Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS216
2006-01-12 16:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRENCH CONCERNED WITH DUVALIER PASSPORT ISSUANCE

Tags:  PREL PGOV KDEM FR HA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #0216 0121629
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121629Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3039
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1454
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1123
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 1866
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 0583
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0313
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000216
SIPDIS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM FR HA
SUBJECT: FRENCH CONCERNED WITH DUVALIER PASSPORT ISSUANCE
REF: STATE 3121

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000216
SIPDIS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM FR HA
SUBJECT: FRENCH CONCERNED WITH DUVALIER PASSPORT ISSUANCE
REF: STATE 3121

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Deputy PolCouns delivered reftel demarche January 12
to DAS-equivalent for Mexico, Central America, and the
Caribbean Pierre-Alain Coffinier, who said that the French
Embassy in Washington had also appraised him of the issue.
He stated that the GoF understood and shared our "political"
concern that Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier might use a
diplomatic passport to return to Haiti.


2. (C) Coffinier indicated that he had contacted the
Interior Ministry and was convinced Jean-Claude Duvalier does
not have legal status in France. Although the GoF was
exploring options for preventing Baby Doc from traveling, it
would be difficult to do so in practice if he was in
possession of a valid passport, which Coffinier assumed would
be provided by the Haitian Embassy in Paris. Another issue,
he noted, was that the GoF does not normally prevent
foreigners from leaving the country, particularly ones that
might be present illegally.


3. (C) Coffinier underlined that the GoF was concerned about
the situation, but did not have any immediate solutions to
keep him from leaving; the MFA is working with the Interior
Ministry to come up with a coordinated response.


4. (C) Deputy PolCouns noted that the simplest solution
would be for the GoF to help convince the IGoH not to issue
the passport. Coffinier said that the GoF had not approached
the IGoH on the subject. He called this "a new element" that
he would take into account in GoF thinking.
Please visit Paris´ Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Stapleton