13064: Craig post Article: Western Hemisphere's States Support Unblocking of Aid to Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dan Craig <dgcraig@att.net>


Western Hemisphere's States Support Unblocking of Aid to Haiti
September 5, 2002
By DAVID GONZALEZ

MIAMI, Sept. 4 - In a significant policy shift for the
United States, the Organization of American States resolved
today to support Haiti's proposal that millions of dollars
in foreign aid be unblocked and that legislative elections
be held next year, despite the opposition's refusal to
negotiate a political settlement.

Washington has conditioned the resumption of aid on
resolving the opposition's objections to the May 2000
elections. The resolution was also a setback for the
opposition coalition, the Democratic Convergence, and a
victory for President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who had
blamed the international community for contributing to what
was seen by many as a growing humanitarian crisis.

That social decline, as well as increased violence and
instability in recent months and the Convergence's adamant
refusal to negotiate with the government, increased
pressure on the United States to pursue a new strategy,
diplomats said.

"Our policy has always been to promote some sort of
democratic track for the Haitians, and that has not changed
a bit," said Ambassador Roger Noriega, the United States's
representative to the Organization of American States and
the current chairman of its Permanent Council.

The resolution, passed by consensus this morning in
Washington, calls for the establishment of an electoral
council, requires the Haitian government to improve justice
and public security and keeps the door open for a role for
the opposition. It also called for normalizing relations
with international lenders, who have suspended millions in
aid.

The resolution also provides a greater role for the current
Organization of American States special mission to Haiti,
including increased United States financing. "This is a sea
change that creates a new dynamic," said Luigi Einaudi, the
organization's assistant secretary general. "It has no
guarantees, but it puts pressure on everybody and has
something for everybody."

The opposition, which has long insisted that Mr. Aristide's
government is illegitimate, called most recently for a
consensus government to resolve the crisis. But
international officials have begun to lose patience with
Convergence, which has become increasingly fragmented.

Gérard-Pierre Charles, a Convergence leader, said he would
not obstruct any progress, but he faulted the O.A.S. for
what he said was a "bilateral" agreement with Lavalas, Mr.
Aristide's party. "We doubt it can succeed," he said in a
telephone interview. "The Lavalas government is so corrupt
and it does not respect its own words. It will use this
resolution like a green light to promote a personal and
violent regime."

The European Union, which has conditioned the release of
$350 million in aid on a political accord, did not
immediate say whether it would release its money.

Last week, another O.A.S. report criticized Mr. Aristide's
government for failing to ensure human rights and end the
impunity enjoyed by gangs of armed thugs. Given those
reservations, some diplomats and political analysts said
that the resolution today may have more to do with domestic
American politics than with Haiti's political impasse.

They said the Bush administration was eager to deflect
mounting criticism from Congressional Democrats over
maintaining a Haiti policy that was only hurting the
citizens of the hemisphere's poorest nation.

Diplomats also noted that despite the resolution, there
would be no flood of financing to Haiti as the government
would first have to clear up some $30 million in arrears
and undertake administrative reforms.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/05/international/americas/05HAIT.html?ex=1032248357&ei=1&en=35e277ee024deaf3
Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company