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27172: Craig (news) UN hails rescheduling of Haiti elections (fwd)






From: Dan Craig


UN hails rescheduling of Haiti elections
www.chinaview.cn 2006-01-09 10:57:13


HAVANA, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Juan Gabriel Valdes, senior UN representative in Haiti, on Sunday welcomed the setting of a new date for the country's postponed presidential and parliamentary elections.

The lack of an election date had not only generated "electoral uncertainty" but also sent an encouraging message to those who want to destabilize the country and threaten the security of Haitian citizens, said Valdes.

The elections were originally slated for Jan. 8 but were postponed due to what election officials said were security problems and inadequate preparations.

According to the new schedule set in a presidential decree on Saturday, the first round of the polls will be held on Feb. 7 and a runoff if needed on March 19.

A total of 34 candidates are running for the presidency, and about 1,300 for 130 seats in the parliament. The new president is due to take office on March 29.

The announcement of the new election date came after Brazilian Lt. Gen. Urano Teixeira Da Matta Bacellar, commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti, was found dead on the balcony of his hotel room on Saturday morning.

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said in a statement that the general's death "will not weaken the resolve ofMINUSTAH and the international community to ensure the will of theHaitian people prevails and Haiti joins the democratic community of nations."

Valdes vowed on Sunday to crack down on gangs that have been ona kidnapping spree and threaten the country's fifth attempt at scheduling elections.

"We are planning other attacks on kidnappers and we are going to resist this process of destabilization," he said. "We are not going to allow any attempt to derail the electoral process."

The voting aims to restore democracy to this Caribbean nation two years after former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide fled the country in the face of a popular rebellion.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/09/content_4027685.htm