Cablegate: Haiti: Igoh Still Resistant to Oil Deal With

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 002720

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/EPSC
WHA/CAR
EB/ESC/IEC
INR/IAA/MAC
S/CRS
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAN/WH/OLAC (SMITH, S.)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EFIN ECON PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: HAITI: IGOH STILL RESISTANT TO OIL DEAL WITH
VENEZUELA DEAL DESPITE PRESSURE

REF: PORT AU PRINCE 02596

1. (SBU) Post continues to see scattered press reports
indicating that Haiti is considering signing an agreement
with the Government of Venezuela to obtain petroleum at a
discount rate via PetroCaribe. Econ Counselor spoke to an
official with the Ministry of Finance, who spoke directly to
Finance Minister Henri Bazin. Bazin indicated that Haiti was
far from any agreement with Venezuela, and that no one in any
position of authority from the Interim Government of Haiti
(IGOH) had even sat down to discuss the matter with the
government of Venezuela. Bazin added that instead
discussions were ongoing with the Government of Mexico to
obtain a special deal from them on petroleum imports.

2. (SBU) Despite the Finance Minister,s continued
reassurances, the pressure is still on the IGOH to strike a
deal with Venezuela. In addition to the press reports,
organizations that have organized demonstrations in the past
against high prices in Haiti have publicly called on the IGOH
to accept Venezuela,s offer to negotiate on a concessional
deal.

3. (SBU) COMMENT: Post will continue to monitor movement,
if any, on this issue. The high price of oil has a strong
impact on inflation in Haiti and the possibility of a special
deal on petroleum imports is a tempting one, if not for the
IGOH, then for the next government scheduled to take over in
February 2006. END COMMENT.
CARNEY

=======================CABLE ENDS============================

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