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02/03/2004
Aristide toppled by US-led coup claims are 'absurd'
The Secretary of State Colin Powell has described as "absurd" claims made by deposed ex-president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, that he was toppled as the result of a US-backed coup.
Mr Powell was responding to claims made by Mr Aristide from his exile in the Central Africa Republic's capital of Bangui.
During a press conference yesterday, the former US military chief of staff said: "He was not kidnapped. We did not force him onto the airplane. He went onto the airplane willingly. And that's the truth."
He added: "And it's rather unfortunate that in this sensitive time, when we are trying to stabilize the situation in Haiti and when we're sending in a multinational interim force to help bring about that stability and we're trying to put a political process on track, I think it's very unfortunate that these kinds of absurd charges are levelled at us."
Mr Powell said that he was "intimately" involved in the deteriorating situation in Haiti. He said that Aristide's security people had contacted US security services over the weekend, and "there was a question about their ability to continue protecting him".
Aristide told the US that he wished to leave and "we made arrangements for his departure", said Mr Powell.
A blue-helmet Multinational Interim Force had been deployed immediately to the Caribbean nation to help restore law and order.
Canadian special forces have secured the airport at Port-au-Prince and a contingent of US marines arrived in Haiti late last night. France, the former colonial master of the island, has said that it will also be sending a force of around 300 troops to support the work of the stabilising force.
(gmcg)
Mr Powell was responding to claims made by Mr Aristide from his exile in the Central Africa Republic's capital of Bangui.
During a press conference yesterday, the former US military chief of staff said: "He was not kidnapped. We did not force him onto the airplane. He went onto the airplane willingly. And that's the truth."
He added: "And it's rather unfortunate that in this sensitive time, when we are trying to stabilize the situation in Haiti and when we're sending in a multinational interim force to help bring about that stability and we're trying to put a political process on track, I think it's very unfortunate that these kinds of absurd charges are levelled at us."
Mr Powell said that he was "intimately" involved in the deteriorating situation in Haiti. He said that Aristide's security people had contacted US security services over the weekend, and "there was a question about their ability to continue protecting him".
Aristide told the US that he wished to leave and "we made arrangements for his departure", said Mr Powell.
A blue-helmet Multinational Interim Force had been deployed immediately to the Caribbean nation to help restore law and order.
Canadian special forces have secured the airport at Port-au-Prince and a contingent of US marines arrived in Haiti late last night. France, the former colonial master of the island, has said that it will also be sending a force of around 300 troops to support the work of the stabilising force.
(gmcg)
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The UN has launched an emergency appeal for $35 million to meet the medical and nutritional needs of three million Haitians over the next six months. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said that problems in the troubled country have been "exacerbated" by recent turmoil.
UN calls for donations to Haiti humanitarian fund
The UN has launched an emergency appeal for $35 million to meet the medical and nutritional needs of three million Haitians over the next six months. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said that problems in the troubled country have been "exacerbated" by recent turmoil.
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UN stabilising force to deploy to Haiti 'immediately'
A UN peacekeeping force will be dispatched "immediately" to the troubled Caribbean island of Haiti following the resignation and subsequent departure of its president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Security Council has confirmed.
UN stabilising force to deploy to Haiti 'immediately'
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