a584: BBC: Haiti: FL, Convergence suggest subjects, conditions for negotiations (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Robert Benodin <r.benodin@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: FL, Convergence suggest subjects, conditions for negotiations
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 1, 2002


The Caricom delegation will end its 72-hour visit to Haiti today. It held
meetings yesterday with representatives of the Lavalas Family [FL] and the
Democratic Convergence. Caricom is seeking to re-launch the discussions but
the task seems very difficult, because the protagonists are not in agreement
on the issue. Jean Numa Goudou reports the following:
[Goudou - recording] If the opposition is not in a rush this year, the
Lavalas Family for its part wants to move fast towards a solution to the
crisis. FL interim leader Yvon Neptune wishes that the international
community would show more understanding, and promises to work towards the
resolution of the crisis. To start with, Neptune wants to proceed with
setting up a Provisional Electoral Council [CEP], the electoral commission
foreseen in the tacit agreement with the opposition. Neptune is attempting
to reassure the Convergence.
[Neptune] //If we agree that a CEP should be formed then we should set it
up. If we agree on the way it should be formed, then that means that when
that is done we shall all have confidence in that CEP.//
[Goudou] Neptune gives the reassurance but at the same time makes proposals,
regarding the Gordian knot of the negotiations, that is, the date for
holding elections for the territorial collectivities.
[Neptune] //Let us create a time-frame. Let us agree on a time-frame while
we let the CEP decide the date and time for the elections to take place.//
[Goudou] The Caricom delegation came to gather information, and encourage
the opposition at the same time to resume talks following the violence of 17
December. Gerard Pierre-Charles speaks as follows:
[Pierre-Charles] //We also have shown great interest in the proposals they
made to see if we could find a formula capable of making us take further
steps towards the progress of the negotiations.//
[Goudou] But the Convergence set security conditions that are found notably
in the OAS resolution of 15 January.
[Pierre-Charles] //A profound investigation should take place. The culprits
should be identified and punished and all the victims of the events of 17
December should be compensated. Finally, the capacity of foreign
institutions should be utilized, especially the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights, to ensure a greater permanence of those conditions.//
[Goudou] Anyway, the investigation announced by the Haitian government into
the events of 17 December events is under way.
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 31 Jan 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.