T&T SUMMIT COORDINATOR DISCUSSES SOA PREPARATIONS WITH PDAS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000286

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/USOAS, WHA/CAR, WHA/EX, WHA/EPSC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN ECON PREL EAGR KSUM XM TD
SUBJECT: T&T SUMMIT COORDINATOR DISCUSSES SOA PREPARATIONS WITH PDAS
KELLY

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: T&T will soon share its draft Summit declaration
and seeks a 10-14 day turnaround for U.S. comments. The draft will
be unveiled in Washington on/about July 24, with negotiations
proceeding in September (Barbados),October (Jamaica),November
(possibly Bahamas) and December (possibly El Salvador). T&T will
convey proposed lodging arrangements in a few weeks; it is
considering making the entire Hilton available to the U.S. By the
end of August, it expects to seek assistance on enforcing restricted
air space, patrolling waters beyond 12 nautical miles, and beefing
up bomb squad capacity during the Summit. Logistical challenges in
putting on the Summit will be daunting and we encourage Washington
agencies to make early visits to Port of Spain, coordinated with our
own National Summit Coordinator, to discuss hurdles and areas of
cooperation. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) WHA PDAS Craig Kelly met with T&T National Summit Coordinator
Luis Alberto Rodriguez on June 26 to discuss preparations for the
Summit of the Americas. Rodriguez was accompanied by Deputy
Coordinator Beverly Khan, Security Coordinator Maj. Francis, and
Logistics Coordinator Maj. Peter Ganesh. Also attending were
WHA/EPSC Director Matt Rooney, DCM and EconChief (notetaker).


3. (SBU) Rodriguez expected T&T's draft Summit declaration to be
ready within days, and he reaffirmed that the U.S. would receive an
advance copy. Acknowledging that USG interagency process takes
time, Rodriguez pressed strongly for a turnaround time of 14
calendar days, adding 10 days would be "even better" and that he
hoped the U.S. would keep its requests to a minimum. Rodriguez also
noted that Joint Summit Working Group (JSWG) partner institutions
had been slow to respond to T&T's requests for data and that his
team had to find their own data in cases where JSWG material was
"not the best."


4. (SBU) Rodriguez said he aims to unveil the draft declaration at a
Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) meeting in Washington on
July 24, depending on the availability of OAS Secretary General
Insulza, adding that he needs to give Insulza a week to review it.
OAS members then would have two months to review the draft and
assemble negotiating teams before the next SIRG meeting, scheduled
for September 18-19 in Barbados. Subsequent SIRG meetings would
take place in October in Jamaica; November, possibly the Bahamas;
and December, possibly in El Salvador. T&T would then host an
unspecified number of SIRG meetings from January through the Summit
(April 17-19, 2009).


5. (SBU) Discussing the concept for a "declaration of commitment,"
Rodriguez said the approach reflects T&T's desire to address
implementation concerns and respond to citizens who wonder what past
Summits have achieved. PDAS Kelly responded that the same concerns
inform our approach to the hemisphere, which seeks to draw clearer
connections between our good governance/open markets agenda and
people's lives.


6. (SBU) As a partial aside, Rodriguez added that President Uribe
of Colombia had signaled his desire to have a meeting on trade when
he met with T&T Prime Minister Manning at the recent World Economic
Forum gathering. While no such meeting had taken place, Rodriguez
agreed there is a need to focus attention on the benefits of trade
in a way that would broaden support for its liberalization. Kelly
noted U.S. sensitivity on several issues, including biofuels and
food prices and the need to keep climate change negotiations in UN
and Major Economies channels.


7. (SBU) On logistics, in addition to leasing two cruise ships from
a U.S. shipping line (with single occupancy capacity for 2800),T&T
is making arrangements with neighboring islands to stage aircraft.
It also is contracting with experienced foreign companies to manage
accreditation and the media. Rodriguez said he would soon convey
detailed GOTT thinking on accommodations, adding that he would seek
early agreement on arrangements for the U.S. delegation.
Acknowledging U.S interest in obtaining sole use of the Hilton,
Rodriguez said this is under consideration. Logistics coordinator
Major Peter Ganesh noted this would require careful coordination of
movements to minimize disruption of traffic in Port of Spain, and he
encouraged the U.S. to retain its allocation of rooms at the Hyatt,
wherever POTUS ends up staying.


8. (SBU) Maj. Ganesh continued that the GOTT will provide each
delegation with three executive vehicles, two outriders, two
security vehicles, one staff bus, and one baggage van, leaving it up
to the delegations how these would be used. Ganesh indicated that
the National Secretariat would control rentals of additional
vehicles and provide shuttle services and parking for the secure
zone around the Hyatt.

PORT OF SP 00000286 002 OF 002




9. (SBU) The National Summit Secretariat is presenting budgets and
proposing tender methods to an inter-ministerial committee.
According to Rodriguez, Junior Finance Minister Mariano, who heads
the ten-Cabinet committee, has promised to push these through as
quickly as possible.


10. (SBU) Security coordinator Major Francis reviewed gaps in
coverage where international assistance will be needed. He
explained that the local police will have the lead on Summit
security, with support from the full range of law enforcement and
Defense Force entities. The Coast Guard will provide coverage up to
12 nautical miles from T&T's coastline, but international support
will be needed beyond that range. In the air, the Special Anticrime
Unit of T&T (SAUTT) can provide surveillance but has no ability to
enforce restricted air space, so help will be needed there as well.



11. (SBU) On land, T&T may cordon off the downtown area, declaring
the Summit Friday a holiday. It expects to borrow uniformed forces
from Caribbean neighbors to bolster security, but it may need help
with handling improvised explosive devices (IEDs),as bomb squad
capacity is limited. Rodriguez said by the end of August, Trinidad
would be in a position to engage in detail on these anticipated
gaps. Noting that National Summit Secretariat would coordinate with
the Ministry of National Security, Rodriguez asked the U.S. to route
its communications on Summit security through National Secretariat
channels.


12. (U) In closing, Rodriguez welcomed the news that the U.S. is
sending a Florida Regional Assistance Team (FRAT) to Port of Spain
July 7-11 to help Post prepare for supporting a Presidential
delegation. He noted that he would be happy to meet with the FRAT,
schedule permitting.


13. (SBU) Comment: Logistical challenges will be daunting for this
small island, though Rodriguez seems to have a vision on moving
forward and is assembling a solid team around him. We would
encourage and welcome Washington agencies being proactive in
visiting Port of Spain early on in this process, while coordinating
any activity with our own National Summit Coordinator.

AUSTIN