T&T TO USOAS AMBASSADOR MAISTO: BRING ON THE SOA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001273

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/OAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD TD
SUBJECT: T&T TO USOAS AMBASSADOR MAISTO: BRING ON THE SOA


Classified By: DCM, Eugene P. Sweeney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: USOAS Permanent Representative Maisto met
with T&T PM Manning and FM Piggott on October 20 to discuss
the 2009 Summit of the Americas. Manning signaled that the
country will be ready for the summit, and hopes to have a
successful event that highlights the Caribbean as well as
T&T. Manning indicated that Belize had decidedly not dropped
its opposition to Guatemala in the UNSC race, and did not
appreciate efforts to split the CARICOM block in this or
other issues. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) USOAS Permanent Representative Ambassador John Maisto
met with Prime Minister Patrick Manning, then, in a separate
meeting with Foreign Minister Arnold Piggott on October 20 in
Trinidad and Tobago, host of the 2009 Summit of the Americas
(SOA). Ambassador Maisto underscored the commitment of the
United States to the process, and held out the hand of
collaboration at each meeting. The T&T side repeatedly
declared its excitement about hosting the 2009 Summit, and
seemed inclined to accept U.S. offers of assistance and
information sharing.


3. (U) Additionally, Ambassador Maisto held a brief
introductory meeting with T&T Summit of the Americas
technical staff, headed by Ms. Laura West, former head of the
Americas Division in the MFA. Ambassador Maisto also gave an
extended interview to a journalist from the Business
Guardian, highlighting the goals of the U.S. in the OAS and
underscoring the links between economic and democratic
development.

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PM MANNING: T&T COMMITTED TO SOA, FTAA
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4. (C) In a meeting with Prime Minister Patrick Manning,
Ambassador Maisto commended him for his September 27 speech
at the OAS, and thanked him for taking on the 2009 SOA. He
reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the Summit process, and offered
to share experiences and support to T&T as they get into full
planning mode. He stated that the 2009 Summit will be one of
the first international trips for the newly-elected U.S.
President, and noted that the SOA enjoys broad bipartisan
support.


5. (C) Manning assured Ambassador Maisto that T&T was fully
committed to the &FTAA8 summit process (perhaps a Freudian
slip),and was already gearing up for it (Cricket World Cup
security planning aside). Manning stated that they would not
have taken on the SOA if the OAS Summit Secretariat Director
Luis Alberto Rodriguez had not been available to T&T.
Rodriguez will assume his duties in January 2007, reporting
directly to the PM, and will have the rank of Ambassador.
Manning also noted that T&T took careful notes in Argentina
on how to handle all the aircraft and other logistics and
infrastructure questions. Further, ongoing Cricket World Cup
(CWC) planning had been a &nightmare8 but was useful to get
security plans in place. Manning suggested that T&T had been
reluctant to take on CWC, but reassured Ambassador Maisto
that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago was solidly behind
the &FTAA Summit8 and that the summit would showcase the
Caribbean, not just T&T.

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DR MIGHT JOIN CARICOM; UNSC ELECTION LEAVES CARIBBEAN COLD
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6. (C) Moving to regional issues, Manning noted that at a
recent CARICOM bureau meeting (past, current and incoming
chairpersons),they discussed that it was time to revisit
admitting the Dominican Republic into CARICOM. Manning
suggested that the CARICOM Heads of Government would make the
ultimate decision in early November, at their next
intersessional meeting. In response to Ambassador Maisto,s
suggestion that the OAS look at giving the Interamerican
Democratic Charter more teeth, Manning assured him that
within CARICOM the countries would suggest to a wayward
member that they reconsider their ways.


7. (C) Ambassador Maisto relayed that the Foreign Minister
of Belize had informed the U.S. that they were pleased with
the progress they had made with Guatemala on the border
dispute issue, and that it should not be seen as an obstacle.
Manning drew himself back and in a chilly tone reported that
at an October 17 recent meeting of the current, past and
future CARICOM chairs in St. Kitts, the Vincentian Prime
Minister spoke with the Belizean Prime Minister by cell phone
and was told, in no uncertain terms, that Belize had not
dropped its opposition to Guatemala. Manning further noted
that CARICOM was going with Venezuela because of Guatemala,s
position in the WTO on bananas, which harmed the smaller
economies. He finished by stating that CARICOM did not
appreciate efforts to split its ranks.


8. (C) Manning returned to a familiar, recent refrain: that
the U.S. has not paid enough attention to the Caribbean.
Manning suggested that had the U.S. consulted with CARICOM
before backing Guatemala, the U.S. might not have supported
Guatemala so strongly. Further, he reiterated that the
Caribbean is a strong energy producer for the U.S., and
therefore of strategic importance; an importance that he
wondered aloud if Washington understood. He further
cautioned that other countries, such as China, were entering
into the region, possibly at the expense of U.S. influence.
Even so, Manning conveyed his appreciation for the recent
move to relax restrictions on military education assistance.

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FM: T&T COMMITTED TO SOA, DEVELOPMENT, HAITI
--------------


9. (C) In a congenial, separate meeting with the
newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Arnold Piggott, Ambassador
Maisto reiterated offers of U.S. support to T&T for the SOA
as well as broaching the OAS pillars of democracy and
development. Piggott echoed Manning,s remarks that T&T
would be ready for the SOA, and added that they would also
appreciate the benefit of experience from those who have
already hosted a Summit. He further noted that the PM,s
office and the MFA would work closely together on the SOA,
which will be pitched as a Caribbean, rather than solely as a
T&T affair. Piggott also discussed T&T,s commitment to
development via support for education.


10. (C) Ambassador Maisto turned to Haiti, encouraging
CARICOM to take a larger role even as the OAS is considering
reopening its office there. The Permanent Council is leaning
towards appointing a Caribbean national to head the mission.
FM Piggott commented that CARICOM &will not turn its back on
Haiti8 because it is part of the Caribbean and a part of the
Americas.

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REGIONALISM PLAYS WELL IN T&T
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11. (C) COMMENT: Manning,s comments about the SOA being a
regional event are in keeping with his goal of T&T driving
further regional integration, which was a hallmark of his
tenure as CARICOM Chairman. Secondarily, his comments about
it being an FTAA summit indicate interest in focusing on
further hemispheric economic coordination, also in keeping
with Caribbean integration movements. PM Manning, whose
party looks in line to win next year,s elections for another
five years in power, is solidly behind the SOA and is already
laying groundwork to ensure its success. END COMMENT.


12. (U) Ambassador Maisto has cleared this cable.


13. (U) Meeting participants:

Meeting with PM Manning:

U.S. Representatives:
- USOAS Permanent Representative, Ambassador John Maisto
- Dr. Roy L. Austin, Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
- Tom Mesa, WHA/EPSC, Deputy SOA Coordinator
- Joe Chamberlain, Political Officer (Notetaker)

T&T Representatives:
- The Honorable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister
- Senator the Honorable Arnold Piggott, Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- Leonard Wilkinson, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- Laura West, Summit of the Americas Office, MFA

Meeting with FM Piggott:

U.S. Representatives:
- USOAS Permanent Representative, Ambassador John Maisto
- Dr. Roy L. Austin, Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
- Tom Mesa, WHA/EPSC, Deputy SOA Coordinator
- Eugene Sweeney, Deputy Chief of Mission
- Joe Chamberlain, Political Officer (Notetaker)

T&T Representatives:
- Senator the Honorable Arnold Piggott, Minister of Foreign
Affairs
- Laura West, Summit of the Americas Office, MFA
- Margaret King-Rousseau, Head of the Americas Division, MFA

AUSTIN