HAITIAN PERMREP PLEDGES HAITI WILL NOT PROVOKE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000748 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC KPKO CH TW HA SUBJECT: HAITIAN PERMREP PLEDGES HAITI WILL NOT PROVOKE CHINA OVER TAIWAN AT UN REF: USUN 741 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeff DeLaurentis, per 1.4 ( b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During a meeting on September 10, Haitian PermRep Leo Merores told Poloff he did not expect China to object to a one-year extension of the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) when it expires on October 15, ¶2007. (Note: China threatened to veto MINUSTAH's mandate in February 2007 after Merores defended Taiwan's application for membership during a meeting of the UN's General Committee in September 2006. The PRC ultimately agreed to support an 8.5-month extension, vice the twelve months recommended by the SYG, after Haiti sent Beijing a letter of regret. End Note.) Asserting that Haitian officials had "behaved" over the past several months vis-a-vis the China-Taiwan issue, Merores said Haiti had committed to supporting UNGA resolution 2758 (1971) regarding the issue of Chinese representation in the UN in its letter of regret to Beijing, and that Haiti would therefore "abstain" on any action in the UN that could undermine its position. As a case in point, Merores noted, Haiti had absented itself from a recent informal discussion in the UNGA General Committee over Taiwan's application for membership (reftel). Although the GOH is in a "difficult" position due to Taiwan's significant aid to Haiti, Merores emphasized that Haiti would honor its commitments to China, and added that he had recently given the Chinese DPR assurances to this effect. ¶2. (C) Turning to the details of MINUSTAH's mandate, Merores said Haiti strongly supported most of the recommendations in the SYG's recent report on Haiti -- a one-year extension of the mandate, minor adjustments to force levels, and provision of up to sixteen small patrol boats to MINUSTAH to help it guard Haiti's coastline and secure its ports. He lamented that one item which was not mentioned was the need for MINUSTAH to focus more on "civil" and "reconstruction" projects -- especially in places which have been secure for some time. According to Merores, President Preval told SYG Ban Ki-Moon directly on August 1 that MINUSTAH needed to "use more bulldozers and fewer tanks." Merores said he understood that SRSG Mulet had opposed Preval's request on the grounds that MINUSTAH and the HNP had to consolidate their recent gains in security and not be distracted by engaging in development projects. Poloff noted that the U.S. also believed that MINUSTAH should focus primarily on its mission to ensure a secure and stable environment in Haiti. To this end, Poloff informed Merores that the U.S. would host a "Haiti Key Players" meeting on the margins of the UNGA, date and time TBD. Merores noted that Preval would be in New York from September 24-30 and would plan to attend the U.S.-sponsored meeting if possible. KHALILZAD