Aftenposten's cable releases for today focus on Haiti. Rather than editorializing, they have posted in full in English the following cables:
07.02.2006: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES HAITI
17.01.2006: HAITI: FM ABRAHAM DISCUSSES DUVALIER PASSPORT ISSUANCE WITH CHARGE
17.01.2006: DOMINICAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES STATE DAS FOR CARIBBEAN
Aftenposten's editorial analysis is reserved for Iran, examining the country's pursuit of materials for their nuclear program (in English). Update to follow.
Update 1:
Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, inherited power from his father in 1971, and ruled with the support of his father's Tontons Macoutes militia until forced to flee the country to France after a popular uprising in 1986.
The cables highlight U.S. concerns that Duvalier would attempt to return to Haiti, with France receiving the most pressure, as that was where Duvalier was residing at the time (even though the French authorities coud not find him in a hotel). Neighboring Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso is quoted as saying Duvalier's return to Haiti (along with Aristide) would be "unhelpful", because supporters of either side might seek revenge, "even after 20 years". U.S. efforts to get Duvalier's passport revoked fell on deaf ears, with Haitian Foreign Minister Abraham stating:
"Every Haitian citizen has a right to a passport (former president's have a right to a diplomatic one), and that he would defend his decision even after he completes his term as Foreign Minister..
Since Haitian citizens are not required to have a passport to re-enter the country, the issuance of a passport was considered a non issue.
The cables reflect the palpable fear that the governing politicians of the time had for the retaliatory bloodlust of opponents.
Aftenposten's release comes one day after Duvalier returned to Haiti "to help my country". The Miami Herald reports:
Duvalier's return comes as the country slowly recovers from last January's catastrophic earthquake, a deadly cholera outbreak and a political crisis stemming from November's flawed elections. Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said his government didn't know that Duvalier was headed home until the former president was in the air.
Duvalier's return to Haiti also caught the foreign diplomatic community by surprise. "At least in the short term, the Haitian political chessboard has changed and changed utterly," said Robert Fatton, Jr., a government and foreign affairs professor at the University of Virginia.