VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0187/01 0312246
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 312246Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7135
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 5760
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0133
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 0161
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0137

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000187 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
P-STAFF FOR HEIDI BRONKE 
WHA/CAR FOR TIMOTHY RYAN 
WHA/BSC FOR BLAKENEY, RADETSKY, AND MOSS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2017 
TAGS: OVIP PREL EAID PGOV EFIN UNAUS HA EUN
SUBJECT: GOA URGES GREATER SENIOR-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT ON HAITI 
 
REF: BUENOS AIRES 94 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ANTHONY WAYNE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  See para 3. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Argentine Vice Foreign Minister Roberto Garcia 
Moritan called for increased senior-level dialogue on Haiti 
during a January 30 meeting with Ambassador.  He extended a 
dinner invitation to Under Secretary for Political Affairs 
Burns with Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean (ABC) 
counterparts on Thursday, February 8 to discuss Haiti, if it 
fits in U/S Burns's schedule.  He noted recent ABC efforts to 
keep Haiti on the frontburner, including FM Taiana's meeting 
with UN SYG Ban Ki-moon on the issue.  Garcia Moritan 
asserted that Argentina and other countries with troops in 
Haiti remain committed to Haiti's stability and democratic 
transition.  However, Haiti's main challenge now is providing 
internal security, and Argentine law prohibits its military 
from acting as a police (reftel). 
 
----------------------- 
An Invitation to Dinner 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  Garcia Moritan asked if U/S Burns,s schedule 
permitted a dinner in Buenos Aires with the VFMs of 
Argentina, Brazil, and Chile on Thursday, February 8, to 
discuss Haiti.  Ambassador stated that he would inform 
Washington of the invitation. (Comment: Given the lack of 
coordination among the three countries, however, post 
believes the meeting is just as likely not to happen as it is 
to happen.  Post requests Department guidance on whether to 
pursue such a meeting.) 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
ABC Efforts to Keep Haiti on the Frontburner 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C)  Garcia Moritan observed that GOA dialogue with the 
U.S. on Haiti has been infrequent and asserted that the UN 
should pay greater attention to the country.  He asserted 
that the conference call on Haiti among Foreign Ministers 
(which was taking place during the meeting) and the February 
1 meeting with the Haiti Key Players in Washington were very 
positive steps.  He suggested that there be a face-to-face 
meeting between senior-level people who are able to make 
decisions to take the discussion further.  To address this, 
he noted that FM Taiana has met with UN SYG Ban Ki-moon to 
highlight the importance of UN involvement in Haiti, and 
Brazil's Foreign Minister Amorim will soon meet with his 
Canadian counterpart.  He added that Argentina is considering 
a further meeting with France and Canada. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Garcia Moritan asserted that Argentina, Brazil and 
Chile share similar views and work closely on Haiti.  In 
addition, he said, Argentina has organized a regular 
mechanism for dialogue called the "9 plus 2" which brings 
together Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense officials 
from the nine countries that have troops in Haiti (reftel). 
The group first met in Buenos Aires in August 2006 and is 
scheduled to meet again in Lima, Peru on February 15.  UN 
SRSG to Haiti Mulet and OAS SYG Insulza will participate in 
the Lima meeting.  Garcia Moritan asserted that all have the 
political will to work and contribute to Haiti's stability 
and democratic transition. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Haiti's Attitude on Taiwan Complicates MINUSTAH Renewal 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6.  (C)  Garcia Moritan noted that Haiti's position on Taiwan 
has made it more difficult to convince China to agree to a 
12-month mandate renewal for MINUSTAH.  He stated that he 
intends to urge his Brazilian and Chilean counterparts to 
travel with him to Haiti to meet with President Preval and 
Prime Minister Alexis to discuss the "GOH,s attitude" 
towards China.  The GOA has raised the issue with Preval over 
the phone, but believes it would be best to deliver the 
message in person together with Brazil and Chile. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
MINUSTAH Needs to Focus on Internal Security; GOA Troops 
Unable to Help 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶7.  (C)  Garcia Moritan reiterated Argentina's concerns over 
the Haitian National Police's ability to maintain law and 
order and stated that the situation on the ground will 
require a greater emphasis on providing internal security. 
He underscored that Argentine law prohibits its troops from 
doing so because the military can not act as a police force 
(reftel).  Ambassador stated that he would relay these 
concerns back to Washington, and noted that the February 1 
Key Players Meeting in Washington and U/S Burns's February 
8-9 visit to Argentina would be  excellent opportunities to 
continue discussing these issues. 
WAYNE