Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTOFSPAIN1135
2006-09-29 12:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Of Spain
how-toVZCZCXRO4724 RR RUEHGR DE RUEHSP #1135 2721202 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 291202Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7412 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3612
UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001135
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TD
SUBJECT: T&T FM GIFT RESIGNS
UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001135
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TD
SUBJECT: T&T FM GIFT RESIGNS
1. Foreign Minister Knowlson Gift has submitted his resignation to
Prime Minister Patrick Manning who has accepted it. In a September
25 letter to the Prime Minister, delivered the day before Manning
departed for Washington, Gift said that, under his watch, "the
visibility and respectability of our country reached a level of
preeminence unsurpassed" and that "there is not a single foreign
policy initiative or priority mandated by your goodself that was not
successfully accomplished". In a possible reference to unspecified
policy differences which may have triggered the resignation, Gift
said: "my conscience is clear in respect of performance expectations
from any minister of Foreign Affairs".
2. News of PM Manning's dissatisfaction with his old friend Gift's
performance was no longer kept secret. The latest in a long line of
rumors about Gift's possible resignation began to circulate as soon
as it became clear that he would not be representing T&T during the
general debate of the 61st UN General Assembly in New York. From
that point on, the discussion among observers centered on what
policy differences might have motivated Gift's resignation. Two
possible such differences with Manning that have been floated
concern Manning's recent allegation that the US has neglected the
Caribbean region and T&T's decision to join its Caricom partners in
support of Venezuela's candidacy for the Latin American and
Caribbean seat on the security council. However, during a September
27 visit to the consulate to obtain a tourist visa, Gift declined to
divulge the motive for his resignation, saying only that "the
reasons will eventually come out". Gift's cabinet colleagues, too,
are mum. We have been told by MFA Chief of Protocol that a
replacement will be named tomorrow, Friday September 29.
3. COMMENT: We do not expect any substantive change in T&T foreign
policy as a result of Gift's resignation, since T&T's foreign
relations are tightly controlled by Prime Minister Manning, as is
the overall direction of all GOTT ministries. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TD
SUBJECT: T&T FM GIFT RESIGNS
1. Foreign Minister Knowlson Gift has submitted his resignation to
Prime Minister Patrick Manning who has accepted it. In a September
25 letter to the Prime Minister, delivered the day before Manning
departed for Washington, Gift said that, under his watch, "the
visibility and respectability of our country reached a level of
preeminence unsurpassed" and that "there is not a single foreign
policy initiative or priority mandated by your goodself that was not
successfully accomplished". In a possible reference to unspecified
policy differences which may have triggered the resignation, Gift
said: "my conscience is clear in respect of performance expectations
from any minister of Foreign Affairs".
2. News of PM Manning's dissatisfaction with his old friend Gift's
performance was no longer kept secret. The latest in a long line of
rumors about Gift's possible resignation began to circulate as soon
as it became clear that he would not be representing T&T during the
general debate of the 61st UN General Assembly in New York. From
that point on, the discussion among observers centered on what
policy differences might have motivated Gift's resignation. Two
possible such differences with Manning that have been floated
concern Manning's recent allegation that the US has neglected the
Caribbean region and T&T's decision to join its Caricom partners in
support of Venezuela's candidacy for the Latin American and
Caribbean seat on the security council. However, during a September
27 visit to the consulate to obtain a tourist visa, Gift declined to
divulge the motive for his resignation, saying only that "the
reasons will eventually come out". Gift's cabinet colleagues, too,
are mum. We have been told by MFA Chief of Protocol that a
replacement will be named tomorrow, Friday September 29.
3. COMMENT: We do not expect any substantive change in T&T foreign
policy as a result of Gift's resignation, since T&T's foreign
relations are tightly controlled by Prime Minister Manning, as is
the overall direction of all GOTT ministries. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN