8642: Highlights of Radio Metropole news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1145 gmt 10 Jul 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Jul 10, 2001



"The Morning News"; figures in brackets show the time elapsed since the
start of the programme

1. [00] Headlines

2. [04] It is now confirmed that the OAS secretary-general will arrive in
Port-au-Prince on 12 July to relaunch the negotiations between the Lavalas
Family and the Democratic Convergence aimed at the formation of a new
Provisional Electoral Council, CEP. According to diplomatic sources, Cesar
Gaviria will insist that the discussions continue from where they left off
at the Montana Hotel a week ago, that is, on the mission that will be
assigned to the CEP. Important steps had been taken by the political actors
by that point. Therefore, it is not necessary to go back over the whole
process again, according to the diplomatic sources contacted by Radio
Metropole. The OAS secretary-general will benefit from the support of the
Caricom assistant secretary-general. Albert Ramdin will use the opportunity
to open the new Caricom office in Haiti. Ramdin will be accompanied by St
Lucia's foreign minister, Julian Hunte. St Lucia is, in fact, responsible
for the democratization portfolio within Caricom, which has called for a
negotiated solution to the crisis in Haiti. The regional organization work
alongside the OAS to attempt to convince the actors to find a solution to
the current impasse. But the task might be difficult for the OAS
secretary-general, insofar as the protagonists do not agree on the
discussion outline after the failure of the Montana talks.

3. [07] President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is very critical of the opposition,
which continues to ask for the annulment of the 21 May elections. In a
statement made in Port-de-Paix, the head of state affirmed that he has made
the maximum concessions to the opposition. During a two-day visit to
Port-de-Paix, Aristide denounced what he calls international sectors that
are trying to pull strings.

4. [11] The planning minister wants an immediate solution to the crisis.
Marc L. Bazin stresses that the freezing of funds by the international
community causes a lot of harm to the country. Bazin says: "We should seek
the solution to this political crisis. The solution to this political
problem would constitute grounds for a national consensus."

5. [13] Ads, followed by opinion poll.

6. [21] The UNDP published its annual report today on the least-developed
countries. Haiti is ranked 134, out of 162 countries worldwide. Last year,
Haiti was ranked 150 out of 174 countries. This classification is based on
per capita income, quality of life, life expectancy, health, literacy and
political participation.

7. [22] As expected, 21 May Senator Dany Toussaint boycotted the latest
summons to appear before Judge Claudy Gassant within the framework of the
investigation into the murder of Jean Dominique. Through his lawyers,
Toussaint confirmed he was not going to obey the examining judge. However,
Gassant affirms that he will see the case to its conclusion. Gassant said
that he still does not know about Toussaint's objections. Court chief Lise
Pierre Pierre is also accused of bias.

8. [24] The Lavalas government is attempting to relaunch investment in the
country. The planning minister met representatives of the business sector,
who presented their grievances. The government recognizes that it still has
a lot to do as regards investment.

9. [28] Haitian-American millionaire Dumas Simeus has invited the Lavalas
government to guarantee the respect of private property to facilitate
investment in the country. Simeus, who participated in the meeting between
the private and public sectors, emphasized that the conditions are not yet
right to attract foreign investors. The businessman claims to be confident
about the good intentions manifested by the Lavalas government. Simeus says:
"Everybody knows what the problem is. It is an infrastructure problem. There
is also a bureaucratic problem, because it is very difficult to deal with
certain ministries and the customs service. For somebody to come and invest
his money in Haiti, he must be sure that his investment will not be lost."

10. [32] President Aristide will travel to Cuba on 16 July. The head of
state and his Cuban counterpart, Fidel Castro, will decide on cooperation
between the two countries. The relations between Cuba and Haiti were
re-established by President Aristide on 6 February 1996, after 30 years of
interruption. Former President Rene Preval energized the cooperation,
especially in the fields of health, education, sports and fishing.

11. [33] Ads, followed by international news.

12. [45] News summary, followed by ads.

13. [51] Economic segment by Kesner Pharel.

14. [56] Ads.

15. 58] The political news is dominated by the declaration that President
Aristide made in Port-de-Paix yesterday. The president of the republic was
very critical of the opposition, which, according to Aristide, continues to
ask for the resumption of the contested elections. The head of state
affirmed having already made the maximum of concessions to the opposition.
Micha Gaillard comments by phone on the president's statement.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 10 Jul 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.