7884: OAS official urges immediate action to resolve crisis (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

1.   Haiti: OAS official urges immediate action to resolve crisis

Haiti: OAS official urges immediate action to resolve crisis
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 14, 2001

Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 14 May

The international community finds it difficult to promote dialogue between
the Haitians to get the country out of the impasse. The latest OAS
[Organization of American States] and Caricom [Caribbean Community and
Common Market] fact-finding mission was not successful in laying the
groundwork for the OAS secretary-general [Cesar Gaviria] to visit as part of
a true mediation in the crisis. The [OAS] assistant secretary-general [Luigi
Einaudi] said that Cesar Gaviria's next mission will not take place in the
near future.

Einaudi deplored the fact that the parties in conflict could not agree on a
compromise that could help the current crisis. He said he is concerned about
the difficult situation the Haitian population is facing due to the
persistence of the crisis. Einaudi and [Caricom Assistant Secretary-General]
Albert Ramdin pointed out that the solution to the crisis can only come from
the Haitians. They therefore urge all the protagonists to engage in dialogue
in order to facilitate a favourable end to the crisis. Einaudi said the
following to a Radio Metropole journalist:

[Einaudi - recording] We are impressed by the number of proposals that were
made to resolve the crisis. But we realize that no concrete, effective steps
have been taken. And yet, time is running out. The people are suffering. As
time passes the situation is getting more and more difficult for everybody.
It is important to start doing something to resolve the crisis, to boost the
economic life of the country, which really needs it, especially now that
Haitians are moving towards the bicentennial of their independence in only
three years time. My opinion can be expressed in this simple sentence, and
it is that there ought to be a start.

[Unidentified reporter] I know you came to prepare for the visit of [former
Dominican Prime Minister Dame] Eugenia Charles and Cesar Gaviria. Will that
visit take place next week? Do you have the guarantee from the key players
that they can come now, and what did they say about that?

[Einaudi] I have already told you that consultations will continue. Frankly,
I doubt that people can expect an immediate visit, but we will have to wait
and see.

[Reporter] What did they actually say, because there were several proposals
that were made. The employers' association made a proposal for a way out of
the crisis, such as the annulment of the 21 May elections. You met with the
players, so what did they say?

[Einaudi] [Laughing] I believe that there [changes thought]. No big
surprise. I believe that we all know that there is a series of elements that
should be met before the situation can progress. I also believe that maybe
[changes thought] we already indicated that we in the international
community can accompany [changes thought] and that there should be [changes
thought]. In respect for the country, its independence and the sovereignty
of the Haitian people the initiative should start from here.

[Reporter] Are you going to come back to Haiti soon?

[Einaudi] Thank you very much. You are a great journalist and you all are.
You ask very interesting questions but I am not really in a position to
answer them. [End of recording]

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 14 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.