18972: (Chamberlain) AP: US-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By GEORGE GEDDA

   WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (AP) -- The State Department, citing continued
violence in Haiti, ordered the withdrawal on Saturday of all nonessential
U.S. personnel and family members from the U.S. Embassy in the Caribbean
nation.
   The department also repeated a warning that American citizens who are
not on U.S. government business in Haiti should leave the country while
commercial air service continues to operate on a regular basis.
   The announcement came just before Haiti's president, Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, agreed to a U.S.-backed peace plan. It calls for shared power
with political opponents, a new prime minister and fresh legislative
elections.
   The travel warning was based on a determination that "the security
situation in Haiti has deteriorated to unsafe levels."
   It did not disclose the number of Americans who would be affected by the
order. Previously, the State Department had authorized the departure at
government expense of nonessential embassy personnel and family members.
Saturday's announcement makes such departures mandatory.
   "Americans are reminded of the potential for spontaneous demonstrations
and violent confrontations between pro- and anti-government supporters,
students and other groups," the statement said.
   The U.S. Embassy already had a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on its
remaining staff.
   In addition, the Peace Corps has ordered its volunteers as of Thursday
to depart Haiti until the situation stabilizes.
   The statement reminded Americans in Haiti that the U.S. Embassy has
prohibited travel by its staff outside of Port-Au-Prince. The Embassy's
ability to provide emergency services for citizens outside the capital is
extremely limited and has "drastically decreased in recent days due to
numerous random roadblocks set up by armed groups," according to the
statement.
   Under the peace plan, Aristide gets to remain president. But he appeared
to lay down a condition, declaring he would "not go ahead with any
terrorists." It was a reference to rebels who have led a bloody
two-week-old uprising that has killed more than 60 people and chased police
from dozens of towns.
   U.S.-led diplomats met later Saturday with opposition leaders, urging
them to accept a deal that falls short of their demand that Aristide
resign.
   The delegation, led by Roger Noriega, the top State Department official
for the Western Hemisphere, ended its one-day trip after failing to win
over Aristide's opponents, but expressed optimism that an agreement could
be reached.