PRESIDENT PREVAL CANCELS FOREIGN TRAVEL

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001686

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
WHA/PPC (YONEOKA AND DEACON)
IO/UNP (HARRIS)
USUN FOR OLSON
NSC FOR WILLIAMS-MANIGAULT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV OVIP OTRA KSEP UNGA HA CU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT PREVAL CANCELS FOREIGN TRAVEL

REF: A. PAP 1608

B. STATE 145242


1. This message is sensitive but unclassified -- protect
accordingly.


2. (SBU) Presidential advisor Gabriel Verret confirmed to
Polcouns on September 7 that President Preval would not
travel to either the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Conference in
Havana beginning September 11 or the UN General Assembly
Session (including an advance stopover in Washington)
beginning September 20, contrary to his previous intentions
reported in ref A. Verret repeated what other GoH officials
had previously offered as the reason for the cancellation;
the president felt it inappropriate to travel abroad while
violent criminal gangs continued to pose a threat to security
in Port-au-Prince.


3. (SBU) Per ref B, Pol delivered points on the NAM
conference to Louie on September 6. Louie reported that he
understood that Foreign Minister Jean Renald Clerisme would
lead the Haitian delegation to both events, but could not
confirm the minister's travel plans. Post is seeking
confirmation of Clersime's date of arrival in New York.
Louie offered no substantive response to the points outlined
in ref B, but assured Polcouns he would related our views and
the accompanying non-paper to the minister. (Note: Louie,
the third highest official in the MFA hierarchy, informed
Polouns that he would shortly take another assignment within
the ministry. The GoH subsequently announced his
replacement, along with that of most of the other ministerial
directors general effective the following day. End Note.)

TIGHE