19837: (Chamberlain) Brazil could lead Haiti UN peacekeeping mission (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     BRASILIA, Brazil, March 4 (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac
and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan want Brazil to lead a U.N.
peacekeeping mission due to go into Haiti in three months, Brazil said on
Thursday.
     The request came in a phone call between Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva and Chirac and would represent a major success for
Lula's ambitions of making Brazil a leader in Latin American affairs.
     "He (Chirac) said it would be of the utmost importance that Brazil
assume the command of that force," said Lula's spokesman, Andre Singer.
"The president of France said that this was the opinion of Kofi Annan as
well."
     The U.N. operation would follow up on the work of the U.S.-led
multinational force that is going immediately into Haiti to restore order
after the departure of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the face
of international pressure and an armed rebellion.
     Singer said Brazil would send 1,100 troops to contribute to the second
phase of the U.N. operation in Haiti.
     The United States, France, Canada, Argentina and Caribbean nations
would also contribute to the force.
     "President Lula said Brazil would be honored with this role and that
the country is at the disposition of the U.N. to send troops and to take
command," Singer said.
     The United Nations would not comment on private conversations between
Annan and world leaders.
     Lula, Chirac and Annan met in Geneva in January, when they discussed
ways to find fresh funding in the fight on hunger.
     Lula has championed a regional leadership role for Latin America's
largest country since he took office in January 2003, including pushing for
a seat for Brazil on an expanded U.N. Security Council.