DEMARCHE REQUEST: HAITI: U.S. HUMANITARIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 006918 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF EAID ECON HA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: HAITI: U.S. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO HAITI REFS: A) STATE 5871 B) STATE 4854 C) PORT AU PRINCE 54 STATE 00006918 001.2 OF 004 -------------- Summary and Action Request -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Posts are instructed to demarche host governments at the highest appropriate level at the earliest opportunity to: -- underscore that the U.S. is actively supporting search and rescue, relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Haiti at the request of the Government of Haiti (REF C); -- emphasize that the Haitian Government is driving relief and recovery efforts and the United States is fully supporting and collaborating with it; -- emphasize that the U.S. is fully supporting and closely collaborating with the United Nations in the field in Haiti, as well as at UN Headquarters in New York and in other UN bodies, to ensure a robust and well-coordinated response by the international community; -- underscore that U.S. civilian agencies and the military are working to assist in the delivery of large-scale, humanitarian logistical support in Haiti; and -- thank nations for support (as appropriate) and urge support of the international community's efforts to assist Haiti in this critical time of need (REF B). ¶2. (SBU) These points should also form the basis of wider outreach by Embassy officers with local media and contacts and additional resources for engagement and updated talking points can be found on Infocentral. (See REF A) Posts may provide the talking points (para 3) to host governments as a non-paper and may also share a copy of the U.S.-Haiti Joint Communique (para 4). Posts should report back immediately responses to this demarche to the Department and USUN. Response to the Department should be slugged for the Haiti Earthquake Task Force (1TFK@state.gov),as well as WHA/CAR (V de Pirro) and IO/UNP (B Naranjo and M Garuckis). End summary and action request. -------------- Talking points -------------- ¶3. (U) In presenting this demarche, posts may provide a copy of the following non-paper: -- In the wake of the horrific earthquake that struck Haiti, the international community has shown strong solidarity with the people and Government of Haiti in their time of need. The United States joins all nations in lamenting the unbearable losses endured by the Haitian people, as well as the historic loss of life suffered by the United Nations. -- The Haitian Government is coordinating relief and recovery efforts as much as possible despite operating under the most difficult of circumstances and suffering its own substantial losses. President Obama pledged to the Haitian people and President Preval on January 15 that the United States would actively support these efforts in full partnership with Haitian authorities, the United Nations, and the international community. Our commitment to assist Haiti was reconfirmed on January 17 in a joint communique by President Preval and Secretary of State Clinton, in which President Preval also requested the United States to assist as needed in augmenting security in support of the Government and people of Haiti and the United Nations, international partners and organizations on the ground. -- The UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSTAH, has the primary international responsibility for security, which is essential to search and rescue, relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts. In keeping with President Preval's request to the United States for assistance to augment security, the U.S. is providing every possible support focusing primarily on the search, rescue, and relief mission and is in no way supplanting the UN's role. President Obama has personally conveyed this message to the Secretary General of the United Nations, as well as to President Lula of Brazil -- the country which has contributed the largest number of forces to MINUSTAH, including the operational commander of all MINUSTAH forces on the ground. -- We are working as swiftly as we can in a difficult environment. The needs are extensive, infrastructure is devastated, and the logistical challenge is substantial. In an effort to overcome these challenges, we are using the unique transport and logistical resources of the United States military to help build the supply chain and distribution networks needed by the Government of Haiti, the UN and the international community to care for the people of Haiti. In one early success, U.S. military personnel, working in close coordination with the Government of Haiti and the United Nations, have expanded the capacity of the international airport at Port-au-Prince to handle more than 100 relief flights during around-the-clock operations. We and others have already distributed hundreds of thousands of food and water rations, and continue to ramp up our efforts. With every passing day, we are making more progress and reaching more people. -- To date, the U.S. has committed over $100 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to this disaster. Our support includes: a Disaster Assistance Response Team, tasked with coordinating our efforts on the ground; U.S. Coast Guard cutters and planes; the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson with 19 helicopters as well as the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort and other naval vessels; more than 400 U.S. urban search and rescue personnel; over 250 medical personnel; and other resources and personnel. We will continue delivering 600,000 daily rations over the next several days. -- The UN Security Council held emergency consultations on January 18 to discuss the urgent efforts to save lives and provide desperately needed assistance to the people of Haiti. Working closely with fellow UN Security Council Member States, the U.S. drafted and presented a resolution to endorse the UN Secretary-General's recommendation to increase the force levels of MINUSTAH to support immediate recovery and stability efforts. On January 19, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted this resolution. -- This is a broad international effort. The United States is pleased to participate alongside our international partners from countries across the Americas, including Canada, the Dominican Republic and Haiti's other Caribbean neighbors, and from around the world. Given the remarkable outpouring of support and resources, donor coordination and consultation with the Haitian government and the UN will be critical not only for teams on the ground in Haiti, but also for UN Member States in New York, in UN bodies, and at future donor coordination meetings. -- As we coordinate and focus on the immediate humanitarian relief efforts, we also need to begin coordinating for the longer term. Haiti was making impressive progress before the earthquake. This calamity only deepens the U.S. commitment to Haiti, including a sustained international focus on development, reconstruction and lasting economic support to build a better, stronger Haiti. The U.S. urges other nations to join in the international community's response to support the Government of Haiti, assist the Haitian people, and collaborate with the UN in these endeavors. -- We are ready to continue working with the government of Haiti, the UN and all the other countries that have stepped forward to support this effort to do all that is necessary to address the immediate crisis in Haiti as well as its long-term reconstruction. -------------- U.S.-Haiti Joint Communique -------------- ¶4. (U) Begin Text: JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF HAITI AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ISSUED AT PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI JANUARY 17, 2010 President Rene Preval of Haiti and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of the United States of America met in Port-au-Prince in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, 2010 and its tragic aftermath, and issued the following joint communiqui: Recognizing: the long history of friendship between the people of Haiti and the people of the United States and their mutual respect for each other's sovereignty; the grievous suffering of the people of Haiti, including the massive loss of life, widespread injuries, and extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property; the urgent need for an immediate response to the requests by the Government of Haiti and the paramount importance of safe, swift and effective implementation of rescue, relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts; the current, unprecedented challenges facing the Haitian Government; and the January 15, 2010 conversation between President Obama and President Preval underscoring the urgency of the needs of Haiti and its people, President Obama's pledge of the full support of the American people for the Government and people of Haiti in relation to both the immediate recovery effort and the long-term rebuilding effort, and the two Presidents' commitment to coordinate assistance among the various parties, including the Haitian Government, the United Nations, the United States and the many international partners and organizations on the ground; President Preval, on behalf of the Government and people of Haiti, welcomes as essential the efforts in Haiti by the Government and people of the United States to support the immediate recovery, stability and long-term rebuilding of Haiti and requests the United States to assist as needed in augmenting security in support of the Government and people of Haiti and the United Nations, international partners and organizations on the ground; Secretary Clinton, on behalf of the Government and people of the United States, reaffirms the intention of the United States, through its assistance, to stand by the Haitian people in this time of great tragedy; and President Preval and Secretary Clinton jointly reaffirm that the Governments of Haiti and the United States will continue to cooperate under this shared understanding to promote the most safe and effective rescue, relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts possible. End text. ¶5. (U) On January 22, The United States and the United Nations agreed to a Statement of Principles that will help guide on-the-ground coordination. Guidance on the Statement follows: -- United States Ambassador Merten and Edmond Mulet, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Haiti have signed a Statement of Principles on field coordination between the United Nations in Haiti and the United States Government in the Haitian earthquake response effort. -- The Statement reaffirms the primary responsibility of the Government of Haiti for the response to the earthquake of -- 12 January 2010, but notes that the scale of the disaster and the urgency of the humanitarian relief needs require a comprehensive and coordinated international response. -- The United States Government and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti committed to supporting the Haitian Government in carrying out its responsibilities, and will coordinate their respective activities at regular joint meetings of senior United States and United Nations staff. -- The Statement also reaffirmed that, in consultation with the Haitian government, the United Nations is coordinating the international response to the Haitian earthquake, consistent with its mandate as established by the United Nations Security Council. -- This agreement formalizes the already excellent working relationship between the United States and the United Nations on the ground, and ensures that this smooth cooperation will continue. -- The United States will continue to assist the people and government of Haiti in every way we can. IF ASKED: Are U.S. military forces under the command and control of the United Nations in Haiti? -- United States military forces are operating under United States chain of command, but are committed to coordinating with the United Nations and will seek to support priority aid requirements as identified by the United Nations in their response activities. ¶6. Minimized Considered. CLINTON