POLICE CHIEF ANDRESOL NOMINATED FOR THREE MORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001073 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR DRL S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2011 TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM SNAR ASEC HA SUBJECT: POLICE CHIEF ANDRESOL NOMINATED FOR THREE MORE YEARS Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson for reason 1.4(b). ¶1. (C) President Preval on June 15 announced the nomination of current Haitian National Police (HNP) Director General Mario Andresol to continue in his position for three more years. The Senate must now approve the nomination by majority vote. The justice and security committee will begin examination of his nomination in the coming week. Andresol may face some scrutiny from senate President Joseph Lambert and justice and security committee President Youri Latortue, both of whom are widely believed to be involved in illegal activities. Bolstered by Preval's direct support, however, we expect Andresol to gain Senate approval. ¶2. (C) Since replacing Leon Charles as DG in summer, Andresol has gained the respect of rich and poor alike, as he has attempted to root out corruption within the force, improve performance, and combat a wave of kidnapping that peaked at the end of 2005, but shows signs of resurging. Andresol enjoys the confidence of Robert Manuel, Preval's closest advisor on police and security matters, and Rene Momplaisir, Preval's liaison to the poor masses -- and almost certainly at least some gang leaders -- in Cite Soleil. In cooperation with MINUSTAH political and disarmament officials, Andresol has also quietly entertained feelers from several gang leaders in Cite Soleil and other poor neighborhoods, notably Amaral Duclonat, who have expressed interest in some kind of truce with the HNP. Andresol also collaborated closely with UNPol commissioner Graham Muir in repairing the damage over MINUSTAH's release of an HNP reform plan Haitians regarded as infringement on their sovereignty, and redrafting a reform program that will lead to productive cooperation with UNPol and far-reaching HNP reform. ¶3. (C) Comment. Preval's nomination of Andresol is a significant step forward. Andresol has not only promoted honesty and integrity within the HNP, but has undertaken significant iniiatives, such as the draft HNP rform plan with MINUSTAH, that would have almost ertainly come grinding to a halt without his contnued leadership. We look forward to maintainingour own close bi-lateral cooperation through himand expanding overall multi-lateral coordination as we intensify our efforts to rebuild the HNP. SANDERSON