VZCZCXYZ0014
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0964 3231815
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191814Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0011
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0004
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000964 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA HA
SUBJECT: Haiti Response to Action Request: Demarche on 
Country-Specific Resolutions at the UNGA 
 
REF: SECSTATE MRN 116264 
 
¶1.        (SBU) In response to reftel action request, on Tuesday 
November 17, Ambassador Merten and poloff met with Marie-Michele 
Rey, Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs to convey the reftel 
talking points and request Haiti's support as outlined in the 
reftel.   Rey acknowledged that the Iran situation is serious and 
that she could not imagine that Haiti would not support the USG and 
the government of Canada (GOC) in the upcoming votes in the Third 
Committee and in the UNGA.  However, Rey said that she must consult 
with President Preval and would recommend a position in support of 
the USG and the GOC. 
 
 
 
¶2.       (SBU) The GOC Ambassador to Haiti, Gilles Rivard, visited 
with Rey on the subject earlier in the day.  Rivard informed 
Ambassador Merten that he had received the same response from Rey. 
(Note: Ambassador Rivard had originally planned to discuss the 
matter at a meeting with Preval later in the day, but that meeting 
did not take place.  End note.) 
 
 
 
¶3.        (SBU) Following Ambassador Merten's meeting with Rey, 
Ambassador Merten called President Preval's advisor Gabriel Verret 
and conveyed the reftel message.  Verret said he would relay the 
USG request to President Preval, but that he was not sure what 
position Preval would take on the issue.  Verret added, however, 
that his intervention last year resulted in Preval's support of the 
USG position in opposition to a "no action" motion. 
 
 
 
¶4.       (SBU) Wednesday, November 18 was a Haiti national holiday 
and GOH offices were closed.  Today (Thursday, November 19) poloff 
was unable to obtain a response from the Haiti Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs.  The political counselor for the Canadian Embassy in 
Haiti, Adam Barratt, advised poloff that the Canadian Embassy had 
also not received a response from the GOH.  At the present time, 
President Preval is out of the country and in Miami.  Post will 
advise upon receipt of a response from the GOH. 
MERTEN