UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 OI IGIN ARA-16 INFO OCT-OO 052 R STATE ADS-OO 123749 INR-10 EUR-12 SS-10 E6 RELEASED IN FULL Mf 10-01 SIG-03 DRAFTED BY FWG JWSWIGERT APPROVED BY ARA TOENDERS ARA AND SBLOCK ARA BR LKILDAY ARA EEBRIGGS INR IAA WLOFSTROM ARA PPC LREINAUDI P DJOHNSON FWG RESERVICE USOAS PJOHNSON ------------------047104 080553Z 22 o 070246Z MAY 82 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO ALL AMERICAN REPUBLIC DIPLOMATIC POSTS IMMEDIATE INFO ALL NATO CAPITALS IMMEDIATE USSOUTHCOM IMMEDIATE USCINCLANT IMMEDIATE CON F IDE N T I A L STATE 123749 COR R E C TED COP Y TEXT FOR VENEZUELA B O 12065 RDS-1 5-6-02 ENDERS T O TAGS AR UK FA US SUBJECT LATIN AMERICAN REACTION TO SOUTH ATLANTIC CRISIS 1 C - ENTIRE TEXT 2 SuMMARY POPULAR OPINION THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA HAS SUPPORTED ARGENTINA'S CLAIM TO THE FALKLAND MALVINAS IS TDS BUT HEMISPHERE GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 STATE 123749 TO LEGITIMIZE THE USE OF FORCE WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF US SUPPORT FOR THE UK APRIL 30 AND THE SINKING OF GENERAL BELGRANO MAY 2 LATIN SENTIMENT FOR ARGENTINA HAS SOLIDIFIED THE ANGLO-ARGENTINE CONFLICT HAS DIVIDED SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES FROM THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CARIBBEAN JEOPARDIZED THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM PROVIDED CUBA THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPAIR RELATIONS WITH ARGENTINA AND ADOPT THE MANTLE OF LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY IGNITED UN TED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY JOHN L MILLS DATE CASE ill 11 JUL 2006 200502677 UNCLASSIFIED NATIONALIST FEELINGS THROUGHOUT THE HEMISPHERE AND RE VIVED LATENT ANTI-AMERICANISM WHICH HAS YET TO ERUPT WIDELY IN PUBLIC BUT IS SIMMERING BENEATH THE SURFACE OFFICIAL CRITICISM OF THE US SO FAR PUBLICLY HAS BEEN RESTRAINED EXCEPT NOTABLY VENEZUELA NICARAGUA AND PERU A COMPENDIUM OF LATIN AMERICAN REACTIONS BY COUNTRY FOLLOWS FYI WE ARE CONSIDERING A NUMBER OF ACTIONS TO REAFFIRM US COMM ITMENT TO HEMISPHERIC SOLIDARITY 3 RECENT LATIN AMERICAN REACTION BY COUNTRY UNCLASSIFIED BRAZIL FOLLOWING THE US ANNOUNCEMENT APRIL 30 BRAZIL SENT AN APPEAL TO THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL FOR THE UN TO n TAKE PROMPT AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES n TO IMPLEMENT UN RESOLUTION 502 n IN ALL ITS ASPECTS n A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BRAZILIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REFUSED TO COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE CHANGE IN THE US POSITION BUT LINKED US MEASURES TOWARD ARGENTINA TO SANCTIONS ADOPTED BY OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH BRAZIL DEPLORES PRIVATELY BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE VOICED THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT AND CONCERN WITH THE DEGREE AND EXTENT OF THE US TILT TOWARD GREAT BRITAIN WHILE MAINTAINING OFFICIAL NEUTRALITY BRAZIL ITSELF HAS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 STATE 123749 TILTED TOWARD ARGENTINA AND HAS RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO AN' ARGENTINE REQUlj ST TO PURCHASE PATROL AIRCRAFT --CHILE FOREIGN MINISTER ROJAS HAS PUBLICLY REAFFIRMED CHILE'S NEUTRALITY IN THE DISPUTE CHILE'S DEFENSE MINISTER CONFIRMED PUBLICLY MAY 4 THAT AT ARGENTINA'S REQUEST CHILE WAS ASSISTING IN RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR THE CREW OF THE BELGRANO PRESS REPORTS QUOTED CHILE'S AMBASSADOR TO ARGENTINA AS REASSURING THE ARGENTINE PEOPLE THAT ARGENTINA n HAS ITS BACK GUARDED BY A FIRM AND LOYAL CHILEAN ATTITUDE n HE ALSO REPORTEDLY ASSURED THAT CHILE WOULD NOT SEEK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CRISIS IN ANY OTHER AREA IN PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS HERE AND IN SANTIAGO THE CHILEANS HAVE SOUGHT TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING ON OUR PART OF THEIR OWN FRUSTRATION OVER YEARS OF INCONCLUSIVE TALKS WITH ARGENTINA OVER THE BEAGLE CHANNEL AND OF EXASPERATION WITH ARGENTINE 11 INTRANSIGENCE n THEY SAY THEY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE UK WORRY OVER WHAT A-VICTORIOUS ARGENTINA MIGHT ATTEMPT AS WELL AS OVER WHAT DEFEAT WOULD IMPLY FOR FUTURE ARGENTINE-CHILEAN RELATIONS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED COLOMBIA THE soc REl -iIAINS SUPPORTIVE OF U s MEDIATION OR ANY OTHER AVENUE FOR A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT T E GOC SUPPORTS ARGENTINA'S CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY BUT PUBLICLY REJECTS ARGENTINA'S RESORT TO FORCE THERE IS A MOOD OF DETACHED CONCERN OVER ARGENTINA'S HANDLING OF THE AFFAIR COLOMBIA'S POSITION IS DRIVEN BY CONCERN ABOUT NICARAGUA'S CLAIMS TO SAN ANDRES AND BY THE NEED TO OPPOSE FIRST USE OF FORCE TO SOLVE TERRITORIAL CONFLICTS -- COSTA RICA APRIL 30 FOREIGN MINISTER NIEHAUS TOLD OUR EMBASSY OF HIS GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF OUR ACTION ON THE HEMISPHERE AND US RELATIONS WITH IT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 STATE 123749 HE PREDICTED THAT THE US WOULD COME UNDER A STORM OF PROTEST FROM LATIN AMERICA EDITORIAL REACTION HAS FOCUSSED PRIMARILY ON BRITAIN'S USE OF FORCE OUTGOING PRESIDENT CARAZO ANNOUNCED MAY 4 THAT HE HAS SENT A LETTER TO PRESIDENTS OF OAS MEMBER COUNTRIES CITING US PARTIALITY ON THE MALVINAS AND RECOMMENDING THAT OAS HEADQUARTERS BE MOVED FROM WASHINGTON THE INCOMING MONGE ADMINISTRATION IS EXPECTED TO ISSUE A STATEMENT ON THE FALKLANDS NEXT WEEK -- CUBA MAY 1 GOC COMMUNIQUE CONDEMNS UK SUPPORTS ARGENTINA AND CALLS FOR LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY THE STATEMENT SUGGESTED THAT U S SUPPORT FOR THE UK MEANT THE END OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ STATED IN A LE MONDE INTERVIEW PUBLISHED MAY 6 THAT CUBA IS PREPARED TO AID ARGENTINA THROUGH ALL MEANS INCLUDING MILITARY -- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GODR OFFICIALS TOLD OUR EMBASSY MAY 5 THAT THE GODR POSITION TOWARD RECONVENING THE 20TH MFM REMAINS THE SAME UN AND OAS EFFORTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT A HALT OF FIGHTING AND INITIATION OF NEGOTIATIONS RATHER THAN PREMATURE ACTION SUCH AS RESUMPTION OF 20TH MFM -- ECUADOR FOREIGN MINISTER VALENCIA ISSUED A STATEMENT APRIL 30 EXPRESSING DEEP CONCERN OVER US MEASURES TOWARD ARGENTINA WHICH HE SAID CONSTITUTE DISREGARD FOR THE COMMITJ 1ENT THE US ASSUMED DURING HE ANNOUNCED THAT URGENT CONSULTATIONS THE 20TH MFM WERE BEING UNDERTAKEN WITH OTHER LATIN AMERICAN UNCLASSIFIED COUNTRIES A SENIOR FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL PRIVATELY FORESAW PROFOUND CONSEQuENCES FOR THE INTERCONFIDENTIAL PAGE 05 UNCLASSIFIED STATE 123749 AMERICAN SYSTEM RESULTING FROM THE US ACTION ANOTHER FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT MAY 2 AGAIN EXPRESSED SOLIDARITY WITH ARGENTINA AND REJECTED NEW COLONIAL AGGRESSION ON THE PART OF THE UK AT LEAST PRIOR TO THE SINKING OF THE BELGRANO HARSH MEDIA REACTION TO THE US SHIFT WAS LARGELY ABSENT FOREIGN MINISTER VALENCIA TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE MAY 5 THAT THE INTERAMERICAN SYSTEM HAS BEEN WEAKENED HE PROPOSED A MEDIATING CO MMITTEE MADE UP OF COUNTRIES OF THE CONTINENT TO COOPERATE DIRECTLY WITH ARGENTINA AND GREAT BRITAIN TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT -- GUATEMALA FOREIGN MINISTER LIMA TOLD OUR EMBASSY APRIL 30 THAT THE U S POSITION WAS VERY CLEAR AND THAT IN LIGHT OF USG ACTIONS ARGENTINA SHOULD STOP AND CAREFULLY MEDITATE ON WHAT IT WAS GOING TO DO NOW BUT LIMA TOLD PRESS MAY 3 THAT THE US MILITARY AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS BREAK IN A SERIOUS MANNER THE NATURE AND ESSENCE OF THE OAS RIGHT WING PARTY LEADER MARIO SANDOVAL SENT A TELEGRAM TO PRESIDENT REAGAN COMPLAINING OF THE DEPARTMENT 'S INCREDIBLY STUPID POLICY JUNTA MEMBER MALDONADO SCHAAD TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE HE THOUGHT THAT THE USG SHOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL IN WHAT HE SAW AS A CONFLICT BETWEEN OUR NATO AND OAS COMMITMENTS THAT THE USG HAD EXHIBITED GOOD INTENTIONS THROUGH SECRETARY HAIG I S EFFORTS BUT THAT GUATEMALA WOULD SUPPORT ARGENTINA COMPLETELY AND MIGHT CONSIDER SENDING A TOKEN MILITARY CONTINGENT OUR EMBASSY REPORTS THAT THE JUNTA IS UNDER PRESSURE TO ADOPT A MORE RADICAL STAND -- MEXICO THE GOM HAS CRITICIZED BOTH ARGENTINA AND THE UK WHILE SUPPORTING ARGENTINE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE ISLANDS BUT ATTITUDES WHILE STILL AMBIGUOUS ARE BEGINNING TO CHANGE WITH AN INCREASE IN ANTI-IMPERIALIST SENTIMENT FOLLOWING THE SINKING OF THE BELGRANO AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 06 STATE 123749 US SUPPORTORGANIZATION CREATED FOREIGN MINISTER ZAMBRANO ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT APRIL 30 CLAIMING THAT THE US SHIFT - BREAKS DOWN INTER-AMERICAN RELATIONS UNCLASSIFIED -' COULD VERY LIKELY ENCOURAGE AGGRESSION REFLECTS A BIASED POSITION UNCLASSIFIED HE ADDED THAT THE GOV IS PREPARED TO CARRY OUT ANY NECESSARY CONSULTATON ON THE POSSIBILITY OF REORIENTATING THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM IN LINE WITH LATIN AMERICAN INTERESTS PRESIDENT HERRERA TOLD REPORTERS MAY 3 THAT VENEZUELA WOULD STUDY IN EVERY INSTANCE EVERY TYPE OF REQUEST ARGENTINA ASKS OF VENEZUELA HE LSO DENIED PRESS REPORTS THAT THE GOV HAS ALREADY SENT SPARE PARTS AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO ARGENTINA HAIG NOTE BY OC T ORIGINAL DISTRIBTUION ARA INR SS EUR NSC-$ CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 09 STATE 123749 POLI SSO-$ READ SAL ACDA ANAD ADS IO 16 CONFIDENTIAL END OF DOCUMENT UNCLASSIFIED