US embassy cable - 05PORTAUPRINCE1084

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001084 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS 
NSC FOR SHANNON 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EAID, HA, Elections 
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS:  AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OAS 
ELECTIONS CHIEF 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James B. Foley.  Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Ambassador Foley met with Ambassador Denneth Modeste 
and newly arrived OAS elections unit chief Elisabeth Spehar 
April 13, to discuss the current status of the Haitian 
electoral process.  Ambassador Foley opened the meeting by 
affirming that the USG is categorically committed to the 
current elections calendar which would have the new Haitian 
president sworn into office February 7, 2006.  Modeste agreed 
that the calendar must be respected.  Spehar reported that 
with the voter registration process now scheduled to begin 
April 25, the elections timetable could be adhered to. 
Modeste told Ambassador that he was extremely pleased to have 
Spehar on board at the OAS Special Mission as she "knows her 
onions" having spent several years directing the OAS's Unit 
for the Promotion of Democracy. 
 
2.  (C)  Modeste and Spehar also raised concerns regarding 
the staffing and infrastructure of the Provisional Electoral 
Council (CEP), citing serious reservations as to whether the 
CEP was up to the enormous task it faces.  Ambassador Foley 
pointed out that the issue of a weak counterpart institution 
was not unique to the elections arena but was true across the 
board in Haiti and we must play with the cards we are dealt. 
When probed for specific actions that the Ambassador could 
undertake to address the shortcomings, Modeste requested that 
the Ambassador approach CEP member Pierre-Richard Duchemin to 
advocate that the CEP accept OAS assistance through its 
institution strengthening project by staffing the two most 
important positions of Director General and Director of 
Operations.  The staffing of these two positions by 
candidates with appropriate experience has the potential to 
greatly facilitate the work of the CEP.  However, for OAS 
assistance to be available, the candidates would have to be 
acceptable to both the OAS and the CEP.  (Note:  Progress on 
this issue has been stymied due to the CEP's suggested 
candidates being the result of political patronage and/or 
nepotism.  Ambassador subsequently called Duchemin and urged 
him to accept the OAS offer of assistance.  End note.) 
Modeste and Spehar were unequivocal in their endorsement of 
Duchemin as the "best of the lot." 
 
3.  (C) Modeste told the Ambassador that SRSG Juan Gabriel 
Valdes shared his concerns and suggested that a joint 
approach be made to the Prime Minister to make an 
intervention with the CEP admonishing them to make a more 
conscientious effort in order to succeed at the task at hand. 
 Modeste thought that an approach to the CEP from the Conseil 
des Sages would be more appropriate. 
 
4.  (C) Modeste also raised concern regarding the performance 
of the MINUSTAH Elections Support Unit.  He opined that 
during the negotiations for the UN-OAS Memorandum of 
Understanding the UN had not realized the magnitude and 
dimension that an electoral process in Haiti entailed. 
However, he went on to mention that the recent 
sub-contracting of UNOPS for several aspects of the 
implementation, especially regarding security, was a positive 
step. 
 
5.  (C) Comment: Initial indications are that Spehar is a 
good fit for the critical position of OAS elections support 
chief.  The concerns raised by the OAS regarding the CEP's 
deficiencies are well-taken and, indeed, have been of concern 
to Post.  We also agree that Duchemin is the most 
conscientious and diligent among the CEP members.  End 
comment. 
FOLEY