28170: (news) Chamberlain: Aid vital to Haitian democracy, Preval tells UN (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Irwin Arieff

     UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Reuters) - Haiti's newly elected leader
appealed to world governments on Monday to step up long-term development
aid to his impoverished Caribbean nation or risk undermining democracy.
     "There is a strong correlation between democracy and economic
development," President-Elect Rene Preval told the U.N. Security Council.
"The reinforcement of democracy that the international community has for
some time now resolved to help Haiti achieve cannot take place without
additional funds."
     Preval also reached out to Haitian politicians and civic groups,
urging them to work with his new government to create "an enabling climate
for good government, democracy and participation."
     Preval is a one-time ally of ousted former President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide and, like him, a champion of Haiti's impoverished masses.
     Aristide fled the country in February 2004 in the face of an armed
revolt and under international pressure to quit. Haiti has since been run
by a transitional administration with the support of a U.N. peacekeeping
mission.
     Preval was initially due to take office on April 29 but on Monday his
inauguration was rescheduled for May 14. The date depends on a second round
of legislative elections, initially set for March 19 but now set for April
21, government and elections officials said. The law requires that Haiti
have a parliament in place to administer the oath of office.
     Preval said the U.N. peacekeeping force of about 7,500 troops and
1,700 international police officers now in Haiti should keep its focus on
the fragile security situation.
     Reform of the Haitian police force and legal system were also vital to
"establish an enabling environment where law prevails over violence," he
said.
     U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, echoing Preval's remarks, said
Haiti was "only beginning its long journey towards a stable and democratic
future."
     "It needs and deserves our assistance to reach that destination," he
told the council. "That means a vigorous partnership between the leadership
and the people of Haiti on one hand, and the international community on the
other."
     Preval was initially awarded just under 50 percent of the votes cast
in a Feb. 7 election. But, fearing angry protests by his supporters and
growing allegations of vote fraud seemingly aimed at denying Preval a
first-round win, the electoral authorities changed the way they counted
unmarked ballots and declared him the winner.