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HAITI: OAS SECRETARY GENERAL CONFIRMS DAVID LEE AS HIS
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE; BAHAMAS CONTRIBUTES $5,000 TO OAS
SPECIAL MISSION

  June 18, 2003

Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General César Gaviria today confirmed Ambassador David Lee as his Special Representative in Haiti. Gaviria underscored his strong personal confidence in Lee, a former Canadian diplomat, who has been Chief of the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti since its inception in April 2002.

Reflecting the consensus view at the General Assembly in Santiago, Gaviria stressed that the OAS leadership team in Haiti is exceptionally strong, as Lee is supported by former Grenadian Ambassador Denneth Modeste as Deputy Chief of the Special Mission and Director, a.i. of the OAS Office in Haiti.

Also today at OAS Headquarters, Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi welcomed The Bahamas’ contribution of $5,000 for the Special Mission. Einaudi noted that the United States pledged $1 million and Switzerland $31,000 during the just-concluded OAS General Assembly, but that The Bahamas was the first to contribute since the adoption of AG/RES. 1959 “Support for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti.”

Ambassador Joshua Sears of the Bahamas stated that “The Government of the Bahamas remains committed to supporting the work of the Special Mission,” and noted Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell’s participation in the OAS/CARICOM High-level Delegation to Haiti in March and the Bahamas' support for cooperation among all sectors.

Secretary General Gaviria capped the day’s events reaffirming that “Certainly, both President Aristide and his opponents will accompany us in finding a consensual solution and in maintaining the major role of the Special Mission,” whose mandates are to be reassessed by the Permanent Council in September in light of progress made in Haiti.

Reference: E-118/03