Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTAUPRINCE1597
2006-08-25 18:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

PREVAL COMING TO DC/PENSIVE WITH AMBASSADOR

Tags:  PGOV PREL ETRD ECON UNSC HA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1649
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1597/01 2371824
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251824Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3904
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1197
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1039
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL//OLE/OI//
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001597 

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: 08/17/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD ECON UNSC HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL COMING TO DC/PENSIVE WITH AMBASSADOR

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4(
b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001597

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: 08/17/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD ECON UNSC HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL COMING TO DC/PENSIVE WITH AMBASSADOR

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4(
b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. The Ambassador met with President Preval on
August 24 to review the bilateral agenda on the eve of her
departure for leave and Washington consultations. Preval
plans to visit Washington on September 18-19 in advance of
the UN General Assembly meeting: he told the Ambassador
during their meeting that he would not include Washington in
his itinerary, but called her later to say that he had
changed his mind after having met with business sector
advisors. He again pressed the Ambassador for USG support
for preferential trade legislation (HOPE),though Richard
Coles, one of business advisors told Polcouns that Preval's
visit to Washington was aimed at reinforcing the primary
importance of the U.S.-Haiti relationship in advance of
Preval's visit to Cuba for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
conference. Preval underlined his commitment to
establishing order in Cite Soleil, though he wants to limit
casualties to the maximum extent. He pointed to the
importance of the economy, stressing jobs and roads, and
expressed disappointment that the recent donors conference
had not addressed Haiti's budget gap. Preval seemed fixated
with Aristide, speculating that Lavalas could win the next
parliamentary elections eighteen months hence and take
control if his own administration could not quickly deliver
tangible economic benefits. Preval appeared somewhat
stressed and alone (post will report septel on his surprising
lack of staff support). Though his worries about the economy
are understandable, his ruminations regarding Lavalas and
Aristide are puzzling; Aristide supporters do not appear to
be gaining any political traction, but Preval has mostly
absented himself from the political sphere and not built on
the political momentum his own victory created.


On to Washington
--------------


2. (C) At her request, prior to her departure from Haiti
for two weeks, the Ambassador on the afternoon of August 24
met privately with President Preval in the presidential
palace. Preval stated during the meeting that he did not
plan to include Washington in his trip to the U.S. to attend
the UN General Assembly. On her way out, however, the
Ambassador met a group of business sector advisors going in
to meet with Preval. The President later called to inform
her that as a result of that meeting he had changed his mind
and would visit September 18-19, and hoped to meet
administration officials and members of Congress. During the
meeting, he did again press the Ambassador on HOPE
legislation. Why, he asked, would the administration support
such a measure for Peru and not for Haiti?


3. (C) Richard Coles, one of Preval's chief allies in the
business community and a participant in the meeting
subsequent to the Ambassador's, told Polcouns the following
morning that lobbying for HOPE was important, but not the
primary motivation for visiting Washington. Coles related
that he had argued successfully that if Preval were going to
attend the NAM conference in Cuba, he must also demonstrate
that the U.S remained Haiti's most important international
partner. Preval, he said, did not need much convincing to
change his mind. Polcouns expressed appreciation for Cole's
position, and suggested that the GoH could most usefully
demonstrate its commitment to good relations with the U.S.
and the region by voting for Guatemala for a UN Security
Council seat instead of Venezuela. Coles promised to weigh
in on the matter with Preval.

Security
--------------


4. (C) Preval reported that the gangs were panicked as they
feel that MINUSTAH is closing in. He must walk a careful
line, however, and did not want to put Cite Soleil residents
or MINUSTAH troops at undue risk. He stressed that he had
made no concessions to gang leaders in the course of their
discussions: Gang leader William Baptiste aka "Ti Blanc" had
complained about giving up expensive weapons, some that cost

PORT AU PR 00001597 002 OF 002


over $5,000. Preval was not sympathetic. Ultimately,
however, jobs would have to triumph over guns.

It's the Economy...
--------------


5. (C) Preval stressed he needed immediate results on the
economic front. He downplayed the success of the recent
donors conference, referencing his disappointment that the
donors had not addressed the GoH budget gap by noting that it
did not matter if you successfully treated cancer and the
patient died of a heart attack. He pressed for funds for
roads, arguing they were necessary to expand electricity and
water services in the countryside, and lasting symbols that
the country was developing. He suggested that the USG fund a
60 Km road along the coast in the South East Department to
Belle Anse. If the Ambassador could bring anything for him
Washington, he said, bring him roads. Preval also revealed
an urbanization plan for Cite Soleil, that included
apartments and single family homes for which he would seek
investors.

...Or Else Aristide
--------------


6. (C) Preval warned that Lavalas could win the next
parliamentary elections (February 2008) gain control of the
government, select the next prime minister and police chief,
all without Aristide's return, if he was not able to
jump-start the economy. Maybe, Preval said mockingly, he too
will end up in South Africa. He must get people back to work
and convince his people that Haiti will change. If not, his
future is questionable.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Preval was taciturn and difficult to engage --
Richard Coles also offered that Preval was "unfocussed"
during their meeting. His pre-occupation with the economy is
understandable, but his maudlin speculation about a Lavalas
comeback does not necessarily follow. The return, or release
from prison, of Lavalas activists has been much in the press
recently -- the return of the notoriously violent ex-Lavalas
deputy Nahoun Marcellus from the Dominican Republic on August
23 generated headlines -- but there is no sign of a
groundswell of support for Lavalas or Aristide. More
remarkable is Preval's own absence from the political sphere.
After having successfully created the L'Espwa party as an
alternative to Lavalas, he has effectively abandoned the
party and made no other effort to keep organized his
political support. His goals and policies for the economy
would resonate with the public, if only he would publicize
them. After receiving sharp criticism after weeks of silence
regarding security policy, Preval gained broad support for
his tough but measured approach to gang violence, once he
explained it publicly. On the other issues he professes to
worry about, a little public outreach would go a long way.


TIGHE