OAS SECRETARY GENERAL REPORTS 
PROGRESS IN HAITI DIALOGUE

Secretary General César Gaviria today reported progress in the joint effort by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to facilitate dialogue towards settling the political crisis in Haiti. 

The Secretary General was reporting to the OAS Permanent Council on the joint OAS/CARICOM Mission to Haiti from June 29 to July 3. Apart from Mr. Gaviria, the joint mission involved OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi R. Einaudi and  CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Albert R. Ramdin. Gaviria went to Haiti with a mandate from the OAS General Assembly resolution approved at the San Jose, Costa Rica, session last June 5.

In his update on developments surrounding the central issue of a new Provisional Electoral Council, Mr. Gaviria said negotiations have been complex but progress towards an agreement had been reached among the Haitian parties on important elements to form a Provisional Electoral Council that will be independent, credible and neutral.   Stressing that the new electoral body would need resources and training for its staff, the OAS chief called on the international community to assist.

According to Mr. Gaviria, among important issues yet  to be finalized are the mandate of the Electoral Council; guarantees for the new elections; and safety and security.  

            Speaking for the CARICOM delegations in the Permanent Council, Ambassador Joshua Sears of The Bahamas thanked the OAS for its ongoing engagement.  He also circulated a statement that the CARICOM heads of government had issued at the recent summit in the Bahamas, reiterating their support for the Joint OAS/CARICOM   Mission and urging the international community, "especially the international financial institutions, to accompany this process of strengthening democracy."

            The United States Interim Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Thomas Shannon, expressed his government's support for the joint mission and noted that the progress reported was a demonstration of the  willingness of the Government of Haiti, the political parties and civil society to compromise and make  sacrifices for the benefit of the Haitian people.  

*********