JUAN GABRIEL VALDES RETURNING TO HAITI

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000433 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR DRL S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2011 TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR KCRM HA SUBJECT: JUAN GABRIEL VALDES RETURNING TO HAITI Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) According to Denneth Modeste (strictly protect),the OAS' representative to Haiti, on March 8, the former Special Representative of the Secretary General in Haiti (2004-2006), Juan Gabriel Valdes (Chile),will return to Haiti under the auspices of the Secretary General of the OAS to hold political discussions with Haitian leaders. Modeste added that he would be leaving his post at the end of March and returning to OAS headquarters in Washington. ¶2. (C) On March 2, Modeste told Polcouns that he believes a power struggle between OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin and U/S for Political Affairs Dante Caputo is affecting OAS policy toward Haiti. Caputo wants to keep control of Haiti policy but has been sidetracked and inactive. On the other hand, Modeste said that Ramdin is campaigning for the OAS top job and trying to curry favor with member governments. To that end, he has begun a regular series of visits to Haiti, making commitments that Modeste does not think the OAS can keep, such as help with reforestation and foreign investment. (Comment: Ramdin is currently organizing a large-scale trade conference to take place in Port-au-Prince in May, but has not consulted with Embassy or USG representatives, a major oversight since HOPE legislation is the number one foreign investment topic in Haiti at the moment. End Comment.) ¶3. (C) Modeste surmised that sending Valdes to Haiti was Secretary General Insulza's way of inserting himself into SIPDIS Haiti policy without picking sides between Ramdin and Caputo. Modeste supposes that Valdes will look to develop a political agenda on which Insulza can engage without bothering with Ramdin's technical agenda. ¶4. (C) Comment. We are not always in agreement with Modeste, but he is a shrewd observer of Haitian politics and has been supportive of U.S. policy over the course of his nearly five-year tenure. Modeste holds Ramdin in low regard, and is skeptical that Valdes can do much to enhance the OAS' role. (We share Modeste's view that Valdes had mostly worn out his welcome by the time of his departure in May 2005.) The Canadian government in particular has been actively suggesting that the OAS should prepare to take over as the principle conduit for international support when the UN eventually leaves Haiti. That may well be the OAS' future role, but Haiti supporters should be mindful in the meantime not to undermine international or Haitian support for a continued UN presence in Haiti in the near- and medium-term. TIGHE