18438: Esser: US Department of State: Press Briefing (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

U.S. Department of State: Daily Press Briefing
Richard Boucher, Spokesman

Washington, DC
February 10, 2004

HAITI


QUESTION:
Haiti. Of some 42 people dead, by latest count -- do you -- it's,
obviously, a tough situation. Are you expecting some surge of Haitian
refugees? Where -- what is the U.S. doing about all this at this
point?

MR. BOUCHER:
Well, I don't know whether there will be a surge in refugees or not.
Certainly, we'll watch that situation closely and try to handle that
with the interest of safety of the people involved. But I think you
all know our policy on refugees from Haiti, that we don't want to
open up the gates or invite people. That's not the solution to
Haiti's problems. There is -- violence in Haiti has been terrible
recently.

We condemn the violence from all the groups and all the sides that
have been perpetrating it. This kind of violence only leads to more
violence and retribution and instability for the nation as a whole.
There has been all together too much violence in Haiti's history. At
this point, we are pushing very hard for an end to violence, for all
the parties to take steps to calm the situation and end the violence
and to try to see political progress.

The opposition has maintained a stance of peaceful demonstrations and
pushing for peaceful democratic change. They've worked with the
CARICOM representatives to try to reach agreement. We're encouraging
all parties including them and the government to work through that
process and to accept the efforts of CARICOM to help reach a
political solution.

There needs to be a political solution and that's only going to be
gained by dialogue, negotiations and compromise. It's also going to
involve some rather thorough going reforms in the way that the
government is run out there, the way that Haiti is governed. But in
the end, we think that's a solution to calming the situation and
ending the climate of violence that has grown up over the past few
years and which is seen so horribly in these most recent events.

As far as the situation itself, we understand from press accounts
that police have reasserted control over the Port of Saint-Marc. We
believe that the city of Gonaïves remains under the control of the
armed gangs that seized it on February 5th. The government's attempt
to retake Gonaïves over the weekend was repulsed. Perhaps as many as
15 police officers were killed.

There have been attempts to take over government buildings in a dozen
or more towns in other parts of Haiti, according to the press, but we
haven't been able to confirm that. But we still have no reports of
injuries to American citizens. The embassy has issued a Warden
Message yesterday to warn Americans about the heightened security
risks.

As far as diplomatic efforts, we've been in close touch with other
governments. The Secretary spoke this morning with Canadian Foreign
Minister Graham about the situation in Haiti. We've been in touch
diplomatically with other governments about the situation of Haiti.

This morning, the new Haitian Ambassador presented his credentials to
the Secretary, so he came by, and the Secretary used that opportunity
to press the Ambassador, and through him the Haitian Government, to
accept the efforts of CARICOM and to seek a political solution to the
troubles in Haiti.

We think it's vital that the government take steps to end the climate
of violence that's been created by these gangs and to reach a
political settlement to Haiti's troubles.

QUESTION:
To the extent that there are no talks, which side is -- which side is
refusing to go to the bargaining table, so to speak?

MR. BOUCHER:
I think there are certainly questions about whether the government
has accepted the CARICOM proposals, but we think both sides need to
focus on reaching a political settlement and maintaining a peaceful
dialogue to reach a negotiated solution. So we're trying to get that
message to everybody.

QUESTION:
Richard, are you suggesting that the people who have taken over these
towns are not bona fide opposition, political opposition?

MR. BOUCHER:
The political opposition has not been associated directly with these
gangs. The origin appears to be in other groups and sometimes groups
that in the past were supported by people associated with the
government. So the opposition needs to maintain a peaceful stance,
needs to continue to disassociate itself from these gangs and the
violence, and to continue to seek a peaceful and negotiated solution.

The gangs themselves have, you know, many origins and different
members, but I think this whole climate of violence that's been
created over time in Haiti has contributed to this kind of outburst
that we're seeing now.

Charlie.

QUESTION:
Richard, do you have a dollar figure on how much the U.S. has put
into Haiti in the last ten years?

MR. BOUCHER:
Don't have it handy. I'd have to look for it.

QUESTION:
Would you take the question and get that, please?

MR. BOUCHER:
Have to look for it. Yeah.

QUESTION:
And more substantively, can you talk about whether the Administration
is happy, unhappy -- whatever word you want -- with President
Aristide?

MR. BOUCHER:
Our goal has been to make clear to President Aristide that he needs
to take the opportunity to make peace, take the opportunity to reach
a political settlement. That was made very, very clear during the
meetings that the President and the Secretary had with him as part of
the CARICOM group when they met in Monterrey earlier this year. Both
the President and the Secretary were very explicit that it's time to
take the opportunity and reach a political settlement.

We have continued to convey that message to President Aristide that
that's the best thing for his country and that's the best thing for
democracy in Haiti as well.

QUESTION:
Do you have a position on whether he should stay in office?

MR. BOUCHER:
Other than to say that we recognize that reaching a political
settlement will require some fairly thorough changes in the way Haiti
is governed and how the security situation is maintained. The actual
sort of formulas and mechanisms for that would have to be worked out,
we hope, through peaceful negotiation using the efforts of CARICOM as
a basis.