22773: (Chamberlain) Norway to host Haiti political parties Aug 23-30 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     OSLO, July 23 (Reuters) - Norway will host a meeting of Haitian
political parties next month to foster dialogue, peace and democracy as the
island nation prepares for elections next year, the Norwegian Foreign
Ministry said on Friday.
     Haiti is heading for local, legislative and presidential elections in
2005 after months of turmoil following an armed revolt that ousted
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February.
     Norway has frequently played an international role in brokering or
facilitating peace. It hosted the Middle East talks that led to the
subsequently failed 1993 Oslo accords, and is involved in peace efforts in
Sri Lanka.
     The meeting, from August 23 to 30, will be attended by key
representatives of Haiti's political parties and civic groups, the ministry
said in a statement.
     "The goal of this meeting is to discuss political processes and
systems and the electoral process among other things," Deputy Foreign
Minister Vidar Helgesen told Reuters.
     Helgesen said he hoped the meeting would contribute to dialogue across
party lines, which the political culture of Haiti tended to impede.
     The conference is a follow-up to a seminar on the election process
held in Haiti on June 24-26 which was also attended by key international
figures.