US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE1816

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001816 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EFIN, PREL, NL 
SUBJECT: HAITI:PROSPECTIVE EC ASSISTANCE, DUTCH 
PARTICIPATION 
 
REF: A. THE HAGUE 1742 
 
     B. SECSTATE 151661 
     C. SECSTATE 151861 
 
1)  Following up on A/S Tony Wayne's appeal to Dutch Director 
for Latin America and the Caribbean for pledges and 
participation in the Haiti donors conference (ref A), on July 
14 econoff delivered ref B and C demarches to Peter van de 
Geer, Director of Caribbean Affairs. Van de Geer responded 
that the European Commission EC had roughly 150 million Euros 
in frozen Article 96 funds for Haiti.  The EC would unfreeze 
roughly 50-70 million Euros (the 7th, 8th and 9th 
"B-envelope" development funds) between now and the Haitian 
elections expected in 2005. The remainder (the 9th 
"A-envelope" funds) would be released after successful 
elections.  Van de Geer could not say if any funds would be 
released in time for the donors conference, referring us to 
the Commission on questions of timing.  He confirmed that Wim 
Geerts, the Dutch DCM in Washington, would represent the GONL 
at the conference. 
 
2)  Van de Geer described the internal negotiations around 
how much and when the EC would release Article 96 money.  He 
said that member states' worries about good governance and 
Haitian absorptive capacity trumped French efforts to have 
more money released sooner. In the end, the Dutch brokered an 
agreement that reflected "the majority" of the member states' 
wishes. 
 
3)  Van de Geer stressed that conference organizers should 
give prominence to plans for improved governance, institution 
building and free elections.  During discussions in Brussels 
Van de Geer heard cynicism from journalists and certain 
member state colleagues regarding Haiti's ability to overcome 
its disappointing recent past.  The feeling was, he said, 
this time around "things need to be done better." 
SOBEL