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FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2672
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY

RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0997
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0844
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL//OLE/OI//

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
DRL 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) 
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2010 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL IN WASHINGTON: SEEKING STATUS 
 
Classified By: DCM Douglas M. Griffiths for reasons 1.4(b). 
 
¶1. (C) President elect Rene Garcia Preval's  goal for  his 
visit to the White House and State Department is to send an 
unequivocal message to Haitians at home and observers abroad 
that the USG is fully committed to supporting his government. 
 He believes that a meeting with President Bush (and the 
accompanying photo-op) would be the most tangible 
demonstration of that commitment.  Beyond that, he will bring 
a large delegation of advisors and supporters from various 
sectors to witness the show of support he expects to receive 
from his interlocutors.  Preval has frequently communicated 
his firm desire to maintain close relations with the United 
States, most notably during his March 12 meeting in Santiago, 
Chile with Secretary Rice.  We should reassure him that we 
want him to succeed, and stand ready to supply the tools to 
help him institutionalize transparent and democratic 
institutions.  Preval has declined invitations to visit 
France, Cuba, and Venezuela in order to visit Washington 
first.  Preval has close personal ties to Cuba, having 
received prostate cancer treatment there, but has stressed to 
the Embassy that he will manage relations with Cuba and 
Venezuela solely for the benefit of the Haitian people, and 
not based on any ideological affinity toward those 
governments. 
 
¶2. (C) In the period between his election and his 
inauguration, which he now expects to occur in mid-May, 
Preval has concentrated on bolstering Haiti's international 
support and in his words "appearing presidential,"  while 
avoiding sensitive domestic issues before his government is 
in place.  Preval will cover a well-rehearsed set of points 
both with the USG and in his meetings at the UN and the OAS. 
He has consistently stated that his priorities are 
strengthening Haiti's institutions, particularly those that 
decentralize political power, and the encouragement of 
private investment and job creation.  Preval has also 
stressed the importance of fighting corruption and 
implementing police reform.  The Ambassador has encouraged 
Preval's advisors to communicate his vision for Haiti's 
future as a prosperous democratic society, rather than 
present a laundry list of requests for assistance. 
 
¶3.  (C)  That said, Preval has clear goals for the visit.  He 
wants to bury once and for all the suspicion in Haiti that 
the United States is wary of him.  He is seeking to enhance 
his status domestically and internationally with a successful 
visit to the United States.  In his frequent meetings with 
us, he has repeatedly stressed that he wants to move Haiti 
from reliance on development assistance, to growth through 
private investment - both foreign and domestic.  He wants 
international development assistance to facilitate that 
transition through investment in Haiti's weak institutions, 
in education and in agriculture.  Investment is the key to 
employment generation, which Preval insists is the only way 
to build a more stable society.  For team Preval, access to 
the U.S. market would boost  employment generation.  Preval 
will push preferential trade legislation on his trip to the 
United States, and will be accompanied by a number of private 
sector representatives.  He will likely reiterate the issue 
of combating drug trafficking.  Preval believes that he had 
only lukewarm U.S. cooperation on drugs during his first 
mandate.  We have reassured him of our full commitment, but 
he will be looking for U.S. planes and boats in the complete 
absence of Haitian resources.  Preval has also repeatedly 
underscored the need for skilled advisors to re-build Haitian 
institutions.  We are ready to commit existing USAID funds to 
support him. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Preval has decisively broken with former President 
Aristide and the Famni Lavalas party.  He has asked all of 
this international supporters to help make clear to the 
government of South Africa that he does not welcome 
Aristide's return to Haiti.  (Note: We do not have a reliable 
account of Preval's meeting with President Mbeki in Santiago. 
End Note)  At home, Preval has stuck, when asked, to a 
constitutional formulation that Aristide is legally allowed 
to return, but has otherwise steered clear of the subject. 
While Aristide's militant supporters may still attempt to 
foment disorder on his behalf, we believe that the with the 
support of MINUSTAH the Preval government will have the means 
to control these elements and the vast majority 
of Haitian's now expect Preval himself to meet their 
expectations for improved living conditions and a new 
direction for Haiti. 
SANDERSON 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================