19397: Burnham: Globe and Mail: Canada considers sending troops to help in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: thor burnham <thorald_mb@hotmail.com>


Canada considers sending troops to help in Haiti


By DREW FAGAN
Saturday, February 28, 2004 - Page A2

OTTAWA -- The Canadian government is considering sending as many as hundreds
of troops to Haiti as part of an international stabilization force,
government sources said last night.

Officials said Prime Minister Paul Martin spoke to UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan yesterday, as Mr. Martin worked to help build an international
consensus aimed at resolving the crisis.

"He's been personally taking a hand in this," an official said..

Consideration of sending a significant number of troops, in addition to the
120 soldiers that are already on standby for the possible evacuation of
Canadians on the island, would depend on the makeup of an international
force and the ability of the Canadian Forces to pull together a contingent
on short notice.

"Potentially, hundreds could go. . . . But it would depend on the need
there," the official said. "It's going to be a challenge, without question."

_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/bcomm&pgmarket=en-ca&RU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-ca