28173: (news) Chamberlain: UN-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By EDITH M. LEDERER

   UNITED NATIONS, Mar 27 (AP) -- Haiti's president-elect appealed for
urgent international help Monday to spur development in the Western
Hemisphere's poorest country and called on all Haitians to join in a
national dialogue to promote peace and democracy.
   In a speech to a high-level meeting of the U.N. Security Council, Rene
Preval told ministers and ambassadors that the massive voter turnout in the
Feb. 7 election that he won was "an eloquent demonstration" of the Haitian
people's commitment to live in peace and take part in national
reconstruction.
   "Today, Haiti is a country waiting to be built," Preval said. "The
problems are enormous and there is widespread urgency."
   He listed poverty, unemployment, dilapidated infrastructures and chronic
insecurity as the major challenges his government would face.
   Preval will be sworn in on May 14, almost two months later than planned
because of a postponed legislative runoff now set for April 21, announced
Haiti's interim government -- in power since a violent rebellion toppled
former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004.
   The Security Council said in a statement that completing the electoral
process and installing a new, elected government "will give Haiti a unique
opportunity to break with the violence and political instability of the
past."
   Preval said he had come to the United Nations to call on the
international community "to renew its commitment to a long-term assistance
program for Haiti."
   Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana, the council president, said
after the meeting that a new donors conference would be held in Brazil in
May, a move strongly supported by Preval.
   "People are in a desperate situation in terms of food," Preval said.
"Above all, they have to be given emergency aid. We have to create jobs
immediately to calm the situation."
   U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said the U.S. government was determined to
help "the Haitian people move down that road to democracy," and had
committed $500 million to Haiti's reconstruction.
   Preval said he was negotiating with political parties and other groups
in Haiti "so that we can at long last bring about, by working together, the
goal of laying a basis for a peaceful, democratic, social-political
system."
   He commended the 9,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti to
create an environment "where law prevails over violence and force," and
stressed that it would be "irresponsible" to ask the troops to leave
prematurely.
   His appeals for aid and reconciliation were echoed by Secretary-General
Kofi Annan. "Generous and coordinated bilateral assistance" is essential to
supplement the efforts of the U.N. force, Annan said.