21676: Esser: Powell defends U.S. policy on Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

United Press International

May 3, 2004

Powell defends U.S. policy on Haiti

Washington, May. 3 (UPI) -- Despite making the transition to
democracy, Haiti still needs help from the world, U.S. Secretary of
State Colin Powell said Monday.

"Haiti, however, even with a successful transition back to an elected
government, will be in desperate need of resources from its neighbors
within the hemisphere, but not only from its neighbors but from the
entire international community," Powell said in remarks to the
Council of the Americas Conference.

The secretary also defended the U.S. role in the events that led to
the resignation of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide earlier
this year.

"We were on the verge of a civil war," Powell said. "We acted. It was
controversial, but nevertheless it was necessary."

The comments came after the U.N. Security Council acted last Friday
to approve an 8,000-strong peacekeeping force for the Caribbean
nation. The force will replace the 3,600-strong, U.S.-led mission,
which included troops from Canada, France and Chile, that took over
after Aristide left the country in February.