20955: Esser: US Hopes Caribbean Leaders Will Send Security Personnel to Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Voice of America News

30 Mar 2004

US Hopes Caribbean Leaders Will Send Security Personnel to Haiti


The U.S. State Department says it hopes Caribbean leaders will send
security personnel to Haiti and begin taking part in efforts to
rebuild the country.

Spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday the U.S.-led force in Haiti
welcomes all the help it can get to restore order after a rebel
uprising earlier this year.

He says some leaders in the 15 nation Caribbean Community, or
Caricom, are discussing plans to contribute police officers to Haiti.
The current U.S.-led peacekeeping force includes personnel from
Canada, Chile, Brazil and France.

Mr. Boucher also dismissed concerns over Caricom's decision not to
recognize Haiti's government at a meeting last week. He said
Caribbean leaders will reconsider the move in July.

At the meeting, Caricom leaders agreed that no action should be taken
to legitimize what they called "rebel forces" in Haiti.

Caribbean leaders have also called for a U.N. investigation into the
departure of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who claims he
was briefly kidnapped by U.S. forces.

Mr. Boucher says a U.N. probe is unnecessary.
.