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INSULZA EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER HAITIAN SITUATION
AND CALLS FOR CALM AMONG POLITICAL ACTORS

  February 7, 2009

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, expressed his concern today about the decision of the Provisional Electoral Council of Haiti (CEP) to exclude all of one party’s candidates for the senatorial elections scheduled to be held in that country on April 19 this year.

Insulza said that “the OAS fully respects the functions of the CEP and will continue to provide it with technical support, as it has done so far, for the successful conclusion of the elections. However, I cannot help but express my concern about the possibility that an important group of Haitian citizens might feel that they are not being represented in this process.”

Equally concerned by the consequences of this situation for the country, Secretary General Insulza asked the CEP, government authorities, and the political parties to explore necessary measures to postpone the deadlines set for the registration of candidates, so that the irregularities committed by some organizations could be corrected and all parties could participate normally in the senatorial elections.

Likewise, Insulza issued a call for calm among all Haitian political actors and recalled that “dialogue is the only valid mechanism for resolving differences.”

Reference: E-029/09