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AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING SPECIAL OAS MISSION TO HAITI
IS SIGNED IN PORT-AU-PRINCE

  March 1, 2002

Ambassador Luigi R. Einaudi, the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), this morning signed an agreement with Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Philippe Antonio, to set up a Special OAS Mission to Haiti, in keeping with Resolution 806 that the OAS Permanent Council passed on January 16.

The Agreement, signed in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, sets out the terms and conditions for this Mission that will support the government and people of Haiti in strengthening the country's democratic institutions, specifically in the areas of security, justice, human rights, democratic development, governance and institutional development.

Under Resolution 806, the security component of this mission—appointed by the OAS and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)—will conduct an independent investigation into the violent events of December 17, 2001.

The overall Mission will help bring about conditions for the negotiations to be resumed as soon as possible, to settle the long-running political crisis in Haiti.

Reference: E-042/02