DEMARCHE ON IRAN/VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000939 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 MASS MARR PTER PHUM HA VE IR SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON IRAN/VENEZUELA REF: STATE 6137 Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador on May 21 delivered the points contained in reftel to Foreign Minister Clerisme regarding the regional impact of Iran and Venezuela's growing relationship. She emphasized that Iran represented a danger to the region and that Iran and Venezuela together threatened to undermine the progress made multi-laterally in the Western Hemisphere to control proliferation, terrorism, and other security threats. ¶2. (C) The Foreign Minister replied that he would convey USG concerns to President Preval at the first opportunity, and thanked the Ambassador for bringing the matter to his attention. He relayed that though Iran had made overtures to Haiti after President Ahmadenijad met President Preval in Ecuador in January, Haiti had no intention of establishing a relationship with Iran. He added that during a recent visit to Cuba, the Iranian foreign minister, also in Cuba at the time, had asked for a meeting and that he had "diplomatically" declined. Clerisme stated he believed that other countries in the region shared concerns about Iran's role and predicted that most CARICOM members would express their concerns during the upcoming Conference on the Caribbean in Washington. ¶3. (C) The Foreign Minister took pains to add that Haiti's relations with Venezuela were based on bilateral cooperation. President Preval had met Chavez several times, but had never made any statement in support of Chavez' broader policies. President Preval, Clerisme pointed out, had refused to join ALBA in advance of the most recent ALBA summit, and insisted on attending only as an observer. ¶4. (C) Comment. Clerisme may or may not have a full read out of President Preval's discussions of Venezuela with President Bush and Secretary Rice. Either way, the GoH seems completely on message in telling us not to worry about Haiti's ties with Venezuela. Clerisme's openness in echoing our concerns about Iran indicates that GoH officials more and more understand that they need to be responsible regional players. SANDERSON