19855: Esser: Haiti's Aristide accuses France (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk

Published: 2004/03/04 23:50:38 GMT

Haiti's Aristide accuses France

Haiti's former President Jean Bertrand Aristide has accused Paris of
colluding with the US to remove him from office.

In a phone conversation with a French writer Mr Aristide said he had
not officially resigned and still planned to return home.

The US has denied Mr Aristide's claim that it forced him on to a plane.

South Africa is among those calling for an independent inquiry into
the circumstances surrounding his flight from Haiti on Sunday.

The Caribbean regional body Caricom has also said Mr Aristide's
allegations should be investigated.

US State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, rejected the calls,
saying there was nothing to investigate.

Mystery

In the telephone conversation with Haiti specialist Claude Ribbe, Mr
Aristide said that he had signed a document to "avoid a bloodbath"
but that there was no formal resignation.

The ousted president was speaking from the Central African Republic,
from where it has been rumoured he will travel on to South Africa.

But he said any new destination would only be a step on a journey
back to Haiti.

"I'm not the kind of person to stay in exile... If I have to make a
stopover in South Africa, I will - before going back home."

The circumstances of Mr Aristide's departure have been shrouded in
mystery since he left Haiti on Sunday.

The former president said he was the victim of a coup d'etat, forced
to leave by "American agents".

Officials in the CAR now say Mr Aristide only knew of his destination
45 minutes before the plane touched down, and that he and his
entourage were guarded by 60 US marines.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell strenuously denied the allegation,
saying said Mr Aristide had gone into exile "willingly, and that's
the truth".

Reinforcements

In Haiti, a commission has been formed of government and opposition
members as part of an international plan to end the crisis in the
country.

The three-member commission is to begin selecting seven people who
will serve on a council, which in turn will name a new prime minister
and government.

More international troops and aid have arrived in the country.

The first contingent of 120 Chilean troops flew in to the capital
Port-au-Prince to join forces from the US, Canada and France.

Brazil has announced it will send 1,100 troops to join the second
phase of peacekeeping forces.

A spokesman for the Brazilian presidency said they would work under
the UN forces, which are due in the country in about three months
time.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3534781.stm


© BBC MMIV