VZCZCXRO3699
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHRL #0080/01 0210640
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210640Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6320
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE 0004
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO IMMEDIATE 0004
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF IMMEDIATE 0270
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT IMMEDIATE 8364
RUEHAG/AMCONSUL HAMBURG IMMEDIATE 0358
RUEHLZ/AMCONSUL LEIPZIG IMMEDIATE 0264
RUEHMZ/AMCONSUL MUNICH IMMEDIATE 2235
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000080 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR A/S GORDON FROM AMBASSADOR MURPHY, FOR HAITI 
EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN PGOV PHUM PREL UN GM HA
SUBJECT: GERMANY INCREASES HAITI ASSISTANCE TO 10 MILLION 
EUROS 
 
REF: A. STATE 5277 
     ¶B. BERLIN 50 
     ¶C. BERLIN 71 
 
BERLIN 00000080  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Mission Germany is actively engaging the 
German government and public on Haiti following the January 
12 earthquake, and has formed an internal task force to 
coordinate our initiatives.  As part of our efforts, I would 
like to update you on our outreach activities, the German 
government's relief efforts, and the German media reaction to 
the U.S. handling of the crisis.  The German government has 
just increased humanitarian assistance to Haiti to 10 million 
euros.  German media coverage of U.S. relief efforts in Haiti 
has been positive.  END SUMMARY. 
 
UPDATE ON GERMAN ASSISTANCE 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On January 19, Germany announced an additional 2.5 
million euros in food aid for Haiti, bringing the total 
German contribution to 10 million euros.  The MFA is 
contributing half of this total for emergency assistance, 
including food, water, health, and emergency shelter, and is 
disbursing funds via German NGOs operating on the ground in 
Haiti.  In addition, the German Agency for Technical Relief 
(THW) has deployed a team of four experts in the fields of 
logistics, water, communications and construction to Haiti. 
A separate THW team has provided two water purification 
devices to supply drinking water for up to 60,000 people. 
The German Red Cross has set up a hospital in Port-au-Prince 
with 150,000 beds, which can handle 700 outpatients per day. 
The German government has promised an additional mobile 
clinic. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The 5 million euros contributed by BMZ will go 
towards food aid, 1 million euros of which will be channeled 
via the German development implementing agency GTZ, and 4 
million euros via the World Food Program (WFP).  According to 
BMZ officials, Germany's humanitarian contributions to Haiti 
are counted as part of the 400 million euros pledged by the 
EU. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The German government's Humanitarian Aid 
Coordinating Committee discussed the situation in Haiti on 
January 19.  The Committee decided to expand German relief 
efforts beyond Port-au-Prince, particularly into Leogane and 
Jacmel.  Following the meeting, the MFA's Commissioner for 
Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, Guenter Nooke, 
stressed the importance of "laying the foundations for 
functioning infrastructure and making a contribution to 
sustainable development all across the country."  The 
Committee's next meeting will be February 17.  More German 
assistance will be forthcoming pending a UN needs assessment. 
 We also understand the Ministry of Defense, which has thus 
far not been involved, is discussing possible contributions. 
 
GERMAN CITIZENS IN HAITI 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) The MFA reports that German citizens are among the 
dead and injured in Haiti.  Sixteen Germans missing, and 
there is one confirmed death.  The MFA's regional doctor is 
now on the ground in Haiti.  The MFA is also sending 
additional personnel to staff the German Embassy in 
Port-au-Prince. 
 
GERMAN MEDIA COVERAGE 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Thus far, German media coverage of U.S. efforts in 
Haiti has been very positive. (REF A)  German reporting from 
Haiti has spotlighted the central role played by the United 
States, and in particular by the U.S. military.  With words 
as well as images, broadcast and print media have conveyed 
the message: the U.S. is at the heart of the effort to 
alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people.  Editorial 
commentary has focused on the centrality of the American 
 
BERLIN 00000080  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
contribution and has done so in a way that is largely free of 
negative spin.  This stance is summed up by two sentences 
from a January 19 editorial in the left-of-center Berlin 
daily "Tagesspiegel": "The world should be grateful to the 
U.S. for bearing the responsibility in Haiti.  Complaints 
(about what the U.S. is doing) are inappropriate." 
 
MISSION GERMANY ENGAGEMENT 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Since the day following the January 12 earthquake, 
my staff has been in constant contact with MFA and BMZ 
officials to collect information on the German government 
response.  This contact is ongoing, and we plan to provide 
frequent updates on German efforts.  (REF B, REF C) 
 
¶8. (SBU) We are also reaching out to the German public.  On 
January 18, at two high-profile events, I emphasized the U.S. 
commitment to Haiti, both immediate and long-term, and 
characterized U.S. assistance in Haiti as part of a global 
effort involving close cooperation with many partners.  The 
first of the events was a town hall-style discussion session 
with German high school students, which was covered by two 
television stations and a major weekly magazine.  The second 
was an event in Berlin previewing the 2010 Munch Security 
Conference.  I was one of two featured guests; the other was 
Germany's Minister of Defense.  An audience of over 300 -- a 
virtual "who's who" of the German foreign and security policy 
community including several members of the Bundestag -- heard 
my remarks.  The event was covered by journalists from every 
major media outlet in Germany.  On January 19, I mentioned 
Haiti in my remarks at an Embassy luncheon that brought 
together the leadership of Germany's largest opposition 
party, the Social Democratic Party (SPD).  These opposition 
leaders praised our efforts and thanked us for all we have 
done thus far. I also spoke at a gathering of the Berlin Club 
of Merchants and Industrialists, a group of Berlin's leading 
businesspeople.  Today, I conveyed our Haiti message at an 
Embassy reception for new members of the Bundestag.  Of 
course, Mission staff members, including at the five 
Consulates, are including Haiti in remarks they are 
delivering. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Finally, we have formed an internal Haiti Task Force 
to coordinate our efforts on Haiti Mission-wide. 
MURPHY