21443: (Chamberlain) UN-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By EDITH M. LEDERER

   UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (AP) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan called
Tuesday for a broad new U.N. mission in Haiti that would include 6,700
troops, over 1,600 international police and experts to help turn the
Caribbean nation into "a functioning democracy."
   The U.N. military contingent would replace the 3,600-strong U.S.-led
multinational force sent to bring stability to Haiti after a three-week
rebellion led Haiti's first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, to flee in February.
   Annan said the transfer of authority from the multinational force to a
U.N. force would take place by June 1, with troops in the multinational
force withdrawing on a phased basis as U.N. troops arrived "to avoid any
security gap."
   In a report to the Security Council, the secretary-general said it was
"unfortunate that in its bicentennial year, Haiti had to call again on the
international community to help it overcome a serious political and
security situation."
   The U.N. special envoy to Haiti, Reginald Dumas, said last month that 10
international missions to Haiti in the last decade had failed because there
was no sustained commitment.
   The international community must make a commitment of at least 20 years
to bring peace to Haiti and raise living standards in the Western
hemisphere's poorest nation, he said.
   Annan told the council the last U.N. mission, which ended in 2001, was
"too brief and fraught with both international and domestic hindrances."
   The new mission must be a partnership with regional organizations
including the Caribbean Community, known as CARICOM, and the Organization
of American States, but most of all with the Haitian people, he said.
   He proposed the council authorize the new mission, to be called the U.N.
Stabilization Mission in Haiti, for an initial period of 24 months.
   In light of the volatile security situation and proliferation of arms
throughout the country, he said the U.N. military force should operate
"under robust rules of engagement."
   U.N. troops should provide security in all key towns and along major
roads, "deter armed groups from engaging in violence," and work with the
Haitian and international police to disarm fighters, Annan said.
   Annan said the mission must have experts on human rights, HIV/AIDS,
gender and civil affairs "to help create the necessary conditions for a
functioning democracy, as well as for the establishment and strengthening
of legitimate local authority throughout the country."
   Haiti's interim leaders are trying to start rebuilding, but Annan said
the United Nations has not gotten a sufficient response to its appeal for
$35 million in emergency relief needed to help the shattered country.