28055: (news) Chamberlain: Dominican-Haiti-Preval (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By JONATHAN M. KATZ

   SANTO DOMINGO, March 3 (AP) -- Haitian President-elect Rene Preval said
Friday he will visit three South American countries this month to raise aid
money for his impoverished country.
   The planned trips to Brazil, Chile and Argentina come as Preval seeks
funds to rebuild Haiti's battered infrastructure and create jobs after a
revolt two years ago toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and pushed
the nation deeper into despair. Preval did not give dates for the trips.
   "The international community is very disposed to help Haiti," Preval
said at the close of a two-day trip to the neighboring Dominican Republic
to discuss immigration and trade issues.
   International donors have disbursed some $780 million in aid to Haiti
since December 2005, but officials say much more is needed to speed
development in the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation.
   The Dominican government did not offer an aid package but hosted a
meeting Friday between Preval and Dominican business leaders in an effort
to spur private investment in Haiti, Dominican Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Veri Candelario said.
   Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a 243-mile border on the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Tension have surged between the countries
over what to do about as many as 1 million Haitian workers who cross the
border to work in the Dominican Republic, often illegally.
   Preval was due to take power on March 29, but delays in holding a
legislative runoff needed to form a government could push back the
inauguration by a month, officials say.
   Haiti descended into chaos after Aristide fled into exile in South
Africa after the February 2004 uprising.
   Aristide has said he wants to return to Haiti. Preval reiterated Friday
that the constitution allows any Haitian to enter the country without a
visa, but declined to say if he would welcome back his former mentor.