Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has agreed to Caricom?s suggestion of a series of confidence-building measures aimed at restoring peace and stability in conflict-ridden Haiti, Prime Minister Patrick Manning has said...
News Source: Trinidad Guardian
At a Whitehall news conference yesterday, Manning spoke about the measures which were agreed on at Saturday?s meeting between a team of Caricom leaders and Aristide.
The team included the Prime Ministers of Jamaica, St Lucia and The Bahamas, as well as T&T.
It was a follow-up meeting to a previous effort in The Bahamas aimed at bringing about peace, stability and normality in Haiti.
Manning said Caricom leaders ruled out an intervention in Haiti.
Discussions focused on the confidence-building measures to be undertaken by the Haitian Government and other groups.
Talks also dealt with the need for consultation with the Opposition.
Manning said both the Caricom leaders and Aristide deemed the Jamaica caucus a success.
?Aristide said the best way he could help us would be to ensure the arrangements are implemented,? he said.
?He placed a very high priority on implementation.?
Manning said Caricom believes the suggestions will please the Haitian Opposition as well as Aristide.
He also took issue with a headline in the Sunday Express, ?Tough Day For Caricom.?
?So far, the Caricom initiative on Haiti has been going quite well, much better than we had anticipated due to the nature of the conflict in Haiti today,? he said.
?In those circumstances, we have great difficulty in understanding the headline. There was no such development, there was no crisis.
?We were dealing with a difficult issue, but we thought we?d done extremely well in the matter.
?The basis of this report is something we don?t understand. I assure you, no crisis or chaos took place in the meeting.?
Another decision arising out of the Jamaica meeting is the return of a Caricom mission to Haiti today.
Manning said that team from the Bahamas will meet with the Haitian Opposition to discuss the points of agreement from the Jamaica caucus.
The Haitian Opposition Leader did not attend the Jamaica meeting, owing to problems with his passport, Manning said.
Manning said among other concessions, Aristide has agreed not to extend his presidential term of office or seek re-election when his term is up in 2006.
POINTS OF AGREEMENT
? Compliance with OAS suggestions on mechanisms to return to elections and political stability.
? Establishment of rules for proper demonstrations, involving consultations with the Opposition.
? Need for a new government.
? Disarming of ?strong arm? groups.
? Review and release of political prisoners.
? Measures to ensure the effectiveness of the police.
? Enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms in Haiti.
? Election and consultation with the Opposition.
? Establishment of electoral commission and arrangements for it.
? Establishment of broad-based advisory council to advise Government in circumstances where Parliament does not exist, as at present.
? Arrangements for a new government.
