(C) PREVAL SEEKS CHANGE IN MINUSTAH STATUS PRIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001405

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV KPKO HA
SUBJECT: (C) PREVAL SEEKS CHANGE IN MINUSTAH STATUS PRIOR
TO MANDATE RENEWAL

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reasons 1.5(b) and (d)

(U) 1. This is an action request. See para 4.


2. (C) UNSRSG Hedi Annabi tells me that Haitian President
Rene Preval intends to seek a change in the MINUSTAH mandate
from Chapter 7 to Chapter 6 status. Arguing that bringing
MINUSTAH here under Chapter 7 sends the signal to investors
that Haiti is a "war zone," and ups insurance rates, Preval
told Annabi on October 1 that he is writing the UNSC
President to request that the Council revisit this issue
prior to vote on the extension of the MINUSTAH mandate.
Annabi added that Preval briefly raised this issue with UNSYG
Ban Ki Moon during his courtesy call at the UNGA last month;
the SYG tried to dissuade Preval but noted that this matter
was more in the purview of the UNSC rather than the SYG's
office.


3. (C) Annabi told me that he argued strongly with Preval
that opening this matter now might unravel the Security
Council consensus, carefully crafted in 2004-2005, which
brought MINUSTAH to Haiti. He expressed deep concern that
moving to Chapter 6 status could open discussions in certain
capitals about troop commitment levels, calling into question
MINUSTAH's current configuration. Preval, he said, made it
clear that he wants MINUSTAH to stay through the end of his
term (2011.) But Preval has, deliberately or not,
misinterpreted the difference between the two chapters and
will argue in his letter that MINUSTAH's military role should
now evolve into a developmental presence. Preval does not
understand, Annabi states, that MINUSTAH troop contributor
countries may not wish to play that role and could use any
such change to dial back their engagement here. Furthermore,
Annabi cautioned the President that the current agenda facing
the Council is such that any effort to rework MINUSTAH could
get bogged down or fail, leaving Haiti without a MINUSTAH
presence at all.


4. (C) Comment and Action Request. Preval has not yet raised
this issue with us here. My Chinese, Canadian and French
colleagues all agree that from our vantage point here this is
a terrible idea which opens a Pandora's box of issues better
left closed. Moving MINUSTAH from Chapter 7 to Chapter 6
status has been a hobbyhorse of the Minister of Planning for
some time - he often argues that it will have a positive
impact on investment - but this is the first time we have
heard Preval pick up on it. The link to investor decisions in
this difficult economic environment is laughable. In reality,
I suspect that Preval is seeking more immediate access to
resources and foolishly believes that a new MINUSTAH
configuration will cause them to materialize. Preval is
currently in Miami attending the Miami Herald Conference on
the Americas. I will seek a meeting with him on his return to
discuss the matter. Please provide guidance on USG position
on Preval's proposal.
SANDERSON