U.S. AMBASSADOR FIRST MEETING WITH NEW MINISTER OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001597 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND WHA/EX INL/LP FOR KEVIN BROWN, ANGELIC YOUNG, MEAGAN MCBRIDE, DON STOLWORTHY S/CRS INR/IAA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PLEASE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR ECON PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: U.S. AMBASSADOR FIRST MEETING WITH NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE PORT AU PR 00001597 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶2. (U) Summary: On November 14, the U.S. Ambassador met for the first time with the new Minister of Justice and Public Security, Jean Joseph Exume. They discussed continuing USG support for police and judicial reform as well as specific cooperation on the USG-funded anti-money laundering project already underway. The Minister acknowledgedthe pressing need for judicial reform and to coninue the fight against drug trafficking and mone laundering. He accepted the Ambassador's offerof a full briefing on USG police and justice programs at a later date. End summary. ¶3. (U) On Nvember 14, Ambassador Sanderson, accompanied by he NAS Director and two TDY U.S. Treasury anti-mony laundering advisors, met with the new Ministerof Justice and Public Security Jean Joseph Exume or the first time. Secretary of State for PublicSecurity Luc Eucher Joseph also was present. Th Ambassador used the occasion to reiterate USG support to the Government of Haiti (GOH) on reform of the security and justice sector as well as our desire to continue the strong cooperation the USG and GOH have established in this area. The Treasury advisors were present at the request of President Preval, who takes a strong personal interest in the anti-money laundering and accompanying anti-corruption program funded by INL/NAS in Haiti. The Ambassador stated that the USG coordinates with the GOH on its priorities and noted the importance of prison reform for both governments. She offered a full briefing on USG programs in the security and justice sector at a future date, which the Minister accepted. ¶4. (U) Background: Minister of Justice and Public Security Jean Joseph Exume was named to that positon on Monday November 10. He had served in that post for a year in the first administration of President Aristide. He is trained as a lawyer in Haiti and served four years on the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, as well as as a consultant for USAID and UNDP. In 2000 he returned to his post teaching civil law at the Faculty of Law and Economic Science in Port au Prince, of which he is a graduate. He previously held that post in the early 1990s. He understands and speaks English but appears to be more comfortable speaking French. End background. ¶5. (U) The Minister plans to establish short, medium and long term goals and priorities for the areas under his responsibility and to work with donors to address the most pressing priorities first. He acknowledged that reform of both the police and judicial systems was important simultaneously to consolidate the gains made in either sector. He mentioned that he had visited the Port au Prince Court earlier that week at 10 a.m., the opening time, and had found no one at work (which was widely reported in the press). He recognizes the enormous problems faced in the courts, including lack of training, low salaries of judges and corruption. ¶6. (U) The group then turned to a discussion of activities and impediments to the successful anti-money laundering program being implemented by advisors from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance (OTA). With OTA assistance, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank (UCREF) and the Financial Crimes Unit of the Haitian National Police (BAFE) have been restructured and are now moving investigations forward for the first time. In the past month, the BAFE, with DEA assistance, has seized over 20 properties and other assets of drug traffickers and money launderers convicted in the U.S. By the end of the year they hope to seize up to 40 properties valued at over 20 million USD. The OTA team sought the Minister's assistance in ensuring that this progress was not reversed. Specifically, they requested that the Minister move expeditiously to name the Deputy Director of the UCREF, to ensure that a point of PORT AU PR 00001597 002.2 OF 002 contact was named within the Commission to Fight against Drug Trafficking (CONALD) to oversee management, maintenance and disposal of forfeited assets, and to instruct the judicial system that all cases related to such seizures must be handled by the two judges that have been specifically trained to adjudicate such complex cases. Without these measures, the GOH risks having the assets returned to convicted criminals and the deterrent effect of such seizures will be lost. The Minister pledged his support to ensure these advances were not reversed. Note: The Ambassador reiterated the importance of the last two OTA points in a subsequent meeting with the Prime Minister. End note. ¶7. (SBU) The Minister made several statements that give an indication of his policies and priorities as Minister. He stated that the only way to fight corruption is punishment and supports the promulgation of an anti-corruption law stronger that the draft currently being prepared. He also recognizes the need for reform of the Haitian criminal code as well as the criminal and civil tax codes. He expressed his opinion that a hybrid legal system that incorporates the best of the current Haitian legal system and of the U.S. system for dealing with such 21st century crimes is needed. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: Overall, the Minister demonstrated a good grasp of the issues for having been in office for less than a week. His training as a lawyer showed in his grasp of the legal issues and specific laws being discussed. His interest in continued cooperation with the USG and desire to reform the judicial system and fight corruption are positive signs. Speculation about the status of the Secretary of State for Public Security appears to be put to rest as they appear quite comfortable with each other. They have a long personal and professional relationship, as the Minister was a teacher of the Secretary of State. SANDERSON