MEETING WITH DUARTE: APRIL 18

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2011
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: April 19, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
ALA/MC/N
INCOMING
SFCREI
IMMFC,I,1,TE
86 061563? SSO PAGE 001 NC 0615639
TOR. 1923577 APR 86 SAN SA 05363
-------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
00 RUEAIIE
ZN'` SSSSS ZOC STATE 77e
STU3662
00 RUEHC RUEHLL
DE RUEHSN 95363/01 1091630
7N'? SSSSS 77H
0 1916287 APR 86
FM AMEMBASS'i SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC,SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2222
INFO RUEHLL,CONTADORA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
ET
SALVADOR 05363
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, ES, XK, NU
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH DUARTE: APRIL 18
2. SUMMAR?: DUARTE BELIEVES THAT NICARAGUA WILL NOT
SIGN A CONTADORA AGREEMENT AND HE INTENDS TO PURSUE THE
POLITICAL ADVANTAGE B' CONTINUING TO PRESS DEMOCRATI-
ZATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE OTHER DEMOCRACIES. HE
SEES COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA, AND PANAMA AS MORE HELPFUL
CURRENTL' TO THE DEMOCRACIES THAN THE SUPPORT GROUP
COUNTRIES. THE LATTER ARE MORE INTENT ON THE "ORIGINAL
CONTADORA CONCEPT -- LIMITING U.S. INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL
AMERICA." HE BELIEVES ARGENTINA, URUGUAY, AND EVEN
PERU ARE SALVAGEABLE, HOWEVER, IF APPROACHED SO AS NOT
TO AROUSE THEIR "ANTI-IMPERIALIST" BENT -- WHICH IS
EMOTIONAL WITH THE ARGENTINES AND URUGUAYANS, IDEOLOGI-
CAL WITH THE PERUVIANS. I CAUTIONED THAT THE SANDI-
NISTAS MAY BE FEIGNING OPPOSITION TO A CONTADORA AGREE-
MENT AND URGED DUARTE NOT TO NEGLECT SUBSTANCE. I
STRESSED THAT A GOOD AGREEMENT MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE,
VERIFIABLE, AND SIMULTANEOUS. DUARTE AGREED. DUARTE
WAS UNAWARE THAT THE GUATEMALANS MAY HAVE BACKED OFF
THEIR PROPOSAL TO DELAY ELECTIONS FOR A CENTRAL AMERICAN
PARLIAMENT UNTIL A SECOND STAGE. HE NOTES THAT GUATEMALA
WANTS A FOREIGN POLICY SUCCESS AT ESOUIPULAS AND THAT
NICARAGUA HAS OBTAINED LEVERAGE BY THREATENING TO PULL
OUT. HOWEVER, THE GUATEMALANS HAD JOINED THE OTHER
DEMOCRACIES IN A JOINT STATEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENTS
EARLIER IN THE DAY IN COSTA RICA, A GOOD SIGN. END
SUMMARY.
3. AMBASSADOR CORR AND I HAD A LONG, SUBSTANTIVE TALK
ON CONTADORA AND RELATED ISSUES OVER DINNER WITH
PRESIDENT DUARTE APRIL 18. DUARTE'S CONTADORA TEAM
WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY; HE BROUGHT HIS CLOSEST POLITI-
CAL ADVISERS INSTEAD: MINISTER OF CULTURE REY PRENDES:
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
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36 G615639 SSO PAGE 002 NC 0615639
TOR: 192357Z APR 86 SAN SA 05363
HIS SON ALEJANDRO; SAN SALVADOR MAYOR MORALES ERHLICH;
AND GUEVARA-LACAYO, PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY. EMBASSY STAFF AND MY PARTY WERE ALSO PRESENT.
4. DUARTE RESPONDED AT LENGTH TO MY REQUEST THAT HE
EXPLAIN HOW HE SEES CONTADORA AND WHERE IT IS GOING.
HE SEES THE CARABALLEDA MESSAGE OF LAST JANUARY AS
HAVING NEARLY RETURNED THE PROCESS TO CONTADORA'S
"ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF LIMITING U.S. INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL
AMERICA." FOR THIS HE BLAMES THE SUPPORT GROUP COUN-
TRIES -- WHERE "ANTI-IMPERIALISM" RUNS STRONG. IT
WAS COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA, AND EVEN PANAMA THAT HAD GOTTEN
CONTADORA BACK ON TRACK AT THE LAST CONTADORA MEETING.
HE SEES THE SUPPORT GROUP COUNTRIES AS HAVING ALMOST
TAKEN CONTADORA OVER AND IS VISITING URUGUAY, ARGENTINA,
AND PERU NEXT MONTH TO COUNTER NICARAGUAN EFFORTS. HE
PLANS TO SELL SALVADORAN DEMOCRACY, NOT TO BASH
NICARAGUA. CRITICIZING NICARAGUA WOULD RISK RUNNING
AFOUL OF SOUTH AMERICAN ANTI-IMPERIALISM, AN EMOTIONAL
BENT IN THE ARGENTINES AND URUGUAYANS, AN IDEOLOGICAL
TENET WITH THE PERUVIANS. DESPITE THE RISKS, HE SEES
THE TRIP AS WORTH MAKING BECAUSE ALL THREE PRESIDENTS
ARE GENUINELY DEMOCRATIC -- "EVEN GARCIA.,,
5. DUARTE SEES NICARAGUA'S REFUSAL TO SIGN A CONTADORA
AGREEMENT AS A COMBINATION OF SOVIET AND CUBAN INFLUENCE
AND SANDINISTA COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY. HE IS CONVINCED
THAT IF THE CENTRAL AMERICANS KEEP UP THE PRESSURE ON
DEMOCRATIZATION THE NICARAGUANS WILL NEVER SIGN. EL
SALVADOR IS READY TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT, AND MAY GO AHEAD
AND SIGN ONE JUNE 6 WHATEVER NICARAGUA DOES. I COUN-
SELED CAUTION. NICARAGUA COULD WELL CHANGE ITS POSI-
TION WHEN IT HAS GOTTEN WHAT IT WANTS IN THE AGREEMENT -
AN OLD COMMUNIST TACTIC. THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT IT WOULD
TAKE TO OBTAIN A GOOD AGREEMENT SHOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED,
I SAID. WHAT WE MEAN BY A GOOD AGREEMENT IS THAT IT
MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE. VERIFIABLE, AND SIMULTANEOUS.
DUARTE AGREED. HE SAID THAT IF THE NICARAGUANS SUDDENLY
SHOWED INTEREST IN CONCLUDING AN AGREEMENT, EL SALVADOR
WOULD SAY "FINE. NOW LET'S DISCUSS WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO
MAKE AN AGREEMENT WORK." EL SALVADOR WILL NOT LET
NICARAGUA WEAKEN SECURITY AND OTHER PROVISIONS, HE
ADDED. THERE WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE VERY CAREFULLY
WORKED OUT "MECHANISMS" AND VERIFICATION PROCEDURES.
6. DUARTE AT SEVERAL POINTS EXPRESSED DOUBT ABOUT
GUATEMALA'S SOLIDARITY WITH THE OTHER DEMOCRACIES. HE
S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 SAN SALVADOR 05363
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL. ES, XK, NU
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH DUARTE: APRIL 18
SAID THE FOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN VICE PRESIDENTS HAD MET
JUST THAT DAY IN SAN JOSE (ON THE MONGE INITIATIVE)
AND SIGNED A JOINT STATEMENT THAT CONTINUED THE RECENT
EMPHASIS ON DEMOCRATIZATION AS KEY TO PEACE. THE
GUATEMALAN HAD BEEN NERVOUS ABOUT SIGNING, BECAUSE
NICARAGUA HAS THREATENED TO PULL OUT OF THE ESQUIPULAS
SUMMIT IF THE OTHERS GANG UP ON IT. DUARTE WAS UNAWARE
THAT THE GUATEMALANS (ACCORDING TO WHAT CEREZO TOLD US)
MAY HAVE BACKED OFF THEIR PROPOSAL TO APPOINT RATHER
THAN ELECT MEMBERS OF A CENTRAL AMERICAN PARLIAMENT.
HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE GUIDELINES THAT GUATEMALA
RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC ALONG THOSE LINES REPRESENTED
GUATEMALA'S POSITION. IT WAS NOT A CONSENSUS DOCU-
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9
SECRET
86 ('61563C 550 PAGE 00-' NC 061563?
TOP: 1223577 APR 86 SAN SA ('5363
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MENT. EL SALVADOR AND THE OTHERS WOULD CONTINUE TO
PRESS FOR INITIAL. DIRECT ELECTIONS. A PARLIAMENT
WITHOUT NICARAGUA IS A POSSIPILIT,, GUEVARO-LAMA-O
SAIP.
ON THE ES(--)UIPULAS SUMMIT. DUARTE TOLD US THAT THE
GUATEMALAN BISHOP IS INVITING HIS FOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN
COLLEAGUES (06ANDO Y BRAVO IN THE CASE OF NICARAGUAI
TO ESi)UIPULAS. HE SAID THE CONTRA ISSUE WILL BE KEPT
OFF THE AGENDA. HE HAS DEFENDED ITS EXCLUSION ON THE
GROUNDS THAT IF THE CENTRAL AMERICANS CAN FIND TPEIP
OWN SOLUTION TO THEIR INTERNAL POLITICAL CRISIS. THEN
THE PROBLEM OF FOREIGN INTERFERENCE WILL BE EAS' TO
TAKE CARE OF. HE SAYS THIS LINE APPEALS TO CEREZ_O
AND WILL BE ADOPTED Br THE FOUR.
8. COMMENT: I TOLD DUARTE THAT HE HAS OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT
THROUGH THE ISSUES AND IS FOLLOWING A SOPHISTICATED
STRATEGY. IT COMPLEMENTS U.S. POLICY NICELY. I ADDED.
HOWEVER. THAT IT IS A STRATEGY HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON
CENTRAL AMERICAN UNITY AND CAUTIONED SEVERAL TIMES
AGAINST COMPLACENCY ON SECURITY ISSUES AND NICARAGUAN
INTENTIONS. I MENTIONED THAT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR
OUR CONTADORA STAFFS TO COMPARE NOTES AGAIN. AS THEN
HAVE IN THE PAST, ON PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT DRAFT
ALTA. HE READILY AGREED.
CORR
END OF MESSAGE SECRET
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950016-9