SURINAME: NO LIKELY HUMANITARIAN AID FOR HAITI

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000225

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - MSEIBEL, HAITI MONITORING TASK FORCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL EAID NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: NO LIKELY HUMANITARIAN AID FOR HAITI

REF: STATE 52611

PER REFTEL, THE EMBASSY MET WITH TERENCE CRAIG, THE MINISTRY
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AMERICAS DIVISION HEAD, ON MARCH 11 TO
CONVEY THE U.S. CALL TO INTERNATIONALIZE HUMANITARIAN AID
FOR HAITI. AS EXPECTED, CRAIG REFRAINED FROM PROVIDING A
RESPONSE ON THE MATTER; HE EXPLAINED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAS
NOT DISCUSSED ITS POLICY TOWARD HAITI IN GREAT DETAIL AS IT
HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY OTHER MATTERS -- GUYANA'S RECENT
DECISION TO TAKE SURINAME TO COURT OVER THE ONGOING MARITIME
BORDER DISPUTE, THE RECENT STATE VISIT BY PRESIDENT
VENETIAAN TO CHINA, AND PREPARATIONS FOR BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT
LULA'S UPCOMING VISIT TO SURINAME. TO ILLUSTRATE THIS
POINT, CRAIG NOTED THAT SURINAME WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE
MARCH 3-4 CARICOM EMERGENCY MEETING IN JAMAICA TO DISCUSS
THE HAITI SITUATION. STILL, CRAIG INDICATED THAT HIS
GOVERNMENT FACES FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND WOULD BE HARD-
PRESSED TO OFFER FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HAITIAN REFUGEES, BUT
DID NOT SPECULATE ON WHAT OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE SURINAME
COULD OFFER AT THIS TIME. HE PROMISED TO INFORM THE EMBASSY
OF SURINAME'S RESPONSE TO THE U.S. CALL TO INTERNATIONALIZE
HUMANITARIAN AID FOR HAITI AT A LATER DATE.

FAUCHER

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