Statement on the Situation in Haiti

Ambassador John D. Negroponte
United States Representative to the United Nations
At the UN Security Council
February 26, 2004.

Thank you, Mr. President, for calling this meeting on the situation in Haiti this afternoon. We also want to welcome the earlier presence of the Secretary General as well as the Foreign Ministers of Jamaica and the Bahamas, who have come to speak to us this afternoon, and our colleague, the Representative of the Government of Haiti.

The United States, Mr. President, is deeply concerned about the political crisis in Haiti. We condemn the use of violence and call on all political actors to engage in dialogue to achieve a sustainable, constitutional, political solution.

Only by securing such a solution can the Haitian people build a better future for themselves -- a future that is democratic, prosperous, respectful of human rights, and peaceful. If a sustainable political agreement in Haiti is reached, the United States would support efforts to deploy an international force to support implementation.

We have worked closely with the Caribbean Community, the Organization of American States, the Friends of Haiti and others to respond to the crisis in Haiti and we will continue to do so.

We also have strongly supported the full implementation of the Organization of American States' Resolutions 806, 822, and most recently Resolution 861. These resolutions remain valid and outline steps that must be taken if democracy is to take root.

We continue to support the OAS Special Mission in Haiti. The Mission can serve as the foundation for an expanded international presence to professionalize the Haitian National Police, to promote the rule of law, disarm gangs, and encourage a climate of security conducive to democratic activity.

We urge all democratic elements in Haiti to maintain active dialogue to reach a lasting political solution. Naturally, our dialogue with them and other elements of Haitian society must continue.

It is imperative that such a solution be reached quickly, before a serious humanitarian crisis emerges. The Haitian people have already suffered a great deal in extreme poverty and precarious living conditions. And yet, they face the real prospect of even greater calamity -- deepening crisis, possible humanitarian emergency, and an uncertain political future.

Facing this crisis and the prospects that it may deepen, the parties must act in the best interest of the Haitian people.

We have listened carefully to the suggestions and proposals from our CARICOM partners. We will continue to closely consult with them and other nations regarding the international community's response to Haiti's crisis.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.