19313: Lemieux;BBC: Pressure mounts on Haiti's leader (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

 Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3491278.stm

Published: 2004/02/27



Pressure mounts on Haiti's leader
International pressure is growing for President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti to step down.
France on Friday called for a new power-sharing government
without Mr Aristide as a way of ending the crisis.

The US - a crucial ally - has also questioned whether
President Aristide can continue to lead effectively.

Rebels, who control much of northern Haiti, are heading
south, and have reportedly taken over a city less than 60km
from the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Mr Aristide has insisted he will not quit until the end of
his term in office in 2006.

French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin met a Haitian
government team led by foreign minister Joseph Philippe
Antonio for an hour on Friday.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said Mr de Villepin
proposed a "government of national unity" without Mr
Aristide to be put in place.

"The minister recalled that President Aristide bears a
heavy responsibility in the current situation and that he
should draw the conclusions from the impasse," said the
ministry in a statement afterwards.

Heavy hints

The Haitian delegation left the ministry, on the banks of
the River Seine, without commenting.

A team from the opposition was due to meet Mr de Villepin
separately but, according to diplomatic sources, were
unable to fly out of Haiti.


On Thursday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Mr
Aristide had had "difficulties" in his presidency including
corruption, cronyism and inefficiency.

"Whether or not he is able to effectively continue as
president is something he will have to examine carefully in
the interests of the Haitian people," he told reporters.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington said his words were the
closest the US has come to urging President Aristide to
stand down and "it was a pretty heavy hint".

The UN ended an emergency Security Council meeting on
Thursday saying it would consider an international force,
but announced no immediate action.

Jamaica's Foreign Minister KD Knight has warned of the
dangers of a chain reaction if the actions of "rebels and
thugs" in Haiti are able to unseat an elected leader.

"Whoever succeeds the president will be as vulnerable as he
is," Mr Knight told the BBC World Service's World Today
programme.

Refugee crisis

Nations in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have called
for an international peacekeeping force to be sent
immediately.

The US and other members of the UN Security Council say
such a force could be sent, but are keen to pursue a
political solution.

The armed rebels, who also want Mr Aristide's overthrow but
are not connected to the politicians and were not involved
in the international talks, are still threatening to launch
an attack on the capital.

Having taken much of the north they are now heading south
and have forced police to abandon their headquarters in the
country's third biggest city, Cayes.

There are also reports that rebels now control Mirebalais,
less than 60km from Port-au-Prince.

The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has renewed its
call for Haiti's neighbours to grant asylum to people
fleeing the ongoing crisis there.

Earlier, the US Coastguard said it had intercepted some 500
people in boats fleeing Haiti in the past few days.

President Bush has warned Haitians they will be sent home
if they try to flee to the US.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3491278.stm

Published: 2004/02/27 14:06:58 GMT

© BBC MMIV

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