CABLEGATE: T&T RELUCTANT TO CRITICIZE EITHER VENEZUELA OR IRAN

Reference ID
07PORTOFSPAIN518

Created
2007-05-24 21:43

Released
2007-05-24 21:43

Classification
CONFIDENTIAL

Origin
Embassy Port Of Spain

.........................................................................

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSP #0518/01 1442143
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 242143Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8231
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0028
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3669
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0284
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0044
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0132
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0070

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 000518

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM ETTC UNSC IR VZ PM AR TD
SUBJECT: T&T RELUCTANT TO CRITICIZE EITHER VENEZUELA OR IRAN

REF: A. SECSTATE 61378

¶B. SECSTATE 67462

Classified By: DCM, Eugene P. Sweeney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In response to Ambassador Austin's demarche
on the expanding relationship between Venezuela and Iran,
Foreign Minister Piggott was strictly neutral, saying that
T&T is primarily interested in the maintenance of peace and
the solution of all conflicts through dialogue. He implied
that, as a small country, T&T has to be careful of being
potentially trampled by the elephants on either side of it.
The embassy view is that, for the foreseeable future, T&T
will not criticize Venezuela and will continue to be engaged
only on issues it perceives to be of direct relevance or
tangible benefit to it. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (C) Ambassador Austin selectively delivered the points
presented in Ref A, on May 22, in a meeting with Minister of
Foreign Affairs Arnold Piggott. In addition, he summarized
the points contained in Ref. B for the minister and asked him
to review them more closely after the meeting. The
Ambassador told Piggott that, in view of our bilateral
efforts to stem the tide of transnational crime and terrorism
and in view of T&T,s participation in overall hemispheric
initiatives against crime and terrorism, the GOTT would do
well to voice its concern over the clear threat posed to the
international community by the expanding military, economic
and diplomatic relationship between Venezuela and Iran.

¶3. (C) In particular, the Ambassador highlighted the fact
that Venezuela, Syria and Cuba were the only countries which
supported Iran when the IAEA voted to refer to the Security
Council the matter of Iran,s noncompliance with IAEA,s
demands that it cease its nuclear enrichment activities. He
further pointed to Venezuela,s illegal transfer of F-5
aircraft engines to Iran for refurbishment, and said that the
construction of an unmanned aerial vehicle for use by
Venezuela ought to raise concerns in T&T with respect to its
maritime border with Venezuela. Finally, the Ambassador
suspected that Iran would be using the new air link between
Caracas, Damascus and Tehran to transport more than just
tourists and legitimate business people, and that the $2
billion fund for the promotion of &revolutionary thought8
is not intended for use inside Venezuela and Iran.

------------------
PIGGOTT'S RESPONSE
------------------

¶4. (C) Piggott listened but then expounded on T&T,s
commitment to peaceful coexistence with Venezuela and its
aspiration for peace in the world. He said that, as a small
state, T&T,s best interests are served by not interfering in
the affairs of other states, not engaging in war and not
supporting states that do engage in war. He reminded the
Ambassador that, at one time, relations between T&T and
Venezuela were difficult but that T&T,s first Prime Minister
Dr. Eric Williams worked hard to regularize them. Piggott
emphasized that T&T,s principal bilateral objective with
Venezuela is an MOU on the monetization of the cross-border
gas reserves and the liquefaction of that gas for export.
Piggott did assure the Ambassador that, although Venezuela
has &its own ethos and program8, T&T will never abandon its
bedrock doctrine of democracy and good governance.

¶5. (C) Piggott made some attempts at sanitizing Hugo
Chavez,s image and pointed out what he thought was a double
standard in US foreign policy. He said that Chavez has
concluded oil deals which are beneficial to local communities
in the US, that the US has itself begun to engage in dialogue
with Iran, and that the US has not yet resolved the Luis
Posada Carriles situation. In response, the Ambassador
reminded Piggott that, whether in his actions toward the
people of the United States or in his policies toward the
Caribbean, Chavez is not motivated by altruism but rather by
a desire to expand his influence beyond his borders while
diminishing that of the US government and weakening the
strength of Caricom. As for Posada Carriles, the Ambassador
reminded Piggott that those who criticize the US in this
matter simply do not understand that US courts are
independent and that the US Government must comply with
judicial orders.

¶6. (C) COMMENT: The Ambassador,s meeting with Piggott
illustrated once more T&T,s narrow view of its interests in
the international arena. For the US to engage T&T,s
cooperation, the issue has to be of direct relevance and
tangible benefit to T&T. Most importantly, T&T will not
criticize Venezuela and risk jeopardizing its hoped for deal
on the cross border gas fields. The exploitation of these
fields has become a top GOTT priority.

¶7. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: T&T respects the military and
economic power of the US and admires its education system.
However, it jealously guards its independence and is as wary
of undue US influence as it is of Venezuelan influence.
Piggott told the Ambassador: &any mistake that Venezuela
makes or any mistake that the US makes is likely to become
our mistake8. For the foreseeable future, US attempts to
engage T&T,s attention on wider global conflicts will likely
fail. The only exception might be those occasions when T&T
can hide behind a united Caricom front. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare