Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PORTAUPRINCE578
2007-03-23 18:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:
OAS ''FRIENDS GROUP'' MEETS RESISTANCE
how-toVZCZCXRO4205 PP RUEHQU DE RUEHPU #0578 0821813 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231813Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5686 INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1480 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1303 RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0764 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1179
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000578
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
USOAS
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA XA
SUBJECT: OAS ''FRIENDS GROUP'' MEETS RESISTANCE
REF: PORT AU PRINCE 433
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000578
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
USOAS
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA XA
SUBJECT: OAS ''FRIENDS GROUP'' MEETS RESISTANCE
REF: PORT AU PRINCE 433
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (SBU) Organization of American States (OAS) Special
Representative, Denneth Modeste, said that the OAS Assistant
Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, proposed to re-establish a
SIPDIS
Group of Friends during his visit to Haiti on March 19.
(Note: The OAS convened the Group of Friends in
Port-au-Prince before the UN mandate of 2004. Once the UN
arrived, the OAS disbanded the Group of Friends and joined
the Core Group. End note.) Adamant that this would
duplicate and even compete with the Core Group, Modeste
refused to host the meeting with the international community
at the OAS. Ramdin instead asked the Canadian Embassy to
host the meeting. Post did not attend the meeting, and the
only other OAS ambassadors in attendance were Brazil and
Canada. Overall, according to a political officer at the
Canadian Embassy, the participants supported greater
coordination among Haiti's donors. However, they contested
Ramdin's suggestion that the Core Group was a technical
group, and disagreed with Ramdin that Haiti's partners needed
another political forum, arguing that this is the role of the
Core Group.
2. (SBU) Modeste confirmed that he is leaving at the end of
March, and said that the special mission will be down-graded
to a national office. The OAS has not named a national
director, and former UN SRSG Juan Gabriel Valdes is no longer
a possibility. Modeste said that Valdes' visit here was as
part of a OAS technical mission and that he would most likely
not return under OAS auspices, contrary to what he had told
Polcouns (reftel).
3. (C) Comment: As discussed in reftel, Modeste's low
opinion of Ramdin's efforts reflects Modeste's low opinion of
Ramdin himself. Taking that into account, we agree with
Modeste that a broader OAS role in political issues runs the
risk of duplicating the efforts of MINUSTAH and the Core
Croup, though Ramdin has stated he does not wish to duplicate
other donor efforts. There is some support within the Core
Group for Ramdin and for a more active role for the OAS.
Suggested areas for OAS involvement are tourism, the judicial
sector and human rights, as well as support to the electoral
commission.
TIGHE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
USOAS
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA XA
SUBJECT: OAS ''FRIENDS GROUP'' MEETS RESISTANCE
REF: PORT AU PRINCE 433
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (SBU) Organization of American States (OAS) Special
Representative, Denneth Modeste, said that the OAS Assistant
Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, proposed to re-establish a
SIPDIS
Group of Friends during his visit to Haiti on March 19.
(Note: The OAS convened the Group of Friends in
Port-au-Prince before the UN mandate of 2004. Once the UN
arrived, the OAS disbanded the Group of Friends and joined
the Core Group. End note.) Adamant that this would
duplicate and even compete with the Core Group, Modeste
refused to host the meeting with the international community
at the OAS. Ramdin instead asked the Canadian Embassy to
host the meeting. Post did not attend the meeting, and the
only other OAS ambassadors in attendance were Brazil and
Canada. Overall, according to a political officer at the
Canadian Embassy, the participants supported greater
coordination among Haiti's donors. However, they contested
Ramdin's suggestion that the Core Group was a technical
group, and disagreed with Ramdin that Haiti's partners needed
another political forum, arguing that this is the role of the
Core Group.
2. (SBU) Modeste confirmed that he is leaving at the end of
March, and said that the special mission will be down-graded
to a national office. The OAS has not named a national
director, and former UN SRSG Juan Gabriel Valdes is no longer
a possibility. Modeste said that Valdes' visit here was as
part of a OAS technical mission and that he would most likely
not return under OAS auspices, contrary to what he had told
Polcouns (reftel).
3. (C) Comment: As discussed in reftel, Modeste's low
opinion of Ramdin's efforts reflects Modeste's low opinion of
Ramdin himself. Taking that into account, we agree with
Modeste that a broader OAS role in political issues runs the
risk of duplicating the efforts of MINUSTAH and the Core
Croup, though Ramdin has stated he does not wish to duplicate
other donor efforts. There is some support within the Core
Group for Ramdin and for a more active role for the OAS.
Suggested areas for OAS involvement are tourism, the judicial
sector and human rights, as well as support to the electoral
commission.
TIGHE