Major differences over Haiti

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Caribbean has indefinitely postponed a meeting of its national security ministers with US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge because of major differences over Haiti, officials said yesterday. Caribbean Community secretary general Edwin Carrington said the May 3-4 meeting in the Bahamas won’t take place because the 15-member regional bloc does not recognise the new US-backed Haitian interim government. Caricom has called for an independent investigation of Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s departure from Haiti on February 29. Aristide says he was forced to resign by the United States, which denies the claim.

The US administration has insisted that Haiti — a member of the community — sits at the Bahamas meeting, Carrington said. Prime Minister Patrick Manning was scheduled to lead the Caribbean delegation at the Bahamas meeting which was to focus on a joint effort in combating terrorism. A second meeting of US and Caribbean security officials, planned for Thursday and Friday in St Vincent and the Grenadines, will also be cancelled, Carrington said. Ridge was not scheduled to attend the St Vincent meeting. It was not clear if the meetings would be rescheduled. Caricom has said it would reconsider the issue of recognising Haiti’s interim government in July. Haiti’s interim government, headed by Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, will be in place until next year when general elections are held. No one in the interim government will be allowed to participate in the elected government.