CHILEAN CONGRESS POISED TO RENEW TROOP DEPLOYMENT

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001022 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MOPS KPKO PREL HA CI SUBJECT: CHILEAN CONGRESS POISED TO RENEW TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO HAITI ¶1. (U) Two key Senate committees voted on May 15 to extend Chile's troop deployment to Haiti beyond June 30 for six additional months. All of the center-left Concertacion senators, and one center-right opposition senator on the Senate Foreign Relations and Defense Committees voted in favor of President Bachelet,s request. Four of the five center-right opposition senators abstained, mostly due to concerns about the lack of an &end date8 for the withdrawal of the Chilean troops. The full Senate is expected to vote on the measure on May 16. ¶2. (U) The full Senate is expected to vote to extend Chile's presence in Haiti. Unlike the vote one year ago, however, this vote is not expected to be unanimous. It likely will fall along coalition lines, with most center-right senators opposing the measure or abstaining. The Concertacion coalition controls 20 of the 38 Senate seats, and therefore has enough votes to pass the measure. KELLY