United States Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday discussed Haiti’s political situation with South African Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, one day after she called for an inquiry into former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s departure from his country.
”They talked about the developments in Haiti and how things unfolded over the weekend,” Ereli reported, describing a telephone conversation between the two top diplomats.
”And both of them expressed support for a democratic and peaceful resolution to Haiti’s political problems and constitution.”
After arriving in the Central African Republic on March 1, Aristide said on CNN he was ousted in a coup orchestrated by Washington in collaboration with France. The US organised Aristide’s departure.
”We join in the call for an investigation under the auspices of the United Nations to clarify these circumstances leading to the departure of president Aristide,” Dlamini-Zuma said on Thursday.
The Central African Republic said Aristide could seek asylum in South Africa, whose officials said they had no problem with the idea ”in principle” but had not received a formal request.
Powell and Dlamini-Zuma did not discuss Aristide’s possible asylum in South Africa, Ereli said.
”[Aristide] is where he is now, but next steps, and where he might go or may not go, was not a subject of discussion,” he said.
The US is no longer actively involved in finding a refuge for Aristide, he said.
”For us, it’s not something we’re actively involved in,” he said. — Sapa-AFP
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