Message to the Senate Transmitting the Haiti-United States Investment Treaty

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of Haiti concerning the Reciprocal Encouragement and Protection of Investment, with Protocol, signed December 13, 1983, at Washington. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to this treaty.

This treaty is among the first six treaties to be transmitted to the Senate under the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) program that I initiated in 1981. The BIT program is designed to encourage and protect U.S. investment in developing countries. The treaty is an integral part of U.S. efforts to encourage Haiti and other governments to adopt macroeconomic and structural policies that will promote economic growth. It is also fully consistent with U.S. policy toward international investment. That policy holds that an open international investment system in which participants respond to market forces provides the best and most efficient mechanism to promote global economic development. A specific tenet, reflected in this treaty, is that U.S. direct investment abroad and foreign investment in the United States should receive fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory treatment. Under this treaty, the parties also agree to international law standards for expropriation and compensation; free financial transfers; and procedures, including international arbitration, for the settlement of investment disputes.

I recommend that the Senate consider this treaty as soon as possible, and give its advice and consent to ratification of the treaty, with protocol, at an early date.

RONALD REAGAN

The White House,

March 25, 1986.