DEMARCHE: ELECTION FOR COMMITTEE ON THE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001858 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/RHS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA HA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ELECTION FOR COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION REF: STATE 157655 ¶1. PolCouns delivered reftel diplomatic note and Ambassador Prosper CV November 23 to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Political Affairs Director Wiener Jean-Baptiste. Drawing from reftel talking points, PolCouns emphasized Ambassador Prosper's eminent qualifications and professional experience in fields relevant to his position on this committee. ¶2. Jean-Baptiste said that despite the fact that Haiti's foreign policy -- all the way down to many individual votes in the UN -- was decided by President Preval himself, he could say confidently that Haiti would almost certainly vote for Ambassador Prosper. Haiti had been supported the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination since its inception. Despite the number of countries fielding candidates, the U.S. was the first country to canvass the Government of Haiti for support. Jean-Baptiste agreed that Ambassador Prosper's professional experience made him eminently qualified. He added that another factor making Haiti's support a virtual certainty was the Ambassador's Haitian ancestry. SANDERSON