PRESIDENT PREVAL PROMISES SWIFT ACTION ON SENATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000156

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA)
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PAS AID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT PREVAL PROMISES SWIFT ACTION ON SENATE
ELECTIONS

PORT AU PR 00000156 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson. Reason: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b)
, (d)


1. Summary: (C) President Preval pledged to the entire
international community in Haiti that his government is
committed to holding Senate elections as quickly as possible.
He promised a draft electoral law within days, and an
election budget and calendar in less than two weeks, and
asked for technical election assistance from the
international community. His ministers and Provisional
Electoral Council (CEP) outlined the next steps to make
Senate elections happen, including passing the electoral law,
drawing up an election budget, and identifying GOH funds to
supplement international assistance. The Ambassador said the
USG is committed to assisting the election process
financially, and wants a transparent election budget, an
election calendar, and rapid appointment of a new Director
General of the CEP in order to move to senatorial elections.
End summary.


2. (C) President Preval convoked the Ambassador, USAID
Director, MINUSTAH leaders, OAS Ambassador Gray, the Canadian
and the European Commission Ambassadors, the Brazilian and
Japanese Charges, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council, and
several of his cabinet ministers to his office January 30. He
pledged to convey the draft electoral law governing Senate
and indirect elections to the parliament by the end of the
week. The CEP will discuss the draft law with parliamentary
representatives Jan. 31 to help ensure smooth passage. By
the end of the week of February 4, the CEP will have
completed the ''election calendar'' and budget. Preval
pledged his government's commitment to holding senate
elections as transparently and as soon as possible. He then
left the room.


3. (C) CEP President Frantz-Gerard Verret said the date of
Senate elections would be determined after parliament voted
on the electoral law. He wanted to reactivate the
international community working group (the ''sectoral
table'') that coordinated previous Haitian elections. Verret
hoped to coordinate all international election assistance
through UNDP. The CEP was now reviewing the status of all
elections employees.


4. (C) Minister of Planning Jean-Max Bellerive said the GOH
had identified some GOH money to finance the Senate
elections. Together with funds pledged by the international
community, the money available amounted to USD 10 million.
The GOH would find more. (Note: MINUSTAH estimates elections
will cost over USD 14 million for two rounds. End note.)
Bellerive pledged that the CEP will provide a transparent
election budget to the international community, as a signal
to them and the people of Haiti of the government's
determination to hold these elections. Trying to put a more
exact figure on GOH commitments, Minister of Finance Daniel
Dorsainvil said there are 146 million gourdes (USD 4 million)
in GOH funds available to fund the CEP, and 50 million
gourdes (USD 139,000) available for direct election
operations. (Comment: Dorsainvil did not clarify the
division between CEP and election expenses. We believe he
was distinguishing CEP's regular operating expenses -- such
as employee salaries, facilities, office equipment, etc. --
from one-time expenses such as ballots, election day
observers, and security. End note.)


5. (C) The Ambassador said the USG has USD 4 million to help
with Senate elections. The USG wanted a transparent election
budget, a precise election calendar, and quick appointment of
a new Director General of the CEP to oversee and organize
Senate elections. The OAS outlined its ongoing activity in
voter registration. SRSG Annabi stressed the role of
MINUSTAH logistical support. Canadian Ambassador Boucher
pledged CD 4 million for the elections (to be directed
through UNDP),and wanted a clear budget, an electoral
calendar, and accountability throughout. EC Ambassadors
insisted on election transparency. UNDP head and Deputy SRSG
Joel Boutroue said that USD 1.3 million remaining in the UNDP

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budget from previous elections would require permission from
donor countries to apply to the Senate elections. He
indicated some of these funds may already be allocated.
(Note: In a January 30 donor meeting, smaller donor countries
including Mexico, Switzerland, Spain and Japan expressed
interest in channeling their contributions through the UNDP
''trust fund.'' Their projected contributions range from USD
100,000 to 200,000. The EU was disinclined to fund
individual elections, preferring to contribute to a permanent
election structure. End note.)


6. (C) Reentering the room, President Preval said that Haiti
needed technical assistance with these elections. The
Canadian Ambassador and UNDP Boutroue said they were prepared
to offer this. Preval closed the meeting saying Haiti wanted
to hold the Senate elections in the shortest time possible,
and that this meeting should serve as a strong signal to the
international community of his intent regarding elections.


7. (C) This meeting's message largely dovetailed with what
Polcouns and Poloff learned from CEP President Verret January

29. Verret claimed the CEP will do everything possible to
have new senators installed in time for the opening of the
second 2008 session of the National Assembly in June.
However, they will await the passage of the electoral law
before announcing a date for elections. Verret was more
conservative than Preval in his timeline for the law,
promising it would reach Parliament by the end of February.
Verret said that elections could take place 90 to 150 days
after publication of the electoral law. Although he deplores
the departure of Jacques Bernard, he pledged that the DG's
resignation will not/not delay elections. Verret reported
that Preval will select a new DG in consultation with the
CEP, the private sector and other major sectors. Good
management skills and freedom from political bias are their
highest priorities in selecting a new DG. (Note: USAID
reports rumors that a leading candidate for the DG position
is CEP President Verret's nephew. End note.)
SANDERSON