19282: Esser: Haiti delegation in Paris before crisis talks (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

26 Feb 2004 16:52:13 GMT

Haiti delegation in Paris before crisis talks

(Recasts with embassy confirmation, paragraphs 1-4)

PARIS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - A Haitian government delegation led by
Foreign Minister Joseph Philippe Antonio arrived in Paris on Thursday
for crisis talks with France on how to restore order to the
rebellion-hit island.

Ex-colonial power France has invited government and opposition
leaders to separate talks on Friday in efforts to end a political
crisis that has sparked an armed rebellion. It was not clear whether
opposition members would attend the talks.

Antonio was accompanied by Culture Minister Lilas Desquiron, and
Jean-Claude Desgranges, director of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide's cabinet, a Haitian embassy spokeswoman said.

She said the three would hold talks at the Foreign Ministry at 11:00
a.m. (1000 GMT) on Friday. Antonio was scheduled to give a news
conference after the meeting.

The Foreign Ministry said earlier on Thursday that it was still
waiting to hear whether Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin's
invitation for talks would be taken up by both sides.

"We have made clear this past week our readiness to receive -- in
separate consultations of course -- members of the Haiti political
opposition and the government," the ministry said in a statement.

More than 60 people have been killed in clashes in the Caribbean
country that began on February 5 when the rebels, a collection of
gangs and well-armed former soldiers, began the revolt by overrunning
the western city of Gonaives.

Villepin made clear on Wednesday that France wanted Aristide to step
down and make way for a transitional government of national unity.

He also proposed immediately sending an international peace force --
made up of police from unspecified contributing nations -- to restore
order and providing assistance for new elections.

Washington has delayed action over the crisis. President George W.
Bush has rejected Aristide's plea for help to quell the rebellion,
saying a political settlement must come first.
.