PREVAL GOING TO ALBA SUMMIT: RETURNING WITH A

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000781 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR DRL S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2011 TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR KCRM HA SUBJECT: PREVAL GOING TO ALBA SUMMIT: RETURNING WITH A CHECK? REF: A. PAP 522 ¶B. PAP 773 Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Secretary General of the Presidency Fritz Longchamps on April 26 reported to Polcouns that President Preval will attend the Alba summit in Venzuela as a "special observer" for the express purpose of finalizing a tri-lateral assistance agreement between Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba, whereby Venezuela will finance the presence of Cuban doctors and other technicians in rural Haiti. Longchamps expressed surprise that the USG would take issue with Preval's attendance at this meeting. He reiterated that Venezuelan assistance, particularly in providing health care to the most deprived parts of Haiti, was too important for President Preval not to pursue. Preval had never participated in or associated himself with Chavez' attacks against the U.S. and would not on this trip. Nor did he have any intention of joining Alba. Longchamps reminded Polcouns of their discussions immediately after Chavez visited Haiti (ref B)--how President Preval had curtailed Chavez' activities during the visit and how uncomfortable Chavez' behavior had made everyone during his stay. ¶2. (C) Polcouns replied that though that may have been the case, for the USG, the net result was that President Preval gave Chavez another platform from which to attack the United States and then saw him off from the airport. The USG understood that Preval felt obliged to pursue all sources of assistance for Haiti, but did not understand why he continued to participate in fora where Chavez vilified Haiti's most important and reliable bi-lateral partner. USG officials would ask President Preval this question during his upcoming trip to Washington in May. ¶3. (C) Comment. Longchamps seemed genuinely surprised that Polcouns asked for an appointment specifically to raise our displeasure with Preval's Venezuela trip. To some degree, Longchamp's reaction probably reflects Preval's own obliviousness to the impact and consequences his accommodation of Chavez has on relations with us. Longchamps, sophisticated and experienced as he is, also betrayed a common trait among Haitian officials in misjudging the relative importance that U.S. policy makers attach to Haiti versus Venezuela and Chavez' regional impact. As reported in ref A, messages delivered to Preval in Haiti, whether through intermediaries or directly, are likely to have little impact. We should convey our discontent with Preval's actions at the highest possible level when he next visits Washington. SANDERSON =======================CABLE ENDS============================