18727: (Chamberlain) Powell sees no foreign forces for Haiti for now (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on
Tuesday all but ruled out foreign police or military forces going to Haiti
to quell an armed revolt for now and said his emphasis was on promoting a
political settlement.
     Powell also said the United States, the Organization of American
States and international groups were sending officials to Haiti to address
the "humanitarian crisis" gripping the island after this month's surge in
violence.
     "There is frankly no enthusiasm right now for sending in military or
police forces to put down the violence that we are seeing," Powell told
reporters.
     "What we want to do right now is find a political solution and then
there are willing nations that would come forward with a police presence to
implement the political agreement that the sides come to," he said.
     Up to 50 people have died since Feb. 5, when tension in Haiti exploded
into open revolt after gunmen who once supported the president took control
of Gonaives, the city where Haiti's slaves declared independence from
France 200 years ago.
     Last week Powell said he was discussing with other countries in the
region about possibly sending police to Haiti. But he made clear on Tuesday
police would only be sent once the violence had abated.
     "We have a serious humanitarian problem there now," Powell said. "We
are sending people from the United States, OAS and other international
organizations to see what we can do about that humanitarian crisis."
     Aristide was restored to power by a U.S. invasion a decade ago after a
coup and is now mid-way through a second term that began in 2001. He has
said he intends to stay the course to 2006.
     Critics accuse Aristide of buying loyalty in the sprawling slums of
the capital, Port-au-Prince, through patronage and franchising
drug-trafficking rights.
     The government describes opponents as a small mulatto elite virulently
opposed to the country being run by its poor, black majority.