HAITI SRSG MULET CALLS FOR MAINTAINING MINUSTAH

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001156 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO UNSC HA SUBJECT: HAITI SRSG MULET CALLS FOR MAINTAINING MINUSTAH FORCE LEVELS AFTER AUGUST 15 REF: USUN 1123 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 7. ¶2. (SBU) Summary. UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Assistant Secretary-General Hedi Annabi convened Friends of Haiti (U.S., France, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile) on June 1 to meet newly-appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Haiti Edmund Mulet. Mulet strongly endorsed calls by the Brazilian, Argentine, and French representatives to maintain MINUSTAH's current force levels after the mission's current UNSC mandate expires on 15 August 2006. He argued that the international community should commit to a long-term program to reform Haiti's justice sector. Mulet called on donors to coordinate their assistance programs with MINUSTAH, and cited the example of an unnamed country (which DPKO staff had earlier confirmed was the U.S.) that provided new uniforms to Haitian National Police (HNP) officers without any coordination with MINUSTAH. End Summary. Mulet: No Drawdown after August 15 -------------- ¶3. (SBU) While recognizing that Haiti had entered a different phase of its transition after its successful national elections, Mulet argued strongly for maintaining MINUSTAH's current force levels after August 15 on the basis that the security situation in Haiti is still "very fragile." The Brazilian, Argentine, and French representatives all explicitly supported this request, with the Brazilian delegate using the example of Timor-Leste to warn against a premature drawdown. The Canadian representative did not comment on force levels per se, urged the UNSC to recognize that MINUSTAH would have to continue to provide a minimal level of security in Haiti after August 15. USUN Ambassador Wolff, recalling Haiti's successful elections and the inauguration of President Preval, warned that Haiti could easily lapse into a sense of dependency and argued that the UNSC must strike a balance between ensuring security and allowing the new government to take on greater responsibility for Haiti's future. Security Sector Reform -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Mulet emphasized the importance of reforming Haiti's police and justice sectors. He lamented former Prime Minister Latortue's repudiation of the supplementary arrangement between the UN and Haiti on police reform and expressed hope that Preval's administration would view the arrangement differently. On Haiti's justice sector, he argued that the international community must put in place lasting reforms by committing to a long-term program of assistance. French PR de la Sabliere argued that MINUSTAH's approach to DDR should be revisited to address Haiti's gangs and drug traffickers, and he lamented that little progress had been made on police reform since the UNSC traveled to Haiti last spring. Mulet Appeals for Coordination -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Mulet called on donors to coordinate their aid programs with MINUSTAH. He recounted a recent example in which an unspecified country gave the HNP new uniforms without coordinating with MINUSTAH. This meant that HNP officers who had yet to be vetted as part of the UN's reform efforts were now wearing new uniforms -- when the uniforms could have been used to complement MINUSTAH's reform program. (Note: DPKO staff had earlier expressed concern to Poloff that the U.S. had given the HNP these uniforms, but they insisted after the meeting that they did not expect Mulet to raise the issue during the Friends of Haiti meeting. End Note.) Annabi added that the UN had nothing at all against bilateral aid programs and emphasized that donors were under no obligation to clear their efforts with the UN. He suggested, however, that donors not undermine MINUSTAH's efforts through their bilateral programs in areas where the UNSC has given the UN a mandate to provide assistance. Peacebuilding Commission -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Wolff noted that Haiti might be a good long-term candidate for the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The Canadian delegate argued that while Haiti should not be a candidate for early review by the PBC, it would be impossible for the Commission not to consider Haiti at some point. French PR de la Sabliere said he had originally thought that Haiti would be a great candidate for early consideration by the PBC, but was now "open-minded" about the idea given that other delegations had signaled their opposition. Action Request -------------- ¶7. (SBU) We would welcome Embassy Port-au-Prince's views on MINUSTAH's force levels after the current UNSC mandate expires on August 15 as well as guidance from the Department on possible changes to MINUSTAH's mandate. BOLTON