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