Posted on 03/03/2004 7:20:24 AM PST by dead
Lagos
Worried by the diplomatic implications of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's allegation that he was kidnapped and ousted by United States troops, Central African Republic (CAR), where he is staying at the moment, has warned him to stay silent for now.
In Haiti, rebel leader, Guy Philippe who entered the capital Port-au-Prince Monday declared himself the head of Haitian army formerly disbanded by Aristide.
Aristide, who resigned Sunday and arrived in CAR on a flight arranged by the US government, said he was forced to leave by the American military, a claim dismissed by Secretary of State Colin Powell and others in the Bush administration.
His claims, made in an interview with The Associated Press and in phone calls to US Congressmen and activists, created diplomatic worries for his new host country, where he is staying in the official residence of President Francois Bozize.
"The authorities have already called on Aristide to remain calm, to stop making accusations against America," Foreign Minister Charles Wenezoui told the AP. "We fear that this kind of declaration compromises relations between the Central African Republic and the United States," he added.
He said, however, that the Central African Republic would investigate Aristide's charges. Wenezoui however did not elaborate.
Aristide and the CAR's ministers were expected to discuss plans for the ousted Haitian leader's final asylum plans in an as-yet-unknown third country later, Communications Minister Parfait Mbaye said.
"Bozize will come and deal with this problem of settlement in the days to come," Mbaye said.
South Africa has said it is not opposed in principle to accepting Aristide, but it has not received a formal request. Like the Central African Republic, it was believed to be troubled by the political and diplomatic problems that could arise from offering asylum. The government of the CAR on Monday denied claims by Aristide, that he was being held prisoner in the presidential palace.
Aristide is being guarded by French soldiers, France's defence minister said . "It is simply so his transitional stay in the Central African Republic unwinds in normal conditions," Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said.
France does not intend to control his "comings and goings," Alliot-Marie said. France also sent troops to Haiti to help stabilize the country.
Bozize, who ousted an unpopular elected leader to take power in March 2002, has been courting international support and aid to stabilize his coup-prone country.
Earlier, Aristide called members of the US Congress, American activists and reporters alleging US troops forced him to leave his residence.
"They came at night. ... There were too many. I couldn't count them," Aristide said. Powell said Aristide's claims were "absurd."
"He was not kidnapped. We did not force him on to the airplane. He went onto the airplane willingly, and that's the truth," he said in Washington.
Aristide described the American "agents" as "good, warm, nice," but said he had no rights during his 20-hour flight to Africa.
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who arranged the AP phone interview with Aristide, said Congress should investigate whether the United States, specifically the CIA, had a role in the two-week rebellion that led to Aristide's exile.
Bush telephoned French President Jacques Chirac yesterday to praise "the excellent French-American co-operation in Haiti" and to "thank France for its action," said Chirac's spokesman, Catherine Colonna.
Chirac told Bush he was "delighted by the quality of the co-operation" between the two countries in handling the Haiti crisis and the relatively smooth departure of Aristide. But there was no comment from the French presidential palace on whether that co-operation may or may not have extended to forcing Aristide to leave.The rebel leader Philippe flanked by other rebel leaders and senior officers of Haiti's police force, told a news conference: "I am the chief." Asked what he meant, he said, "the military chief."
"I am not interested in politics," he said. "The president is the legal president, so we follow his orders."
Philippe also said the rebel forces that participated in the uprising that sent Aristide into exile would disarm.
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