GOA URGES GREATER SENIOR-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT ON HAITI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000186

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

P-STAFF FOR HEIDI BRONKE
WHA/CAR FOR TIMOTHY RYAN
WHA/BSC FOR BLAKENEY, RADETSKY, AND MOSS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2017
TAGS: OVIP PREL EAID PGOV EFIN UNAUS HA EUN
SUBJECT: GOA URGES GREATER SENIOR-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT ON HAITI

Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ANTHONY WAYNE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. This is an action request. See para 3.


2. (C) Argentine Vice Foreign Minister Roberto Garcia
Moritan called for increased senior-level dialogue on Haiti
during a January 30 meeting with Ambassador. He extended a
dinner invitation to Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Burns with Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean (ABC)
counterparts on Thursday, February 8 to discuss Haiti, if it
fits in U/S Burns's schedule. He noted recent ABC efforts to
keep Haiti on the frontburner, including FM Taiana's meeting
with UN SYG Ban Ki-moon on the issue. Garcia Moritan
asserted that Argentina and other countries with troops in
Haiti remain committed to Haiti's stability and democratic
transition. However, Haiti's main challenge now is providing
internal security, and Argentine law prohibits its military
from acting as a police (reftel).

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An Invitation to Dinner
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3. (C) Garcia Moritan asked if U/S Burns,s schedule
permitted a dinner in Buenos Aires with the VFMs of
Argentina, Brazil, and Chile on Thursday, February 8, to
discuss Haiti. Ambassador stated that he would inform
Washington of the invitation. (Comment: Given the lack of
coordination among the three countries, however, post
believes the meeting is just as likely not to happen as it is
to happen. Post requests Department guidance on whether to
pursue such a meeting.)

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ABC Efforts to Keep Haiti on the Frontburner
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4. (C) Garcia Moritan observed that GOA dialogue with the
U.S. on Haiti has been infrequent and asserted that the UN
should pay greater attention to the country. He asserted
that the conference call on Haiti among Foreign Ministers
(which was taking place during the meeting) and the February
1 meeting with the Haiti Key Players in Washington were very
positive steps. He suggested that there be a face-to-face
meeting between senior-level people who are able to make
decisions to take the discussion further. To address this,
he noted that FM Taiana has met with UN SYG Ban Ki-moon to
highlight the importance of UN involvement in Haiti, and
Brazil's Foreign Minister Amorim will soon meet with his
Canadian counterpart. He added that Argentina is considering
a further meeting with France and Canada.


5. (C) Garcia Moritan asserted that Argentina, Brazil and
Chile share similar views and work closely on Haiti. In
addition, he said, Argentina has organized a regular
mechanism for dialogue called the "9 plus 2" which brings
together Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense officials
from the nine countries that have troops in Haiti (reftel).
The group first met in Buenos Aires in August 2006 and is
scheduled to meet again in Lima, Peru on February 15. UN
SRSG to Haiti Mulet and OAS SYG Insulza will participate in
the Lima meeting. Garcia Moritan asserted that all have the
political will to work and contribute to Haiti's stability
and democratic transition.

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Haiti's Attitude on Taiwan Complicates MINUSTAH Renewal
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6. (C) Garcia Moritan noted that Haiti's position on Taiwan
has made it more difficult to convince China to agree to a
12-month mandate renewal for MINUSTAH. He stated that he
intends to urge his Brazilian and Chilean counterparts to
travel with him to Haiti to meet with President Preval and
Prime Minister Alexis to discuss the "GOH,s attitude"
towards China. The GOA has raised the issue with Preval over
the phone, but believes it would be best to deliver the
message in person together with Brazil and Chile.

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MINUSTAH Needs to Focus on Internal Security; GOA Troops
Unable to Help
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7. (C) Garcia Moritan reiterated Argentina's concerns over
the Haitian National Police's ability to maintain law and
order and stated that the situation on the ground will
require a greater emphasis on providing internal security.
He underscored that Argentine law prohibits its troops from
doing so because the military can not act as a police force
(reftel). Ambassador stated that he would relay these
concerns back to Washington, and noted that the February 1
Key Players Meeting in Washington and U/S Burns's February
8-9 visit to Argentina would be excellent opportunities to
continue discussing these issues.
WAYNE