VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHDG #0080/01 0132248
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 132247Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0526
INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHEHWSR/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0046
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000080
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT HA DR
SUBJECT: Santo Domingo - Haiti Earthquake Sit Rep 2
REF: SDO 11
SUMMARY
1. Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 2, further to reftel:
- At 14:30, Charge Lambert met with various Ambassadors, UN and EU
reps at residence; USAID and MAAG briefed all on Embassy / USG
efforts to assist Haiti; Foreign reps had some questions and
provided updates as well.
- Embassy is currently: (a) sending some 800 lbs of meds (the DOS
MED emergency and disaster response medical kit) and the SDO RN,
plus sat-phone via DEA "king air" plane, and (b) preparing for
arrival of evacuees from Port-au-Prince (P-au-P).
- Overall, allies are beginning to send teams or resources to the
DR and/or wish some U.S. assistance in getting resources to Haiti.
Germany reported that the road between Jimani and P-au-P is
passable.
- At 17:00 SDO time, the GODR will host donors to discuss
coordination of assistance.
Allies provide insights to Embassy
2. The following is a summary of key points made by non-USG
participants in today's meeting:
- UN Rep reported that several MINUSTAH colleagues had died. They
are coordinating contact with MINUSTAH via INSTRAW (the only UN
agency headquartered in the DR). A UN disaster assistance
coordination team is arriving in SDO this afternoon. A 17-man team
is going to Jimani (on the border with Haiti) to establish a
coordination center (CC). The GODR's Foreign Ministry (SEREX) has
agreed to facilitate border crossings by UN officials/assistance
workers.
- Japan has items to send stockpiled in Miami, but needs
transportation; USAID agreed to facilitate coordination with OFDA,
which also has/is sending material in Miami.
- Brazil thanked Embassy for the initiative of bringing embassies
together and expects to set up a coordination office in the DR.
(Note: Media report 10-11 Brazilian nationals serving with MINUSTAH
as having died in P-au-P. End Note.)
- EU mission's chief reported one EU official has disappeared in
Haiti. The EU is looking to assist the GODR and Dominican civil
society in their efforts to help Haiti, thus looking forward to
17:00 meeting with GODR and other donors.
- Spain said that the EU worker gone missing is a Spanish citizen.
Spain is trying to send a group from Jimani via road to P-au-P to
establish contact. (Note: Spanish DCM noted that Spain's ambassador
narrowly escaped death with a broke arm and is at the U.S. Embassy
in P-au-P. End Note) Spain believes that the Barahona airport (in
SW Dominican Republic) is not adequate because of the possibility
that gravel will adversely affect aircraft, while MAAG noted that
another issue is the lack of fuel there.
- Germany reported that two trucks from companies with which it is
in contact claimed that the road between Jimani and P-au-P is
passable.
- UK did not attend, as their ambassador to the DR left earlier
this afternoon for Haiti. Also, the UK Embassy has telephoned,
requesting assistance/coordination in the evacuation of British
citizens as part of USG efforts to begin evacuation(s). (Note:
The French Embassy did not attend either, however, we will reach
out again to learn more about what French may be hearing. End Note)
- Several ambassadors mentioned the desire of their nations to fly
their own airplanes to P-au-P as soon as conditions permit.
U.S. Embassy efforts
3. Embassy team fully briefed allied guests on our efforts. The
Charge noted that we are coordinating the evacuation of some 140
Embassy personnel and Amcits via two aircraft.
4. USAID's reported on its work:
- Search and Rescue (S) teams are leaving Fairfax, VA (Note: This
team has now arrived. End Note) and California. Another team will
assess food, water, lodging issues on the ground in Haiti.
- NGOs and USAID have already spoken in a conference call, but
relief work will be done following or at most parallel to, search
and rescue, for now.
- Dominican authorities have established an assistance coordination
center (CC) in Jimani.
5. MAAG chief reported that:
- US Military supporting the arrival of three teams to Haiti: One
from Southcom (mission to set up air traffic control - ATC - at the
P-au-P airport), a S team, and an OFDA assessment team.
- GODR says it may send 4 helos and 2 planes to Haiti. (Note:
Embassy has called Haitian embassy here to seek confirmation that
GODR has been given green light by GOH; however, no reply yet. End
Note)
6. Post will continue to monitor and report as needed.
7. Port au Prince Minimize Considered.
Lambert