LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM PRIME MINISTER BRUCE

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000278 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY TEXT WHA/CAR (BRIDGET PREMONT) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL SNAR ASEC KCRM JM XL SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM PRIME MINISTER BRUCE GOLDING ¶1. (SBU) Under cover of the following Government of Jamaica Diplomatic Note No. 5/504/1 of April 6, post has received the below letter from Prime Minister Bruce Golding addressed to the President: (Begin Text of Diplomatic Note) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honour to transmit hereto, copy of a letter from the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honourable Bruce Golding, M.P., to the President of the United States of America, Mr. Barack H. Obama. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America, the assurances of its highest consideration. (End text of Diplomatic Note) (Begin text of letter to the President) Dear Mr. President: I commend you on the decisive action you have taken in collaboration with the Mexican Government to confront the drug cartels and to eliminate the threat they pose to the security of both the United States and Mexico. The government of Jamaica supports the efforts being made by the United States through the Merida Initiative to combat drug trafficking through Mexico and Central America. I further welcome your recent statement that the United States will intensify its efforts to control the flow of illegal guns and cash from the United States to drug cartels. Jamaica remains extremely vulnerable to the predatory activities of these criminal networks. As an island state located along a major route between the source and destination of illicit drugs and faced with severe resource constraints, our surveillance, investigation and apprehension capabilities are not commensurate with the threats to which we are exposed. We appreciate the assistance and cooperation which the US authorities have provided us. However, our counter-narcotics activities need to be strengthened and intensified. I urge you, notwithstanding the emphasis justifiably placed on the Mexican border, to consider expanding the initiative to incorporate the Western Caribbean and, in particular, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica remains fully committed to cooperating with the United States in repelling this grave threat to both our countries. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration. Bruce Golding, MP Prime Minister (End text of letter to the President) ¶2. (U) Copies of the note and of the letter have been faxed to WHA/CAR. HEG