UNSG ANNAN VISITS HAITI, AUGUST 3-4

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001426 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 KUNR KPKO UNSC UN HA SUBJECT: UNSG ANNAN VISITS HAITI, AUGUST 3-4 REF: PAUP 1425 Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Ferial Ara Saeed for reas ons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary. United Nations Secretary General (UNSYG) Kofi Annan successfully concluded his visit August 3-4 to Port-au-Prince, meeting with President Preval, Prime Minister Alexis and selected cabinet Ministers. Weather difficulties forced the UNSYG to overnight in Port-au-Prince, giving him time to review MINUSTAH troops (accompanied by President Preval),and visit a police training center. SRSG Edmond Mulet told the Ambassador that the UNSYG was exceptionally pleased with the results of his visit, particularly President Preval's opening comments at their joint press conference regarding the need to deal with insecurity, and his strong support for MINUSTAH and SRSG Mulet. During the press conference, President Preval thanked Mr. Annan for MINUSTAH's work and endorsed continued cooperation. In response, Annan reiterated the UN's commitment to Haiti, stressing that he had requested that the security council extend MINUSTAH's mandate by twelve months, instead of the usual six months. Privately, Preval and Annan agreed a twelve-month renewal to the MINUSTAH mandate was important in keeping Latin American contingents committed, particularly Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Preval made additional comments to reporters at the press conference on his preference for "dialogue" and "peace and reinsertion" to a "military solution" regarding the gangs in Cite Soleil. Preval's call for dialogue with the gangs has already generated protests among Haitian commentators and parliamentarians. End Summary. Annan in Haiti: Finally -------------- ¶2. (U) Aircraft difficulties forced UNSYG Annan to postpone his arrival in Haiti by one day, while weather difficulties caused by Tropical Storm Chris forced him to stay overnight. In the process of reconfiguring his agenda, Annan removed a scheduled visit to parliament (reftel) and allotted more time to internal MINUSTAH meetings and Haitian cabinet members. Annan concluded his program with a visit to the police academy -- to showcase MINUSTAH-Hatian Police (HNP) cooperation and bolster UN police morale -- and a meeting with UN troops, accompanied by President Preval, SRSG Mulet told the Ambassador. ¶3. (C) According to MINUSTAH staff, Preval pressed Annan for a twelve-month renewal of mandate, with both sides noting the danger of declining domestic support for participation in MINUSTAH from the Latin American contingents, particularly Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Preval asked for a greater MINUSTAH role in infrastructure development and social programs, to which Annan and Mullet responded positively. Annan pressed the GoH to approve the recently revised MINUSTAH-HNP cooperation and reform plan, drafted by HNP Director General Andresol and MINUSTAH police officials. (MINUSTAH staff reported that subsequent to a further meeting with Haitian security officials, MINUSTAH and the GOH have agreed to sign the document by Monday, August 7.) In a conversation with the Ambassador on the morning of August 4, Mullet expressed great satisfaction with the visit, highlighting the support that Preval had expressed publicly and privately for a major role for MINUSTAH in the coming year. UNSYG reportedly pleased with his visit -------------- ¶4. (C) SRSG Mulet told the Ambassador shortly after the visit that the UNSYG was extremely pleased with his visit. Annan was reportedly especially happy with President Preval's opening comments at their joint press conference regarding the need to deal with insecurity and his support for MINUSTAH. (Note: Preval concluded his speech by saying to the UNSYG: "The situation is not easy, but with the United Nations' support, we will continue and do our best. We will take this opportunity to compliment Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdes for the good work that he did when he was your Special PORT AU PR 00001426 002 OF 002 Representative here. We will continue working with your new Special Representative, Mr. Edmond Mulet, and with all the United Nations team. The situation is not easy, but we will continue to cooperate with MINUSTAH more and more everyday for the interest of the Haitian people. Once again, Mr. Secretary General, we say thank you. Thank you for the SIPDIS cooperation. Thank you for this special attention given to Haiti with this visit. Thank you." End Note). ¶5. (C) Comment. Despite the high point for MINUSTAH occasioned by the UNSYG's visit, the mood otherwise in Port-au-Prince over the past several weeks has been increasingly gloomy, as frustration with the resurgence in kidnapping and criminality has grown both among Haitian elites and average citizens. As has been the case over the past two and a half years, most have reflexively blamed MINUSTAH for worsening security conditions, naturally noting the disparity between MINUSTAH's visible presence on the ground and its ability to combat crime. Preval's statement during the joint press conference with Annan that his government would talk to the gangs to deal with insecurity has generated considerable attention in the media, while the Annan visit itself has contributed to speculation and comment on the proper role of MINUSTAH in combating gang violence. Still, the combination of Annan's visit and Preval's accompanying emergence into the line-of-fire in the public debate on security has, for the moment, raised MINUSTAH's relative standing among the populace. SANDERSON