22702: (Hermantin) Miami-Herald-Seeking a thaw, Caribbean group visiting Latortue (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Tue, Jul. 13, 2004




HAITI


Seeking a thaw, Caribbean group visiting Latortue

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES

jcharles@herald.com


Five foreign ministers from the Caribbean Community will visit Haiti today
in a ''gesture'' they hope will break a nearly six-month political impasse
over the departure of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The foreign ministers of the Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana
and Antigua and Barbuda will meet with interim Haitian Prime Minister Gerard
Latortue, members of his government and representatives of some political
parties.

''This is an important first step, and a gesture from CARICOM to the
authorities in Haiti,'' said CARICOM Assistant Secretary General Colin
Granderson, who will be part of the mission.

Granderson said the visit would give the foreign ministers ''a sense of what
things are really like in Haiti.'' They will report their findings to the
CARICOM heads of government, who will then decide the next step in their
relations with Haiti.

Leaders of the 15-member regional bloc have expressed deep concerns about
Aristide's departure from power Feb. 29 amid a bloody revolt.

Aristide charged that he was ousted in a ''virtual coup'' supported by the
United States and France, which both countries deny.

CARICOM leaders have since refused to recognize Latortue's government, even
though Haiti is a member of the regional group.

During a summit last week in Grenada, Caribbean leaders decided to send the
foreign ministers to Haiti to begin formal talks aimed at breaking the
impasse.

Alix Baptiste, a spokesman for Latortue, said the prime minister would
welcome the visit despite media reports that he considered their work as
interfering in Haiti's affairs.

Relations between Latortue and CARICOM have been rocky since the retired
economist took office with the backing of the United States. Latortue first
angered Caribbean leaders when he announced that he was suspending ties with
CARICOM after Jamaica decided to host Aristide for a visit.

Latortue further vexed his neighbors when he shared a platform with some of
the notorious rebel leaders who helped force Aristide from power,
celebrating them as ``freedom fighters.''

At the end of the Grenada summit, CARICOM leaders highlighted concerns they
wanted to put before the Latortue government, including:

• A political process for Haiti that involves all political parties,
including those that supported Aristide.

• The pursuit of all criminals in Haiti, not just those connected to any one
group. Critics of the interim government charge that although Aristide's
former prime minister, Yvon Neptune, was arrested two weeks ago, many of the
rebels who participated in the ousting of Aristide are still free.

• New fair, free and transparent elections, which should take place in a
timely manner under the watch of the international community.

_________________________________________________________________
Check out the latest news, polls and tools in the MSN 2004 Election Guide!
http://special.msn.com/msn/election2004.armx