Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRIDGETOWN1896
2006-10-27 17:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bridgetown
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL MEETING WITH FOREIGN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0014 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #1896/01 3001712 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271712Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3590 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1541 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0086 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001896
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND S/WE-AMB. TAHIR-KHELI
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC UNSC ETRD KWMN BB XL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL MEETING WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER MILLER
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001896
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND S/WE-AMB. TAHIR-KHELI
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC UNSC ETRD KWMN BB XL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL MEETING WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER MILLER
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: On October 25, Ambassador Kramer met with
Barbados' Foreign Minister Miller. They discussed
U.S.-Barbadian relations, the continued deadlock over the
GRULAC UN Security Council Seat, and planning for Caribbean
Heritage Month celebrations in 2007. End Summary.
"Things are Looking Up"
--------------
2. (U) In her last official farewell meeting, Ambassador
Kramer called on Barbados' Foreign Minister, Dame Billie
Miller. Dame Billie thanked Ambassador Kramer for three
years of hard work which has resulted in a "genuine
reengagement" and noted that her CARICOM colleagues were
equally pleased with the state of U.S. relations with the
region and the assistance the United States has provided.
Dame Billie also spoke enthusiastically about the two events
hosted by Secretary Rice on the margins of UNGA in September.
She called Secretary Rice's meeting with CARICOM Foreign
Ministers a "most excellent meeting" and the Women's
Empowerment Strategy Session "extraordinary." On Women's
Empowerment, Dame Billie expressed strong hope that Secretary
Rice's initiative will be carried forward.
3. (U) Noting that the United States was the region's largest
trading partner, Dame Billie applauded the U.S. initiative to
revive the Trade and Investment Committee (TIC) and
encouraged strong private sector participation. Ambassador
Kramer agreed that the TIC could provide an impetus for even
closer commercial ties between the United States and the
region. As an example of the entrepreneurial potential that
exists in the region, Ambassador Kramer mentioned a recent
collaboration between a Barbados manufacturer of solar water
heaters and U.S. developers of subsidized housing in Palm
Beach, Florida.
4. (U) Dame Billie was also pleased by the prospect of
arranging some highly visible events during the celebration
of Caribbean Heritage Month in June 2007. She briefed
Ambassador Kramer on the region's efforts to organize a
conference on the Caribbean that would include academics,
business leaders, and prominent members of the Caribbean
diaspora. While Dame Billie also expressed interest in
engaging with the insurance industry and other countries and
U.S. states affected by hurricanes, she acknowledged that
this is a sensitive issue and may not be popular in all
quarters.
UNSC Seat: A "Time-Out" for Venezuela Unlikely
-------------- --
5. (C) Although she admitted that in similar cases the
country with fewer votes would normally withdraw, Dame Billie
seemed resigned to the possibility that the deadlock over the
GRULAC UNSC seat could last for months. She thought it would
be best for GRULAC to find a consensus candidate, but
"consensus" was obviously the sticking point. With the
international community already losing interest in the issue,
she thought there would now be even less of an incentive for
GRULAC to do anything but wait. She offered jokingly that in
her family, one would have been sent to stand in a corner for
behavior such as Venezuela's. However, it was clear that
Barbados would do little to get Venezuela to take that much
needed time-out.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) That Dame Billie would welcome warmer relations with
the United States is indeed a sign of how much has changed in
the past three years thanks to Ambassador Kramer's leadership
and constructive engagement with the region. Dame Billie's
often strident criticism of the United States on issues
ranging from Iraq to Haiti to Article 98 has softened. She
seems less disposed to chafe at the notion that Barbados
lives "in the shadow of the United States," as she put it
during her meeting with Ambassador Kramer. Her more
conciliatory approach may also reflect the fact that Dame
Billie is nearing retirement. She has already announced that
she will not run again for her parliamentary seat, and if, as
is increasingly expected, Prime Minister Arthur calls early
elections, her term in the Ministry could come to an end
within the next few months.
KRAMER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND S/WE-AMB. TAHIR-KHELI
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC UNSC ETRD KWMN BB XL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KRAMER'S FAREWELL MEETING WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER MILLER
Classified By: Ambassador Mary Kramer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: On October 25, Ambassador Kramer met with
Barbados' Foreign Minister Miller. They discussed
U.S.-Barbadian relations, the continued deadlock over the
GRULAC UN Security Council Seat, and planning for Caribbean
Heritage Month celebrations in 2007. End Summary.
"Things are Looking Up"
--------------
2. (U) In her last official farewell meeting, Ambassador
Kramer called on Barbados' Foreign Minister, Dame Billie
Miller. Dame Billie thanked Ambassador Kramer for three
years of hard work which has resulted in a "genuine
reengagement" and noted that her CARICOM colleagues were
equally pleased with the state of U.S. relations with the
region and the assistance the United States has provided.
Dame Billie also spoke enthusiastically about the two events
hosted by Secretary Rice on the margins of UNGA in September.
She called Secretary Rice's meeting with CARICOM Foreign
Ministers a "most excellent meeting" and the Women's
Empowerment Strategy Session "extraordinary." On Women's
Empowerment, Dame Billie expressed strong hope that Secretary
Rice's initiative will be carried forward.
3. (U) Noting that the United States was the region's largest
trading partner, Dame Billie applauded the U.S. initiative to
revive the Trade and Investment Committee (TIC) and
encouraged strong private sector participation. Ambassador
Kramer agreed that the TIC could provide an impetus for even
closer commercial ties between the United States and the
region. As an example of the entrepreneurial potential that
exists in the region, Ambassador Kramer mentioned a recent
collaboration between a Barbados manufacturer of solar water
heaters and U.S. developers of subsidized housing in Palm
Beach, Florida.
4. (U) Dame Billie was also pleased by the prospect of
arranging some highly visible events during the celebration
of Caribbean Heritage Month in June 2007. She briefed
Ambassador Kramer on the region's efforts to organize a
conference on the Caribbean that would include academics,
business leaders, and prominent members of the Caribbean
diaspora. While Dame Billie also expressed interest in
engaging with the insurance industry and other countries and
U.S. states affected by hurricanes, she acknowledged that
this is a sensitive issue and may not be popular in all
quarters.
UNSC Seat: A "Time-Out" for Venezuela Unlikely
-------------- --
5. (C) Although she admitted that in similar cases the
country with fewer votes would normally withdraw, Dame Billie
seemed resigned to the possibility that the deadlock over the
GRULAC UNSC seat could last for months. She thought it would
be best for GRULAC to find a consensus candidate, but
"consensus" was obviously the sticking point. With the
international community already losing interest in the issue,
she thought there would now be even less of an incentive for
GRULAC to do anything but wait. She offered jokingly that in
her family, one would have been sent to stand in a corner for
behavior such as Venezuela's. However, it was clear that
Barbados would do little to get Venezuela to take that much
needed time-out.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) That Dame Billie would welcome warmer relations with
the United States is indeed a sign of how much has changed in
the past three years thanks to Ambassador Kramer's leadership
and constructive engagement with the region. Dame Billie's
often strident criticism of the United States on issues
ranging from Iraq to Haiti to Article 98 has softened. She
seems less disposed to chafe at the notion that Barbados
lives "in the shadow of the United States," as she put it
during her meeting with Ambassador Kramer. Her more
conciliatory approach may also reflect the fact that Dame
Billie is nearing retirement. She has already announced that
she will not run again for her parliamentary seat, and if, as
is increasingly expected, Prime Minister Arthur calls early
elections, her term in the Ministry could come to an end
within the next few months.
KRAMER