T&T WILL NOT "SOFTEN" RESOLUTION ON ABOLITION OF

UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001333 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA XL TD SUBJECT: T&T WILL NOT "SOFTEN" RESOLUTION ON ABOLITION OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE REF: STATE 188239 ¶1. In a planned double-pronged approach to the MFA, Polchief shared the U.S. preferred language for preambular paragraph 8, on November 17, with MFA Multilateral Division Director Susan Gordon. The Ambassador then raised the issue with Minister of Foreign Affairs Arnold Piggott, the order of contact having been determined by the Minister's delayed response to efforts to reach him. ¶2. Gordon was aware of discussions which had taken place on this resolution in New York, and told Polchief that the issue of compensatory measures for slavery, or reparations, is important to Caricom. She noted that compensation in one form or another is paid for past wrongs, in a wide variety of situations today, and said that compensatory measures for slavery are widely supported in the U.S. itself. She added that T&T had also rejected UK efforts to tone down or eliminate another paragraph in the resolution which apparently speaks of the benefits historically derived from the slave trade by "empires". ¶3. In the Ambassador's conversation with the Foreign Minister, the minister excused himself from any discussion claiming that Ms. Gordon had already received the relevant information. He also claimed to be busy reorganizing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which he had only recently taken over; and, furthermore, he had given time to the members of the diplomatic corps during his earlier weeks. ¶4. COMMENT: There is the suggestion that we may not have the access to the Minister of Foreign Affairs that we enjoyed under his predecessor, Minister Knowlson Gift. END COMMENT. AUSTIN