SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS: MEETINGS OF AMBASSADORS MORALES AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT OF SPAIN 000054

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/ESPC, USOAS AND INR/IAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KSUM MASS TD
SUBJECT: SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS: MEETINGS OF AMBASSADORS MORALES AND
ROBINSON

REF: (A) Port of Spain 34, (B) State 7413

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: USOAS Ambassador and National Summit Coordinator
Hector Morales, Jr. and WHA/DAS Ambassador David Robinson visited
Trinidad February 3-4 to discuss Summit of the Americas
preparations. In addition to a session with Prime Minister Manning
(septel),the Ambassadors met with the National Security Minister,
Foreign Minister, Attorney General, the GOTT Summit Coordinator, the
Minister in charge of the Summit Cabinet Committee, the Attorney
General, and opposition leaders. Throughout their meetings, the
Ambassadors pressed for quick action on a diplomatic note to allow
our forces to deploy to Trinidad and stressed the need for overall
rapid logistical movement. The GOTT sought to reassure their
visitors everything will be ready in time. A swift written response
(delivered February 6) was promised to the U.S. draft diplomatic
note regarding jurisdiction and privileges and immunities for U.S.
forces deployed in support of security arrangements. END SUMMARY.

A Full Plate
--------------


2. (U) USOAS Ambassador Hector Morales, Jr. and WHA DAS Ambassador
David Robinson met with Prime Minister Patrick Manning (septel),
National Summit Coordinator Luis Alberto Rodriguez,
Inter-Ministerial Committee Chair Mariano Browne, Minister of
National Security Martin Joseph, Foreign Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon,
Attorney General Brigid Annisette-George, opposition United National
Congress leader Basdeo Panday, and heads of the diplomatic missions
of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile and Mexico. WHA/CAR Director
Velia De Pirro, WHA/EPSC Deputy Summit Coordinator Tom Pierce,
Charge and EmbOffs also participated in most meetings.

Overarching Theme: Achieve a Dip Note Exchange
-------------- -


3. (SBU) In each GOTT meeting, Ambassadors Morales and Robinson
underscored the need for a quick action on our proposed exchange of
diplomatic notes concerning the status of U.S. military personnel
and civilian contractors who would visit T&T to support Summit
security (refs). Each GOTT minister met promised to push for a
quick written response, recognizing the short timeframe involved
(U.S. forces would need to begin deploying in March). (Note: The
GOTT response was delivered and relayed to Washington on February
6.)

Rodriguez: Preparations Advancing
--------------


4. (SBU) GOTT National Summit Coordinator Ambassador Luis Alberto
Rodriguez met several times privately with Ambassador Morales to
discuss the Summit declaration and related matters. In a larger
February 3 meeting in his office, Rodriguez reassured his guests
that Summit preparations were well advanced. Rodriguez related,
for instance, that top-notch accreditation, media, and conferencing
firms were already working. In addition, two cruise ships to house
delegates would be in Port of Spain on April 13. Piarco Airport
preparations were more challenging, but a Chinese construction
company would upgrade the South terminal and plane parking capacity
would be expanded to accommodate 42 aircraft (from 17). Military
aircraft would be located at the Crowne Point Airport in Tobago.

Inter-Ministerial Committee Meeting
--------------


5. (SBU) Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne, who is
also the chair of the GOTT Summit Inter-Ministerial Committee,
hosted a February 3 session that included National Security Minister
Martin Joseph and Foreign Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon (the
Ambassadors later met privately with the FM). Browne said work on
the airport would be tight, but it would be completed on time
("though you might still smell the paint"). If unforeseen problems
arose, contingency plans included parking aircraft in neighboring
islands.


6. (SBU) Noting the GOTT had gained valuable experience by
co-hosting the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Joseph said 450 CARICOM
personnel would be in country to assist with security. Asked about
a "counter-summit," Browne answered that a "People's Forum" to be
held at the University of the West Indies (several miles from Port
of Spain) was likely not to be large or disruptive. Ambassadors
Morales and Robinson stated that with 71 days before the Summit, now
was the time to be candid about preparations and avoid surprises.
Minister Browne acknowledged that the facilities would be ready, but
they were also addressing human resources issues in order to have
staff trained and in place by the Summit.

Lunch with Resident Diplomats

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7. (SBU) The Charge hosted a February 3 lunch for the Argentine,
Brazilian, Canadian, Chilean and Mexican Chiefs of Mission to
exchange Summit views with Ambassadors Morales and Robinson. The
Argentine expressed strong concern about the Summit Secretariat's
organization, stating preparations were behind schedule. On the
substantive agenda, he felt the GOTT has been too focused on
Caribbean concerns. He opined that the international financial
crisis needed more attention, suggesting it be addressed in an
addendum to the Summit declaration.


8. (SBU) The Canadian High Commissioner criticized the highly
centralized management style of the Secretariat, saying there had
not been enough involvement by the OAS or Foreign Ministry. The
Mexican also said OAS assistance had been rebuffed. The Chilean
Charge agreed the GOTT needed to move faster. Taking a somewhat
different tack, the Brazilian Ambassador cautioned that if the
Secretariat delegated more, matters would be even less coordinated
than they are now. In any case, no time remained to remake the T&T
Summit structure.

Meeting with FM Paula Gopee-Scoon
--------------


9. (SBU) Morales and Robinson met with Foreign Minister Gopee-Scoon
on February 3 to continue the points raised in the earlier meeting
with Ministers Browne and Joseph. Morales urged the Foreign
Minister to work with the Attorney General to finalize the
diplomatic note, or at a minimum provide us with their comments to
the diplomatic note. The Foreign Minister acknowledged that without
the diplomatic note, U.S. arrangements could not proceed, and
Robinson noted the urgency to complete the diplomatic note because
security operations would need to begin by the start of March in
order to be in time for the Summit.


10. (SBU) The Foreign Minister then noted that relevant Ministers,
including the Attorney General, planned on meeting the following day
(February 4) to get an answer. Morales then asked about the Bahia
meeting and whether to expect a similar tone in April. She agreed
that the Bahia meeting was negative but that given world events
coupled with the great desire to meet the new President and
Secretary, she feels that the environment leading up to and during
the Summit will not be disruptive. The Foreign Minister plans on
calling in her counterparts during the next two months to continue
to build support for the Summit.

Meeting with Opposition UNC
--------------


11. (SBU) Ambassador Morales and DAS Robinson met February 3 with
opposition United National Congress leader Basdeo Panday, who was
accompanied by MPs Tim Gopeesingh and Vasant Bharath. The UNC
message was that most people in Trinidad saw no benefit from hosting
the SOA, especially in a time of dwindling resources, and that some
protests would occur. These would not be to oppose the SOA per se,
but rather to draw attention to crime, poverty, poor infrastructure,
and governmental mismanagement. The opposition leaders also claimed
the GOTT was keeping them in the dark about the Summit.

Meeting with Minister of National Security
--------------


12. (SBU) DAS Robinson, joined by WHA/CAR Director De Pirro, the
Charge and PolOff, met separately with Minister of National Security
Martin Joseph February 4 following Ambassador Morales' departure for
the U.S. In addition to the pending dip note exchange, they
discussed the USG's desire to continue the security dialogue with
CARICOM. Joseph said CARICOM welcomed this and suggested the next
meeting take place at a technical level in March. De Pirro replied
that many of the personnel who would participate in such a meeting
are responsible for SOA preparations and that this meeting would
need to occur post-Summit.


13. (SBU) Joseph also reaffirmed the GOTT and CARICOM commitment to
partnering with the U.S. on security matters, citing eTrace as an
example. Joseph continued that the GOTT remains very interested in
sending a representative to JIATF-South. He indicated that sorties
with the RSS scheduled to begin in January had been delayed, as one
C-26 is still being refurbished. In closing, he expressed a desire
to reengage in discussions on how to increase the capacity of GOTT's
Engineer Corps through an exchange program with the Army Corps of
Engineers.

Meeting with the Attorney General
--------------


14. (SBU) In their final meeting late February 4, DAS Robinson and
WHA/CAR Director De Pirro, accompanied by the Charge and PolOff, met

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with Attorney General Brigid Annisette-George. The meeting focused
on the proposed dip note exchange. The AG noted the GOTT has
constitutional concerns with our proposed language on immunity from
criminal prosecution and the exercise of jurisdiction, with other
matters in the draft note less problematic. Ambassador Robinson
expressed concern about the GOTT's inaction on the dipnote exchange
and conveyed a sense of urgency about executing it. He and Ms. De
Pirro asked that the GOTT provide the rationale for its concerns on
immunity and jurisdiction in writing, along with alternative
language, so that USG lawyers could completely understand and
respond to GOTT concerns. The AG promised to send a written
response by February 6 (and, as noted above, this was done).

Comment: Unduly Optimistic
--------------


15. (SBU) The GOTT's assurances that Summit preparations are well
in-hand seem unduly optimistic. There is little hard evidence to
back this up. We will continue pressing the GOTT to resolve
outstanding issues and to communicate its activities to all
appropriate parties. But as we monitor progress, it is prudent to
prepare contingency arrangements (e.g., on airport use).


16. (U) This cable has been cleared by Ambassadors Morales and
Robinson

KUSNITZ