PREVAL'S CHIEF FOREIGN POLICY FORECASTS PRAGMATISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000867

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL'S CHIEF FOREIGN POLICY FORECASTS PRAGMATISM

REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 856

Classified By: DCM Griffiths for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Fritz Longchamp, Rene Garcia Preval's
foreign policy advisor provided a circumspect review of the
major foreign policy issues facing the new administration to
Emboffs May 8. Longchamp claimed that the Preval team had
yet to focus on external relations and develop a foreign
policy agenda. Despite his initial reservation, he
eventually noted particular significance of relations with
Latin America and CARICOM, the PRC/Taiwan conundrum, and the
need to re-organize the Foreign Ministry and diplomatic
services. Longchamp would not speculate on Preval's cabinet.
He was particularly ardent in disclaiming the likelihood of
his assuming the role of Foreign Minister. End Summary.

Foreign Policy Specialist
--------------


2. (C) Longchamp is an experienced foreign policy
specialist with extensive diplomatic credentials. He served
as Haiti's Ambassador to the UN 1991-1995, and as Foreign
Minister 1995-2001, during Jean Bertrand Aristide's and
Preval's first terms. Longchamp told emboffs that despite
Preval's recent international itinerary, a foreign
relations/policy commission had not been formed to develop an
international policy agenda. Preval and his transition team
have focused on the major domestic issues, recognizing that
Preval will have a short honeymoon and must deliver
improvements soon. Longchamp cautioned not to expect "the
same names" in Preval's new cabinet. He seemed particularly
adamant in reference to himself and a ministerial position,
although he did say he would remain part of Preval's team as
an advisor.

DR
--


3. (C) After overcoming his initial reticence to discuss an
informal foreign policy agenda, Longchamp began his comments
with the importance that Preval places on Haiti's relations
with the Dominican Republic noting that Preval's first trip
after his election was to the DR. Haiti's future is
inextricably linked to the DR and the historical, political
and economic ties cannot be underestimated. Preval's public
comments, including his May 14 inaugural address to the
nation, maintain Haiti-DR relations as a priority.

Cuba and Venezuela
--------------


4. (C) On Cuba and Venezuela, he said Preval's relations
with those two countries were practical and not ideological.
Preval visited Cuba April 12-14 and Venezuela April 24-25.
Cuba is a special case for Haiti, he said, due to the
historical ties shared by the two countries. Longchamp
claimed that there were 1.5 million Cubans of Haitian descent
in Cuba. He contrasted the integration of that Cuban-Haitian
population with the lack of integration of Haitians in
Dominican society, saying that he had met persons of Haitian
descent throughout all social and political levels in Cuba.
Diplomatic relations with Cuba were re-established during
Longchamp's tenure as Foreign Minister. In one of the last
acts as President during his first term, in February 1996
Jean Bertrand Aristide formally restored diplomatic relations
with the neighboring island nation broken off in 1962. Two
years later, Longchamp personally opened the Haitian Embassy
in Havana.


5. (C) Cuban assistance in the health field has particular
resonance in Haiti. The doctors Cuba sends to provide basic
health care in both urban and rural areas enjoy almost mythic
status among the Haitian population. Longchamp commented
that during his trip to Cuba in April, Preval discussed with
Cuban officials the expansion of the health assistance
program to provide a doctor in each commune in Haiti.
Additionally, the assistance program will also provide
medical training opportunities for Haitians to study medicine
in Cuba in order to return to Haiti and eventually replace
the Cuban doctors.


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6. (C) Haiti's power generation capacity is hobbled by
corruption and mismanagement of Haiti's National Electricity
Company (EDH) resulting in an inability to provide more than
a few hours of electricity per day. Often, neighborhoods,
poor and wealthy alike, go several days without electricity.
Preval views Haiti's May 14 accession to Chavez' Petrocaribe
(reftel) as a deal too good to pass up that offers him the
chance to answer one of Haiti's most crucial needs almost
immediately. In addition to Longchamp's claim of
practicality versus ideology, Préval has publicly claimed his
ties to both Venezuela and Cuba are a result of necessity,
not related to ideology.

Taiwan and the PRC
--------------


7. (C) In comments that seemed to weigh the most heavily on
him, Longchamp said that very difficult decisions were ahead
for the Preval foreign policy team with respect to relations
with the PRC and Taiwan. Taiwan's active diplomacy is
readily apparent throughout the Port-au-Prince area.
Additionally, Preval himself has close links to Taiwan,
including campaign contributions and funding for the planting
of the argronomist's favorite bamboo trees throughout his
hometown of Marmelade. (Comment: China's Security Council
position and its participation in MINUSTAH forces may trump
Taiwan's relations with Haiti. China's recent diplomatic
maneuverings resulting in the demotion of the level of
Taiwanese representation at the inauguration may be a
foreshadowing of how this dilemma may play out. End
Comment.)

Latin America and the Caribbean
--------------


8. (C) Longchamp did not dismiss the importance of CARICOM
but clearly there are some fences to be mended between Haiti
and the organization. Preval has publicly said that Haiti
hopes to take its seat at the CARICOM table in July. CARICOM
officials have also said that they will welcome the
constitutional Haitian government back into the fold.
However, Haiti's level of engagement with CARICOM remains to
be determined.


9. (C) Longchamp gave a nod to the growing importance in
Latin America of the "ABC" countries - Argentina, Brazil, and
Chile. These three countries are especially important to
Preval given Chilean Juan Gabriel Valdes' role as the UN
SecGen's Special Representative in Haiti, Brazil's command of
MINUSTAH forces, and Argentina's important MINUSTAH
contingent.

Downsizing and Re-organization
--------------


10. (C) On a more technical and administrative note,
Longchamp said that some difficult decisions are ahead with
respect to the re-organization of the Foreign Ministry and
diplomatic service. He contended that two-thirds of the
Foreign Ministry positions would have to be phased out. He
said that due to costs, positions at the Ministry and
particularly overseas would have to be rationalized according
to the Preval administration's foreign policy priorities.


11. (C) Comment: Despite his hectic international travel
itinerary since his election, Preval has not charted a
defined foreign policy course. Much will depend on who he
names to the Foreign Minister post. He clearly understands
the importance and the necessity of continuing political and
economic ties with the U.S., especially in light of pending
preferential trade legislation. Further, he must remain
constructively engaged with the Dominican Republic. Despite
U.S. discomfort with his links to Cuba and Venezuela, Preval
seems determined to mine those relationships for what he can
obtain. Longchamp is clearly Preval's foreign policy guru.
However, his six years of previous service as Foreign
Minister may have been enough for him. End Comment.

SANDERSON

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