8773: Haiti: Radio says political players prepared "to bury the hatchet" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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


BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Jul 21, 2001

Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 20 July

[Announcer] Since their last meeting at the Montana [Hotel], the main
players in the crisis have been giving the impression that they want to bury
the hatchet. They seem to be observing a truce although none of them has
managed to announce a date for the resumption of the discussions. They are
holding back from blaming each other for the time that has elapsed since the
last meeting. Wendell Theodore now tells us about this week's political
climate:

[Theodore - recording] There have not been any denunciations, criticism or
verbal attacks. The politicians seem to be at rest this week, except for the
parties that have not been included in the negotiations and that continue to
complain. Meanwhile, the Lavalas Family [FL] says it is waiting for the
resumption of the discussions. The presidency, through a member of the press
service, says it is willing. The head of government is entrenched behind the
satisfaction he expressed on Monday morning [16 July] after the Montana
meeting. Ensconced in deep reflection to assess the progress achieved in
order to draft a plan of action for the possible resumption of the
negotiations, the Democratic Convergence remains silent as if Haiti is very
close to reaching the goal. The political climate, therefore, looks sound
and good. This is because of the hope that the main players said they had
created from the paths to a solution that were supposedly found after three
days of serious discussions at the Montana Hotel.

Since then, a worrisome pause has been observed. It is a silence that causes
those who are not of good faith to stop the customary conflict that has
followed failed negotiations under the aegis of the OAS since the crisis
began. The evolution of the situation causes the first victims of the 21 May
elections and those who are part of the negotiations to keep silent. The
parliamentarians of the 47th legislature are keeping a low profile. The few
reactions that were observed in parliament are vague, reserved, but they
evoke the willingness of their chief, that is, President Aristide, a
willingness to which the 21 May elected representatives seem to hold.
Moreover, their chief is absent. Aristide is not in Haiti to play his part
in the consultations aimed at relaunching the inter-Haitian talks. While the
head of state visits Cuba accompanied by his party's principal negotiators,
most people fear that the momentum will be dissipated with time.

In any case, if the negotiations lead to the final signing of a political
agreement based on compromise, notwithstanding the release of funds that
were frozen by financial institutions, the Lavalas government will then be
able to take advantage of a political climate without wrangling to implement
more or less its political programme. The opposition itself will then take
the necessary time to prepare the next elections. But all that is only if
they get to finalize the agreement [end recording].

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 20 Jul 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC