7806: Highlights of Radio Metropole news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>


Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1145 gmt 8 May 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 9, 2001

"The Morning News"; figures in brackets show the time elapsed since the
start of the programme

1. [00] Headlines

2. [02] President Aristide is attempting to relaunch the dialogue directly
with the Democratic Convergence. He invited the Convergence leaders to a
meeting that will take place tomorrow at 0800 at the Musee du Pantheon
National [former mausoleum of Francois Duvalier, which is just across the
street from the National Palace]. According to the presidential cabinet, the
purpose of this meeting is to find ways out of the crisis. The Presidency
stresses that this meeting falls within the framework of the meeting that
took place at the National Palace last week between the president, political
parties, and members of civil society. It should be noted that this meeting
will coincide with the arrival of OAS Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria
tomorrow.

3. [03] Serge Gilles said the Convergence members will meet this morning to
try to reach a consensus, and the head of state will have an answer today
before midday. I cannot speak for the others, he said, but I want to
reassure the Haitian people that the Convergence will send an answer to the
head of state before noon.

4. [04] Attempts are being made among diverse sectors to prompt the
protagonists to return to the negotiating table. The Civil Society
Initiative Group [GISC] and the employers sector met yesterday with the
Democratic Convergence. Correspondent Jean Numa Goudou explained the
following: On 7 May, the employers sector and the GISC managed to establish
a mechanism for the resumption of the talks. That is all we have as an
explanation. The meeting was sincere, courteous, and open. The GISC, which
has not yet managed to gather both parties at the same table, calls on OAS
for help. Spokesman Rosny Desroches said: We truly expect that, but that is
not the opinion of the protagonists. Desroches says: "We could have
difficulties, but I think that all the partners are there to resolve those
difficulties." The seventh mission of OAS is scheduled for this week and
will include OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria and Assistant Secretary
General Luigi Einaudi. The mediators will have to determine the scope of
their work once they get here. Desroches says: "We will work hard on that".
Gaviria and Einaudi will arrive on 9 May.

5. [07] The next negotiations between Lavalas and the Convergence will be
very difficult. The party in power has just reaffirmed its opposition to the
complete annulment of the 21 May 2000 legislative elections. This opposition
by the FL comes at a moment when the business sector is said to support
holding new elections, as suggested by the Centre for Free Enterprise and
Democracy, CLED.

6. [10] Ads.

7. [15] Opinion poll - Question: Are you in favour of the rehabilitation of
the Duvalierists in power? Yes: 59 per cent; no: 35 per cent.

8. [17] The US ambassador to Haiti, Brian Dean Curran, welcomes the
willingness shown by the protagonists to resume the discussions that should
lead to a way out of the crisis. Curran insists that the Lavalas Family and
the Democratic Convergence show flexibility so they can reach a compromise.

9. [18] The Provisional Electoral Council, CEP, led by Alix Lamarque, is
trying to proceed. The CEP made an assessment of its two months in office
without being able to clearly define an agenda for the future. The CEP is
caught up in the electoral crisis of 21 May 2000. Lamarque admitted that he
cannot execute any plan without a solution to the political crisis.

10. [20] There were more kidnappings in the metropolitan area yesterday,
despite police warnings. Dr Abdoulaye Guedeouengue is an Ivory Coast
national. He is 28 years old. He and his driver were abducted by bandits
behind the gate of his house yesterday at Montagne Noire. His wife witnessed
the kidnapping. Guedeouengue, who was coming from the national airport, was
carrying a large amount of money. According to the wife, who witnessed the
situation from a distance out of fear for her own life, her husband was
returning from a trip to Africa.

11. [24] Justice Minister Garry Lissade offers reassurances over the
kidnappings in the metropolitan area. Lissade affirms that the authorities
will do everything in their power to put an end to this new form of
organized crime. He asks the victims to collaborate with the justice
minister and the police by giving them helpful information so that the
culprits can be caught.

12. [27] Ads, followed by international news.

13. [39] News summary, followed by ads.

14. [45] Economic segment by Kesner Pharel, followed by ads.

15. [50] Examining Judge Claudy Gassant, who is responsible for the
investigation of the murder of Jean Dominique, said he might resign because
of security concerns. He mentioned several cases of aggression in which he
was victim and said the Justice Ministry has never intervened. Gassant is
still not able to give a date for the publication of the results of the
investigation of the murder of Dominique. Gassant has asked the government
to fulfil their duties in order to facilitate his tasks.

16. [53] The official launch of the strategic planning process to fight AIDS
took place yesterday. The ceremony took place in the presence of the
president of the Republic, the head of government, the representative of
UNAIDS in Haiti, and other members of organizations involved in the fight
against AIDS. The participants emphasized the necessity to join efforts to
stop the spread of HIV in Haiti.

17. [60] Ads.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 8 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.