VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #2328/01 3351923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011923Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3995
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KINGSTON 002328 
 
SIPDIS 
CORRECTED COPY - CAPTION ADDED 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS TO USTR (LOPEZ) 
DEPT FOR MCC (VANDERBROUK) 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (DUDDY, BUDDEN), EB/IFD/ODF (CONNELL), 
OES/AIAG (AHMAD,NEWTON), CA/PPT (PENN, STAEBEN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID ETRD EFIN KMCA OAS MARR MOPS JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: CDA'S MEETING WITH PERMANENT SECRETARY 
SAUNDERS 
 
REF: A. KINGSTON 1874 
 
     ¶B. STATE 192519 
     ¶C. STATE 187635 
     ¶D. STATE 191887 
     ¶E. STATE 190899 
     ¶F. KINGSTON 2301 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a regular bimonthly meeting with GOJ 
Permanent Secretary Douglas Saunders, he and CDA discussed a 
range of areas of mutual interest.  CDA, accompanied by 
econoff, delivered reftel talking points on the Western 
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation, the Santa Cruz Ministerial on Sustainable 
Development, and the Bamako Conference on Avian Influenza. 
They also discussed regional trade possibilities, the 
prospects for a permanent Status of Forces Agreement, and the 
effect of deportees on crime in Jamaica.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Charge d'Affaires (CDA) and Econoff met on November 30 
with Ambassador Douglas Saunders, Permanent Secretary in the 
GOJ's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT); 
Saunders was accompanied by Undersecretary for Multilateral 
Affairs Ambassador Vilma McNish.  CDA remarked that we 
welcome this close cooperation, and that even since the last 
meeting in September (ref. A) a number of issues had arisen. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Saunders began by noting that the GOJ and the private 
sector were finally realizing that the Western Hemisphere 
Travel Initiative (WHTI) would not have the dire consequences 
that some had predicted.  In the current world climate, 
safety and security were key factors in one's travel 
decision, he said.  Tourists who once went further afield 
were now coming to the Caribbean, and these people already 
had passports.  That being said, Saunders asked whether there 
would be a further review of the decision to restrict the 
January 23 deadline for WHTI to air passengers. 
 
¶4. (U) CDA took this opportunity to deliver ref. B talking 
points.  He remarked that the USG was very aware of the 
concerns of those in the Caribbean, but that after some 
analysis, had discovered that bookings for the first quarter 
of 2007 were actually above those from the same period in 
2006 (the busiest time of the Jamaican tourist season), and 
that the vast majority of those travelers already had 
passports.  Further, he noted that the GOJ's own data 
indicate the overwhelming majority of American tourists 
already arrive holding passports.  CDA stated that the USG 
would assist during this transition period in whatever manner 
we can. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Central American/Caribbean Action 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Saunders then asked who from the USG would attend the 
Caribbean/Central American Action (CCAA) Conference in Miami. 
 He said that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (PSM) was 
attending, and that it was likely that Foreign Minister 
Anthony Hylton would accompany.  CDA stated that Ambassador 
Johnson would attend, and that Deputy Assistant Secretary 
Patrick Duddy would be there from Washington. 
 
------------------- 
Trade Possibilities 
------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Finally, Saunders followed up on questions he raised 
in ref. A about the possibility of reviving the Free Trade 
Area for the Americas (FTAA) discussions.  In light of the 
U.S. mid-term election results, he said, there might be room 
to make progress on that, or on an FTA with CARICOM.  The 
Democrats, Saunders noted, tended to emphasize labor and 
environment issues in their trade negotiations.  CDA 
encouraged CARICOM to be proactive in their discussions with 
USTR, but noted that the region was not necessarily ready for 
an FTA, alluding to the desire of some states to demand 
special and differential treatment.  Much would depend, he 
said, on attempts to revive the Doha Round, and also the 
future of Trade Promotion Authority.  He pointed out that the 
Trade and Investment Council meeting in October in Washington 
had been productive, however, and hoped that we could build 
our trade relationship from this. 
 
---------------------------- 
Millennium Challenge Account 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) CDA delivered ref. C talking points and noted that 
although Jamaica had not been selected as a threshold country 
this year, he believed that they were competitive, and that 
with sustained attention to the key spheres of ruling justly, 
investing in people, and encouraging economic freedom, they 
could make significant progress in the year ahead.  Saunders 
agreed, noting that "perhaps we came to the program too late" 
this year.  He expressed his personal opinion that Jamaica 
was perhaps trying "to do too much at once" and suggested 
that they should narrow their focus, as resource constraints 
are a perennial problem.  He concurred that the MCC 
indicators were "things that we want to do anyway," and as 
such they should prioritize them in the coming year.  He did 
highlight Jamaica's progress in the fight against trafficking 
in persons.  CDA agreed, and reiterated that the USG stands 
ready to assist in that battle in any way that we can. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Santa Cruz Ministerial on Sustainable Development 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8. (U) In delivering ref. D talking points regarding the 
Santa Cruz Ministerial on Sustainable Development, Saunders 
noted wryly that sometimes politics gets in the way of 
progress.  He agreed that the "plan of action" is the most 
important component of the Ministerial, and that as such 
Jamaica's team would be focused on the OAS Integrated Program 
on Sustainable Development (PIDS).  Econoff left the full 
"white paper" text of the U.S. position to be shared with 
their team. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Bamako Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9. (U) CDA delivered ref. E talking points concerning the 
Bamako Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza. 
Ambassador McNish stated that she was aware of the 
Conference, and noted that the Ministry of Health had 
expressed a desire to attend.  She said that the problem, as 
always, was tight resources. 
 
¶10. (U) Saunders used this opportunity to ask for the 
official USG position on the election of Dr. Margaret Chan to 
head the World Health Organization.  He noted that Jamaica 
had supported Mexican candidate Dr. Julio Frenk.  Econoff 
said that the election process had been somewhat opaque, and 
promised to reply to Saunders question at the earliest 
opportunity. 
 
-------------------------- 
Status of Forces Agreement 
-------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) CDA referred to ref. F, which acknowledged the GOJ 
response to the USG request for a permanent Status of Forces 
Agreement (SOFA).  CDA reminded Saunders that between the 
annual "Tradewinds" exercises in the Caribbean, and 
especially with the impending Cricket World Cup in March and 
April 2007, a SOFA would facilitate closer cooperation. 
Saunders said that although the Ministry of National Security 
would really take the lead on this issue, he believed that 
the GOJ felt that the short term arrangements had been 
satisfactory up until this point.  There are elements, such 
as the International Criminal Court, he said, that may prove 
problematic.  He agreed, however, that a long-term agreement 
was in Jamaica's interests.  Saunders said that the 
preliminary reply should not be construed as negative, and 
indicated a GOJ desire to engage in dialogue on the issue by 
late January. 
 
--------- 
Deportees 
--------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) CDA referenced a study that the GOJ released to the 
Embassy regarding the effect of deportees from the United 
States, the United Kingdom, and Canada on crime in Jamaica. 
The report had not yet been publicly released (it has since 
been released to the Jamaica Observer newspaper), but CDA 
noted with concern that there were some discrepancies within 
the report that made it appear that the crime problem in 
Jamaica could be attributed to these deportees.  CDA hoped 
 
that the ruling People's National Party (PNP) was not hoping 
to use this angle as an election platform, as the USG would 
question some of the language and methodology when it was 
released.  He said the Embassy would have a more detailed 
discussion of the issue with the Ministry of National 
Security in the near future. 
 
¶13. (U) Saunders noted that crime would almost certainly be 
an election issue, but said that he thought it unlikely that 
the PNP would take that approach.  (Note: Saunders is a 
career diplomat, not a political appointee of the PNP.  End 
note.)  He asked to see a copy of the report, as he had not 
yet seen one.  CDA left his copy with Saunders for review. 
HEG