Haiti To Send Monitors to Bolivia if Funds

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 002946 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/AND and WHA/USOAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV HA SUBJECT: Haiti To Send Monitors to Bolivia if Funds Available REF: STATE 214591 ¶1. This is an action request, please see para 4. ¶2. After multiple attempts to reach interim Haitian Minister of Interior (MOI) Paul Magloire to deliver points in reftel, PolOff delivered demarche early November 30 to MOI Director General Wilner Cadet. Cadet was non-committal in his reply whether the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH) would be able to send observers to the December 18 elections in Bolivia. ¶3. Minister Magloire telephoned PolOff late November 30 and said the IGOH would indeed be interested in sending a bilateral delegation, but would need funding to field such a delegation (Note: Magloire did offer the IGOH would be willing to fund a portion of the costs, but due to the IGOH's own limited financial constraints, most of the delegation would have to be funded from elsewhere). Magloire said sending an observation mission would be "an ideal opportunity for members of civil society and political parties to gain experience" by traveling to Bolivia as Haiti prepares for its own elections. ¶4. Comment and Action Request: Haiti's first round of elections is scheduled January 8 and the independent Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) is on a strict timeline to ensure technical tasks are completed to avoid additional delays. It is unlikely CEP members could afford the time to travel to Bolivia. However, the non-government organization National Council of Observers (CNO) is currently training its own membership for the fast-approaching Haitian elections and may benefit from the experience, as would political parties and members of civil society the IGOH would invite as part of its bilateral delegation. Please advise if there is funding available (either from USG sources, Bolivia's National Electoral Court or the OAS mission on the ground) to assist the IGOH in fielding an electoral observation mission to the December 18 elections in Bolivia. Minister Magloire is traveling this weekend and needs a response soonest. End Comment and Action Request. KERST