ARGENTINA TO ATTEND HAITI KEY PLAYERS MEETING,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000094

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA/CAR FOR TIMOTHY RYAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2017
TAGS: OVIP PREL EAID PGOV EFIN UNAUS HA EUN
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA TO ATTEND HAITI KEY PLAYERS MEETING,
CONCERNED OVER INTERNAL SECURITY

REF: SECSTATE 05979

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


1. Summary. (C) Argentina supports a 12-month renewal of
MINUSTAH's mandate and has demarched China in Beijing, New
York, and Port-au-Prince urging them to do the same, Under
Secretary for Latin America Policy Agustin Colombo Sierra

SIPDIS
told A/Polcouns on January 19 in response to reftel demarche.
Colombo also indicated that the GOA would participate in the
Haiti Key Players meeting on February 1, but that it would
not move forward with its plans to organize a separate
meeting on mandate renewal in New York in late January. He
requested a 1-hour private meeting with Under Secretary Burns
for the Argentine, Brazilian, and Chilean Vice Foreign
Ministers prior to the February 1 meeting. Argentine,
Brazilian, and Chilean officials met in Buenos Aires to
discuss Haiti on January 17 and agreed to encourage UNSYG Ban
to prioritize MINUSTAH's mission in Haiti and urge Canada to
bolster its police training efforts to the Haitian National
Police. They also agreed that donor coordination needed to
improve, Colombo asserted. End summary.


2. (C) On January 19, A/Polcouns delivered reftel demarche
to Under Secretary for Latin America Policy Agustin Colombo
Sierra. Colombo indicated that Vice Foreign Minister
Garcia-Moritan would participate in the Haiti Key Players
meeting on February 1, and requested a 1-hour private meeting
between Under Secretary Burns and the Argentine, Brazilian,
and Chilean Vice Foreign Ministers prior to the meeting with
other key players. The agenda for that meeting would be to
discuss mandate renewal and ways to improve donor
coordination and training for Haitian National police, he
explained. Given that Washington is hosting the February 1
meeting, the Argentines have decided not to move forward with
its plans to organize a separate meeting on mandate renewal
in New York in late January, Colombo stated. He added that
Argentina supports a 12-month renewal of MINUSTAH's mandate
and has demarched China in Beijing, New York, and
Port-au-Prince urging them to do the same, but is not
optimistic that Beijing will come around.


3. (C) Colombo reported that at a January 17 meeting on
Haiti among Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean officials in
Buenos Aires, all agreed that ensuring Haiti's internal
security remains their number one concern and priority. The
Haitian National Police is ill-equipped to maintain law and
order, and MINUSTAH troops are not authorized to provide for
Haiti's internal security. To address this, the Argentines,
Brazilians, and Chileans believe that Haiti Key Players
should urge Canada to bolster its police training efforts and
encourage other countries, such as the CARICOM nations, to
supplement Canadian efforts, Colombo stated. Minister
Bretton further suggested that perhaps the Dominican Republic
could take a more active role in Haiti, particularly
politically. Colombo noted additional concerns with what he
called &the inordinate number" of Haitian criminals that are
being freed from U.S. prisons early and returning to Haiti to
reinsert themselves in gangs. Colombo also stated that there
is concern that UNSYG Ban is not sufficiently engaged on
peacekeeping operations in general, and Haiti in particular.
They agreed that UNSYG Ban should be encouraged to pay
greater attention to MINUSTAH's efforts in Haiti.


4. (C) Lax maritime security is also a problem and has
resulted in a significant rise in arms and drug trafficking
into Haiti, Colombo stated. Donor coordination and efforts
to strengthen the economy also need to improve dramatically,
since the average Haitian has not yet seen the benefits of
foreign aid as it is currently distributed. In addition, he
expressed concern with U.S. NGOs on the ground that continue
to describe publicly the MINUSTAH presence as &occupation
forces." Finally, he reported that all nine countries with a
troop presence in Haiti will send representatives from the
Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs for a "2 plus 9"
meeting in Lima, Peru on February 15.
WAYNE