20875: (Chamberlain) Caribbean Summit (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By BERT WILKINSON

   BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 27 (AP) -- The 15-nation Caribbean
Community withheld recognition from Haiti's U.S.-backed interim government
as leaders renewed calls for a U.N. investigation into the ouster of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
   Wrapping up a two-day summit early Saturday, the 11 attending leaders
said they would take up the issue of whether to recognize the government
when they meet again in July in Grenada.
   "We can't determine this issue at this meeting," Trinidad Prime Minister
Patrick Manning said. He added that discussions were "quite tense."
   Several officials said the regional bloc was under enormous U.S.
pressure to recognize the new government, which was appointed after
Aristide fled on Feb. 29 amid a popular uprising.
   "Right now we are not satisfied," St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph
Gonsalves said. "We are going to watch and see a number of things as they
evolve."
   The leaders also lamented recent statements by Haiti's Prime Minister
Gerard Latortue, who was not invited to the meeting, hailing rebels as
"freedom fighters" and saying he was freezing participation in the regional
bloc for its stance in bringing Aristide to Jamaica for temporary exile.
   The participating Caribbean leaders issued a statement early Saturday
saying "no action should be taken to legitimize the rebel forces."
   They said while Haiti remains a "welcome partner" in the Caribbean
Community, "there has been an interruption of the democratic process."
   The leaders said they would ask the U.N. General Assembly or
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to oversee an investigation into Aristide's
claims he was abducted at gunpoint by U.S. agents when he left Feb. 29 as
rebels threatened to attack Haiti's capital.
   The 11 heads of government attending said it is in the international
community's "compelling interest" to fully investigate the circumstances of
Aristide's departure.
   Delegates said the bloc wants the General Assembly to investigate
Aristide's departure rather than the Security Council, where the United
States or France could veto the proposal.
   U.S. officials say they organized his departure on a charter to Central
African Republic at his own request and probably saved his life.
   The Caribbean Community stressed "the importance of holding free and
fair elections to ensure a return to constitutional democracy in an
acceptable time frame" in Haiti.
   Latortue has said he hopes to organize legislative elections in six to
eight months; it was unclear whether that would be acceptable.
   St. Kitts Prime Minister Denzil Douglas said the community plans to deal
directly with "the Haitian people" through the United Nations and other
agencies.
   Caribbean leaders declined to participate in the current U.S.-led
international force, angry that the Security Council refused their urgent
plea to send troops in time to save Aristide, Haiti's first democratically
elected leader.
   Nevertheless, Manning said Trinidad will send 121 soldiers to join a
separate U.N. humanitarian force in about two months. Other Caribbean
countries are expected to follow.
   In Haiti, meanwhile, the interim government announced it will block
dozens of ex-members of Aristide's government from leaving the country,
including former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune.
   New Justice Minister Bernard Gousse told The Associated Press the move
was an "insurance policy" that will make sure the officials are available
for investigations into embezzlement and other alleged crimes.
   "This does not mean that they are guilty. It will be for the justice
system to decide," Gousse said.
   Neptune has said he intends to remain and is in hiding due to threats
against his life.