FINLAND OFFERS TO SEND FOUR SHORT-TERM ELECTION

UNCLAS HELSINKI 001165 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/IFD/OFD, EUR/WE, AND WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN HA FI EUN SUBJECT: FINLAND OFFERS TO SEND FOUR SHORT-TERM ELECTION OBSERVERS TO HAITI REF: SECSTATE 155313 ¶1. On August 25 post delivered reftel talking points to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department for America and Asia Haiti desk officer Veikko Soralahti, North America Unit Counselor Anna Wickstrom-Noejgaard, and to the Unit for Humanitarian Assistance, urging Finland to use its voice in EU meetings to facilitate the reprogramming of EU funds to help meet Haiti's first half FY06 financing gap. Soralahti reported that Finland was working to unblock USD 87 million in development aid for Haiti, and support the Haitian Government's push towards democratization and good governance and the holding of legislative elections. ¶2. Soralahti, subsequently reported the success of the collective efforts to unblock the funds and added that Finland has now offered the EU to send four short term election observers to Haiti. All four Finns are fluent French speakers, Soralahti added. WERDERMAN