Classified By: Ambassador Clifford M. Sobel, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (C) Summary. Iran, Russia, and Venezuela are involved
in an open and growing collaboration with a common purpose to
make more arms available to radical populist governments and
spread anti-American ideology in the region, according to the
chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and National Defense
committee. He is "truly concerned" and urges the USG to be
more engaged "before it is too late." The chairman said
presidential foreign policy adviser Marco Aurelio Garcia
strongly recommended Ahmadinejad visit Brazil. Chairman
Fortes surmised that Foreign Minister Celso Amorim was less
receptive to the visit. Fortes noted that with the
increasing wealth of oil-producing states, there are some
that will support Russian arms purchases, and in
conversation, the Deputy Minister alluded that perhaps
Ecuador and even Brazil could become beneficiaries. End
summary.
¶1. (C) Summary. Iran, Russia, and Venezuela are involved
in an open and growing collaboration with a common purpose to
make more arms available to radical populist governments and
spread anti-American ideology in the region, according to the
chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and National Defense
committee. He is "truly concerned" and urges the USG to be
more engaged "before it is too late." The chairman said
presidential foreign policy adviser Marco Aurelio Garcia
strongly recommended Ahmadinejad visit Brazil. Chairman
Fortes surmised that Foreign Minister Celso Amorim was less
receptive to the visit. Fortes noted that with the
increasing wealth of oil-producing states, there are some
that will support Russian arms purchases, and in
conversation, the Deputy Minister alluded that perhaps
Ecuador and even Brazil could become beneficiaries. End
summary.