28816: Craig (news) Annan visits Haiti's new leaders (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From:  Dan Craig


Annan visits Haiti's new leaders
*Visiting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has praised Haiti for making "great 
strides" but said much more needed to be done to ensure security. *

Mr Annan is making his first visit to the impoverished Caribbean nation and is 
meeting President Rene Preval and members of the new government.

Mr Annan called for a 12-month extension to the UN peacekeeping force.

The force of about 9,000 troops provides the only real security amid continuing 
gang warfare.

It was sent there to help restore order after a 2004 revolt which toppled 
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

* 'Ashamed'** *

Mr Annan said much had been done to improve the security situation in the 
country, but repeated his belief that the usual six-month peacekeeping 
extension should be doubled.

He called for better training and equipment for police to deal with kidnapping 
and lawlessness.

Mr Preval, elected in February, said the UN mission had brought benefits but 
there still existed insecurity, armed gangs, petrol price rises, unemployment, 
hunger and the need to rebuild Haiti.

Mr Annan said of the armed gangs: "These criminals should be ashamed to call 
themselves Haitians when the nation is at a critical stage of rebuilding 
itself."

Mr Annan is also scheduled to meet UN peacekeepers who were wounded by gunmen 
in July.

He will later visit the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/5244078.stm
Published: 2006/08/04 02:46:48 GMT
© BBC MMVI