19904: (Chamberlain) France denies it foreign occupier in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     PARIS, March 5 (Reuters) - France on Friday rejected accusations it
was part of a foreign "occupation" of Haiti after a bloody rebellion forced
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile.
     Ex-colonial power France sent 800 troops as part of a U.N.-backed
international force to restore order to the island after Aristide's
departure on Sunday, which came after France and the United States urged
him to stand down.
     Aristide has said he was kidnapped by U.S. soldiers and taken out of
the country with the complicity of French troops, allegations both Paris
and Washington strongly deny.
     "France has no interest other than the defence of Haitian democracy...
The destiny of the Haitians belongs to them alone," the Foreign Ministry
said in a statement.
     "It (France) is and will not be there to wage war against anyone but
is there simply to better ensure the country's security, public order and
civil peace," it added.
     It welcomed steps by local Haitian officials to put together a new
government earlier on Friday with the creation of a tripartite council made
up of people chosen by the government, Aristide's political foes and
foreign nations.
     That council is intended to select a seven-member "Council of Wise
Men" within a week to pick a new prime minister and begin the process of
establishing a new government.
     Thousands of outraged supporters of Aristide marched outside the U.S.
Embassy in Haiti on Friday to denounce the "occupation" of their country.
Most of their anger was directed at the United States although some
anti-French sentiment has been noted.
     U.S., French, Chilean and Canadian troops in Haiti number about 2,000,
according to force commanders. Their mandate is to restore order after days
of looting and shooting following Aristide's flight to the Central African
Republic.
     Haiti was one of France's wealthiest colonies during the 17th century
before a slave rebellion led to independence in 1804.