PREVAL: MINUSTAH MUST ACT NOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 002427

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV ASEC ECON EAID HA UN
SUBJECT: PREVAL: MINUSTAH MUST ACT NOW

REF: PAP 2425

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.5(b) and (d).



1. (C) Summary. I met with President Preval on the evening of
December 21 to discuss the current security environment, the
political machinations underway in Parliament and the
Primature, and Haiti's continuing dispute with China. Preval
also shared with me frank details of his health (reported
reftel). Saying that he was getting tired of being blamed
for dragging his feet on security, President Preval stressed
that it is now up to MINUSTAH to take some decisive action to
deal with the gangs. However, he is concerned that
differences between UNSRSG and MINUSTAH Commander Elito will
stall any MINUSTAH action. MINUNSTAH, Preval said, has agreed
to launch into Citi Soleil before Christmas but he is
skeptical. Preval attributed problems between the PM and
parliament to inexperience and lack of support, noting that
the PM often speaks before he thinks. He added that building
Haitian political institutions will be key to the country's
development. Preval continued to express surprise at the
strains in Haiti's relationship with China and did not reply
when I noted that Beijing expects an apology. The President
again expressed his thanks for HOPE, although he is worried
that Haiti does not have the expertise to take full advantage
of the law at this point. The President ducked my request
that he intercede to allow the extradition of Haitians
charged in the US. Throughout the meeting, Preval was
relaxed and open, more engaged than I have seen him in some
time. End Summary.


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


2. (C) Saying that he was getting tired of being blamed for
dragging his feet on security, President Preval stressed
that it is now up to MINUSTAH to take some decisive action to
deal with the gangs. He has, he said, been pushing the UN
SRSG for more than two months to finally act. He gave them a
green light "months ago." He stopped talking to the gangs
when it became clear that it would bring nothing. He pulled
the plug on DDR. But, Preval said in frustration. MINUSTAH
"always has an excuse...first it's the elections, then it's
deployments, then they must build toilets or some such
thing." The recent wave of kidnappings, the targeting of
Haitian children, is making people afraid, Preval said. Haiti
simply does not have the wherewithal to deal with the
situation on its own - security is why MINUSTAH is here.
MINUSTAH, Preval firmly stated, "must act now to stop this."


3. (C) Preval believes that UNSRSG Mulet is committed to
move MINUSTAH into action against the gangs in Cite Soleil
and Martissant, but that the SRSG has been repeatedly and
consistently blocked by MINUSTAH Commander Gen. Elito. Mulet
tells him that they are ready and just waiting for the
go-ahead. He has given it, Preval assured me. He, as
President of Haiti, wants to end this security problem, once
and for all. But, he noted, he is not getting the support he
needs from MINUSTAH. He noted that Mulet tells him that
there will be concrete action before Christmas, but he -
Preval - is skeptical. In the meantime, the president said,
the situation gets worse.


Fate of Prime Minister Alexis
--------------


4. (C) I remarked that PM Alexis is coming under increasing
pressure in the Parliament and on the street for the
perceived inaction of the government. This does not bode well
for the new year. I added that the PM's tendency to chastise
and confront the international community does him - and Haiti
- no good either. Preval agreed and said he believes that
Alexis will settle down. Preval himself has attempted to
reach out again to Parliament and the political parties - he
started with Fusion and Alyans - in an effort to calm the
waters. He does believe, however, that this is no longer his
job: Alexis should be doing more of it, as he is head of
government. But the president agreed vigorously that Haiti
does not need a political crisis at this point in its fragile
democratic evolution. As for some of the statements Alexis
has made recently, Preval remarked, "they are too bad."
Alexis is inexperienced, Preval noted, and not a professional
politician. The PM makes mistakes and often talks before he
thinks, particularly when he is under pressure. Preval

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believes that the PM will weather the political storms, but
he did not rule out an attempt to bring a vote of
non-confidence against the PM to the floor of the parliament
in the new year.


Parliament and the Government
--------------


5. (C) Most of the current political tensions between the
government and the parliament, Preval contends, stems from
the lack of experience on both sides. Alexis's Cabinet lacks
experience, he noted, with the exception of Minister of
Finance Dorsainville, Minister of Public Works Verella and
Minister of Planning Bellrive, none of the other ministers
have ever served in government. They are not used to using
the government bureaucracy. They are often inept. (Note. In
that regard, Preval made special note of the highly
politicized Minister of Public Education, Bien Aime, who is
generally regarded as being a disaster. End note.)
Parliament is equally inexperienced and ill-organized. Party
discipline is nonexistent. Even the President's own party,
L'Espwa, lacks discipline and Preval does not believe it is
his duty to instill that discipline into it. Both sides need
training and organizational support. I reminded him that the
previous day I had opened a training seminar for
parliamentarians, which is part of USAID's dols 7 million of
support for the Parliament. Preval welcomed this, arguing
that institutional development is one of his primary
preoccupations in the new year.


China, Taiwan and the MINUSTAH mandate
--------------


6. (C) I raised the current state of Haiti's relations with
China, saying that my recent contacts with Beijing's
representative here had reinforced the impression that China
is unhappy with Haiti and will await an apology for its
actions in the UN before moving ahead on a MINUSTAH mandate
renewal. Preval was defensive, first claiming that his
PermRep in New York acted without instruction, then saying
that he has talked to Mr. Zhang in an effort to smooth over
feelings. Haiti meant no disrespect. Indeed, Haiti looked
forward to the day when it would have better relations with
Beijing in every area. There is really no reason, Preval
said, to overreact to this misunderstanding and he suggested
that Washington could help smooth things over. China, I said,
expects a clear gesture on your part to end this
"misunderstanding." It has asked for an apology. You have
made no response whatsoever to date. Whether at the end of
the day it requires an apology, an explanation or a
clarification, Haiti must take some concrete steps to begin
to address this issue. MINUSTAH's presence in Haiti is too
important to let this linger. Preval did not reply.


HOPE legislation
--------------


7. (SBU) Observing that Ambassador Joseph in Washington was
"ecstatic" at being invited to the December 20 White House
signing ceremony for the Omnibus Trade Bill, which included
the HOPE legislation, Preval opined that "HOPE could change
the face of Haiti." It was now up to the Haitians to use HOPE
to its best advantage. He was concerned, however, that
Haiti's small textile industry would somehow fail to do so
and sought USG assistance in assuring that the country did
whatever necessary to meet the intent of the legislation,
particularly with regard to customs and content issues. I
replied that we have begun consultations with the Haitian
Chamber of Commerce and leading textile firms and will be
able to provide some expertise to walk the industry through
US regulations. Preval was pleased.


Extradition of Haitian Criminals Wanted in US
-------------- -


8. (C) I told Preval that members of the Embassy had met
again that morning with Minister of Justice Magloire to
discuss three US outstanding warrants for Haitian citizens
charged with various crimes, including kidnapping a US
citizen child, money laundering, and drug trafficking. We
had tried to find a way to get the GOH to extradite or
otherwise remove these individuals to the US for trial. Given
the state of Haitian judiciary, a problem that Preval had

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himself often bemoaned, we thought that this would take three
bad guys off their hands. Thus far, the Minister has refused
to send the individuals to us, citing the Haitian
constitution which prohibits extradition of Haitian citizens.
Has the Minister studied the files of these three, the
president asked. When I answered in the affirmative, Preval
shook his head and said nothing. When pressed, he said he
would look into the cases, but clearly showed no enthusiasm
for doing so.


Travel Plans
--------------


9. (SBU) Preval confirmed that he would travel to Cuba for
medical tests and treatment on December 26-29 (see reftel on
Preval's health). He also plans to go to Jamaica on January
3, meet up with the Canadian Governor General and take
Haitian/American singer Wyclef Jean with him to drum up
business for Haiti. Preval pushed for a meeting with
President Bush sometime early in the new year and said that
he was prepared to come to DC at the President's convenience.
He reminded me that he has yet to call on the President in
his official capacity and stressed it was important to do so
early in the new year.


Atmospherics
--------------


10. (SBU) Preval was fully engaged and in a good mood. He
appeared relaxed, albeit somewhat tired, joking about the
string of Ambassadors coming to see him the day before they
left on holiday leave. As always, there was almost no one
around in the palace and we spent the time uninterrupted.
Preval told me that he is "working" for the holidays, but
hopes to spend some time with his daughter during the season.
She is a singer and currently living with him at the palace.
(She is one of two girls born to Preval and his first wife
Solange.) During our visit, Preval called confidant Bob
Manuel, currently visiting El Salvador with his family to
wish him merry Christmas. Manuel told me he will return to
Haiti during the second week of January.
SANDERSON