HAITI: CHINESE UN MISSION WARNS TIME MAY HAVE RUN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 002299 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2016 TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO HA CH TW SUBJECT: HAITI: CHINESE UN MISSION WARNS TIME MAY HAVE RUN OUT ON MINUSTAH REF: A. A. STATE 202035 (NOTAL) ¶B. B. PORT AU PRINCE 2247 ¶C. C. BEIJING 24811 Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Kirk McBride, per 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. Delivering ref A points to PRC UN Mission PolMinCouns Li Junhua on December 22, USUN PolMinCouns and Poloff (notetaker) emphasized that ensuring stability in Haiti remains a vital interest of the USG and therefore urged China to support the renewal of the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Recognizing the importance of MINUSTAH to the USG and Latin American countries, Li expressed regret that Haiti had "insulted" the PRC by reneging on an alleged pledge not to support Taiwan's membership in the UN in September 2006 (ref B). Warning that "it might already be too late" to save the UN Mission in Haiti, Li reported that Beijing wanted the PRC Mission to "bury" or "finish" MINUSTAH. Arguing that Chinese PermRep Wang had been personally offended by Preval's alleged betrayal, Li suggested that a goodwill gesture to Wang followed by some sort of apology might lead the PRC Mission to recommend that Beijing reconsider its stance. But he lamented that no such signal of Haiti's good faith had been forthcoming in the PRC's discussions with various GOH officials. In subsequent conversations on December 22, Peruvian diplomats at the UN and DPKO officials confirmed that they had heard the same message from China regarding MINUSTAH. The Peruvians suggested that a ceremony in Port-au-Prince recognizing the contribution of the Chinese Formed Police Unit (FPU) to MINUSTAH might serve as a goodwill gesture to the PRC. After checking with SRSG Mulet, the DPKO officers said they planned to see if Cuba would urge Preval -- during his visit to Havana in the next few days -- to make amends with the PRC. End Summary. Urging China to Support MINUSTAH -------------- ¶2. (C) Per ref A, PolMinCouns and Poloff (notetaker) met Chinese Mission to UN Political MinCouns Li Junhua on December 22 to underscore the importance to the USG of the continued presence of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and to urge the PRC to support the renewal of MINUSTAH's UNSC mandate in February 2007. Referring to instructions from Washington that would also be conveyed in Beijing, PolMinCouns recalled the two USG military interventions in Haiti over the past 15 years to emphasize that ensuring stability in that country is a vital interest of the United States. Given the limited capabilities of the Government of Haiti (GOH),MINUSTAH's presence is essential to maintain peace and security. Troop and police contributors to MINUSTAH, including China, as well as international donors, had made an enormous investment in returning stability and democracy to Haiti. Noting that the Friends of Haiti had worked well with China in the past on Haiti, including by agreeing to six-month mandates instead of the Secretary-General's recommendation for one year, PolMinCouns explained that we wished to consult with the PRC early in the renewal process to ensure the Council could maintain its unanimous support for Haiti. Expressing our desire to remain in touch with China as UNSC discussions on Haiti begin in January 2007, PolMinCouns urged the PRC to engage constructively with the GOH and the Friends of Haiti to support the renewal of MINUSTAH's mandate. PRC UN Mission Warns It Might Be "Too Late" -------------- ¶3. (C) While expressing appreciation for USG willingness to consult China early on in the renewal process, Li warned that it "might already be too late" for China to support extending MINUSTAH's mission. Recalling how the USG had called an emergency UNSC session in early 2004 to authorize an imminent deployment of paratroopers to Haiti after Aristide's departure, Li said he knew well how important stability in Haiti is to both Latin American countries and to the USG. China had never demanded that Haiti break its relations with Taiwan, he said, so the PRC could not understand why the GOH had chosen to "insult" China at the UN. Reviewing events from the preparatory UNGA meetings in September 2006 (ref B), Li described how Haiti had supported Taiwan's entry into the UN despite an alleged personal pledge from President Preval to Chinese PermRep Wang Guangya that the GOH would do no such thing. In the ensuing weeks and months, the Chinese attache in Port-au-Prince had sought an explanation from a variety of Haitian officials -- including the President, Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister -- but none had been forthcoming. USUN NEW Y 00002299 002 OF 002 Noting that this is not the first time China has had such an experience with Haiti, an allusion to a planned trip by former Interim Government of Haiti President Alexandre to Taiwan in 2004 that was called off at the last minute, Li said Beijing and the Chinese Mission no longer saw any reason to trust the GOH. China Plans to "Bury" MINUSTAH Unless Haiti Demonstrates Goodwill and Offers Apology -------------- - ¶4. (C) Due to Haiti's behavior and its subsequent indifference to Chinese concerns, Li said Beijing now wanted the Chinese Mission to "bury" or "finish" MINUSTAH. PermRep Wang had been personally offended by Preval's alleged betrayal, a reaction Li suggested the Chinese Foreign Minister shared. Li implied that after the Chinese attache in Port-au-Prince's last meeting with Preval two weeks ago, in which the GOH President reportedly said there is no need for an "apology" between "brotherly countries," that China no longer saw any need to engage the GOH to resolve the current situation. The Chinese Mission would not engage Haitian PermRep Merores because it no longer had any faith in him. Perhaps, Li suggested, if the GOH could make a gesture of goodwill to China, such as a phone call from Preval to PermRep Wang, the Chinese Mission might be able to recommend that Beijing reconsider its stance on MINUSTAH's future. He added that the Chinese Mission had engaged the Latin American troop contributors to MINUSTAH, France, Canada, and now the USG, but so far the Haitians had not given China any signal that it was interested in finding a solution. Latins and UN Say They've Heard the Same Message -------------- --- ¶5. (C) After the meeting with Li, Poloff compared notes on China's views on MINUSTAH during a meeting with Peruvian diplomats at the UN (Note: Peru is scheduled to assume the informal chairmanship of the Friends of Haiti group once Argentina leaves the UNSC in January 2007. End Note.). The Peruvians confirmed that they and the other Latin American countries participating in MINUSTAH had heard the same message from the Chinese and had subsequently urged Preval to make amends with the PRC. Preval had so far brushed off all such entreaties, however. While sounding a pessimistic note about MINUSTAH's prospects come February 2007, the Peruvians suggested that arranging a ceremony in Port-au-Prince for the GOH to commend the Chinese Formed Police Unit (FPU) for its service to MINUSTAH (perhaps as part of a broader ceremony commending all contributors to UNPOL) might serve as a goodwill gesture to China. ¶6. (C) Poloff also compared notes on China's position regarding MINUSTAH with counterparts from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). They noted that Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Mulet had heard the same message from the Chinese representative in Port-au-Prince and had begun drafting a statement of clarification -- expressing regret over the "misunderstanding" in September 2006 -- for the GOH to consider. After checking with Mulet a few hours later on December 22, the DPKO officers called back to advise that they also planned to ask certain member states to urge Cuba to lobby Preval -- during his trip to Havana in the next few days for medical treatment -- to make amends with China in order to save MINUSTAH. Noting that Preval would also stop over in Jamaica on January 3, they suggested that the USG urge the Jamaican Government to pass the same message to Preval. Poloff undertook to convey the request to Washington but expressed skepticism that Jamaica could succeed where other Friends of Haiti had so far failed. WOLFF