degree of 
concern about stories in the Uruguayan press that questioned the 
U.S. role there.    Vaz replied that he thinks the problem has more 
to do with editors looking for sensational headlines than anything 
else, and stressed that both the current and incoming governments 
are committed to helping Haiti and appreciate the U.S. role there. 
Noting Uruguay's past work on behalf of Haiti and continuing 
contributions, including the planned dispatch of an additional 157 
troops (reftel), Vaz said that he hopes observers will look past 
the headlines to Uruguay's actions, which indicate excellent 
cooperation. 
 
 
 
UNASUR Summit and Role of the UN 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Vaz told the ambassador that Uruguay has three goals 	
heading into the UNASUR summit February 9 in Quito: the 	
reaffirmation of the Haitian government's control of the relief 	
operation, and the UN's coordination of that effort	 the promotion 
of a plan whereby UNASUR nations pledge a contribution to Haiti of 	
one U.S. dollar per citizen	 and the passage of a measure obliging 
the UNASUR secretariat to compile a list of all relief supplies 	
member nations are willing to commit to Haiti.  Uruguay is not in 	
favor of the establishment of a regional mechanism for providing 	
assistance, as it would simply be a complication.  As coordinator 	
of the Friends of Haiti group at the UN and as an important part of 	
the MINUSTAH peacekeeping mission, Uruguay believes the UN is the 	
key to coordination of assistance and reconstruction.  Uruguay 	
wants to be part of the subsequent development effort as well, Vaz 	
said.   Although many countries will be sending heads of state to 	
the UNASUR summit, Vaz told the ambassador that Uruguay's 	
representation would be at a much lower level.  MFA Vice Minister 
Nelson Fernandez is scheduled to attend.  Ambassador Nelson asked 
Vaz whether Haiti would be the only item on the summit's agenda, 
and while Vaz said he did not think there would be time for 
anything else, he also cautioned that UNASUR summits were 
unpredictable. 
 
 
 
Pathways to Prosperity 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador reminded Vaz of the upcoming Pathways 
ministerial, scheduled for March 3 in San Jose.  Vaz indicated that 	
the timing might make Uruguayan participation difficult, as 	
Uruguay's new government is sworn in March 1, but he stressed that 	
Uruguay is interested in making a real contribution to Pathways. 	
He and the ambassador agreed that Uruguay's success with its 	
one-laptop-per-child commitment means its natural focus should be 	
 in helping other countries with their own programs

DCM Matthewman 
suggested Uruguay organize a seminar for other countries.  Perhaps 	
to demonstrate that Uruguay is not simply a one-trick pony with 	
regard to Pathways, Vaz mentioned that Uruguay has begun working 	
with El Salvador on small business incubation. 	
Nelson