18230: (Chamberlain) Haiti-Caribbean (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By MICHAEL NORTON

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, 3 Feb 04 (AP) -- Two senior officials from the Caribbean
Community began talks Tuesday with Haitian opposition leaders in a bid to
end the country's political crisis.
   The talks came as one protester was reported killed and about 10 were
wounded during an anti-government protest in the northeastern town of
Ouanaminthe. Police broke up the protest by firing shots into the air, the
private Haitian station Radio Kiskeya reported. It was unclear how the
protester was killed.
   Police in the capital, Port-au-Prince, also fired tear gas into the
grounds of State University to break up a crowd of some 100 students who
built flaming tire barricades and threw stones. No serious injuries were
reported.
   Meanwhile, Bahamas Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell and Colin Granderson,
assistant secretary-general of the 15-member Caribbean Community, met
privately with opposition leaders at the Bahamian Embassy. They planned
separate talks with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide before departing
Thursday.
   It was the second time in two weeks that representatives of the
opposition alliance Democratic Platform met with leaders of the Caribbean
Community.
   The government and opposition have been in a deadlock since 2000
legislative elections that observers said were flawed. The opposition has
refused to participate in elections unless Aristide resigns, but he says he
won't step down until his term ends in 2006.
   At least 51 people have been killed since mid-September in clashes
between police, protesters and Aristide supporters.
   After meeting Caribbean leaders in Jamaica, Aristide pledged on Saturday
to follow their recommendations to disarm political gangs, reform the
police force and release political prisoners.
   Parliament became powerless when the terms of most legislators expired
Jan. 12. With the impasse preventing elections, Aristide has pledged to set
up a new governing council including his party members, the opposition, and
civil society groups.
   The opposition has refused talks with his government and has pledged new
protests, declining to join any council with Aristide in power.