27762: (news) Chamberlain: Preval says he won Haitian election (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Former President Rene Preval
said on Tuesday he won last week's election outright and urged Haitian
elections officials to hold off publishing final election results because
of possible fraud.
     "We are sure of having won in the first round," Preval said in his
first significant comments on the election results in the week since the
vote
     "If they publish these results as they are, we will contest them and
if Lespwa (his political movement) contests them, the Haitian people will
contest them," Preval said at a news conference a day after tens of
thousands of his supporters paralyzed the capital with flaming barricades
and street protests, demanding he be declared the victor.
     Preval, a one-time ally of deposed leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide had
48.7 percent at last report. He won the first round easily but his
supporters and some elections officials said the count was being
manipulated to prevent him from taking the office without a run-off. He
needed 50 percent plus one vote for an outright win.