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#1016: Haiti asks for a new U.N. mission (fwd)
From:nozier@tradewind.net
Haiti asks for a new U.N. mission 02:57 p.m Nov 19, 1999 Eastern
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Haiti's government has asked
for the creation of a new, unarmed United Nations mission to replace
the police and human rights missions whose terms expire shortly,
Haitian officials said on Friday. The two U.N. missions in Haiti date
from a 1994 U.S.-led invasion of 20,000 troops to Haiti to return
former President Jean Bertrand Aristide to power. Aristide was ousted in
a military coup in 1991. The mandate of the U.N. police mission, made up
of 143international officers and 138 Argentine security officials, is
scheduled to end Nov. 30. Haiti's fledgling 6,000-member national
police force was formed in 1995 and still requires training, officials
said. The U.N. International Civilian mission, which monitors human
rights in Haiti, is expected to end Dec. 30.The proposed replacement
mission would be comprised of technical experts, and would not be an
armed force, Haiti's president,Rene Preval, said on Wednesday. ``All the
past missions which were approved by the Security Council were armed and
with uniform,'' Preval said. ``We think the police still needs training.
So there is going to be technical assistance for the police, but this
time without arms or uniforms,'' he said. U.S. special assistant to
President Bill Clinton, Arturo Valenzuela, was in Haiti this week, ``We
are pleased that the Government of Haiti has requested the creation of a
new United Nations Mission,'' Valenzuela said. ``We commend MIPONUH
and MICIVIH (the existing missions) and anticipate a smooth transition
between the old and new U.N. missions.''