U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has returned from a trip to Haiti, where she met with presidential candidates and urged the Haitian people not to give up on democracy despite a disputed presidential election.Clinton told a reporter Sunday that her message to the Haitian people is that democracy is worth investing in. She said the United States supports the recommendation of the Organization of American States that the president's chosen successor Jude Celestin should withdraw from the March 20 runoff vote amid evidence of election fraud in his favor in the first round in November.
Clinton met separately with each of the presidential candidates - Celestin, Michel Martelly, and front-runner Mirlande Manigat - during her visit.
Clinton also told reporters the United States has no plans to suspend earthquake recovery aid to Haiti over the disputed vote. She said the U.S. is "impatient" to get more work done to help the country recover.
During her trip, Clinton also visited a treatment center for the cholera outbreak that has killed 4,000 Haitians since October.
The publication of preliminary election results last month triggered days of violent protests by opposition supporters angered by what they saw as vote-rigging by Haiti's government.
Haiti's ruling party has urged Celestin to pull out of the presidential race, but he has not confirmed his exit. Haiti's election commission has said it will publish final results of the disputed first round of voting on Wednesday.
Haiti is struggling to recover from last year's earthquake that left more than 200,000 people dead and 1 million others homeless
Clinton also told reporters the United States has no plans to suspend earthquake recovery aid to Haiti over the disputed vote. She said the U.S. is "impatient" to get more work done to help the country recover.
During her trip, Clinton also visited a treatment center for the cholera outbreak that has killed 4,000 Haitians since October.
The publication of preliminary election results last month triggered days of violent protests by opposition supporters angered by what they saw as vote-rigging by Haiti's government.
Haiti's ruling party has urged Celestin to pull out of the presidential race, but he has not confirmed his exit. Haiti's election commission has said it will publish final results of the disputed first round of voting on Wednesday.
Haiti is struggling to recover from last year's earthquake that left more than 200,000 people dead and 1 million others homeless
The United States has no plans to halt aid to earthquake-ravaged Haiti despite an ongoing crisis over who will be the nation's next president, but is insisting that the president's chosen successor be dropped from the race, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday.
Clinton arrived in the impoverished Caribbean nation for a brief visit Sunday. She is scheduled to meet with President Rene Preval and each of the three candidates jockeying to replace him.
Only two candidates can go on to the delayed second round, now scheduled for March 20. The US is backing an Organisation of American States recommendation that the candidate from Preval's party, government construction official Jude Celestin, should be left out.
The top US official at the United Nations, Susan Rice, said recently that ``sustained support'' from the United States required the OAS recommendations be implemented. Many Haitian officials, including leaders of Preval's Unity party and rival candidate Michel Martelly, interpreted that to mean the US was threatening an embargo and cutting off aid.
On Sunday Clinton flatly rebuffed that suggestion: "We're not talking about any of that.''
"We have a deep commitment to the Haitian people,'' she told reporters.
"We have a deep commitment to the Haitian people,'' she told reporters.
"That goes to humanitarian aid, that goes to governance and democracy programs, that will be going to a cholera treatment center.''
Asked if there were any set of circumstances that would prompt Washington to cut off aid, Clinton said, ``at this point, no.''
Still, she insisted that the United States would press the recommendations by international monitors after a fraud-ridden first-round presidential vote in November. They determined that Celestin finished last and should drop out. Celestin has yet to do so.
"We're focused on helping the Haitian people,'' Clinton said ahead of meetings with Preval and the three presidential candidates.
"One of the ways we want to help them is by making sure that their political choices are respected.''
Haiti is in a deepening and potentially destabilizing political crisis.
The announcement of preliminary results from the disputed first round, which was marred by fraud and rampant disorganisation, led to rioting in December. Final results are expected to be announced Wednesday.
Just five days after, on Feb. 7, comes the constitutional end of Preval's five-year term.
A law passed by an expiring Senate last May would allow him to remain in power for an extra three months, but it is not clear if his government would continue to be recognized by donor countries. But Preval has said he does not want to hand power to an interim government and elections for a successor are not expected until late next month.
"That's one of the problems we have to talk about,'' Clinton said. "There are issues of a continuing government, how that can be structured. And that's what I'm going to be discussing.''
Interview With Gerin Alexandre of Caraibes FM
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Ambassador's Residence
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
January 30, 2011
QUESTION: Mrs. Clinton, I’m very glad to have you as a – to have an interview with you today it’s a very important day for Haiti. So what is the purpose of your mission in Haiti?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I’m here just a little over a year from the earthquake to express our continuing support for the Haitian people, for reconstruction and redevelopment, for humanitarian assistance, and to show solidarity with the Haitian people as we go forward into the future.
I’m also here to urge that the voices and the votes of the Haitian people be heard and respected. I know that Haiti is on the brink of moving forward in the electoral process, and we support the OAS recommendations. We would like to see Haiti resolve their election and install a new president so that we can begin the hard work that still lies ahead.
QUESTION: Mrs. Clinton, regarding the reconstruction, how do you see the situation in Haiti? We got, like, more than one million people still living in the tents. So how do you judge the situation one year later?
SECRETARY CLINTON: I think that there has been progress, but not nearly enough. We have an enormous amount of work to do together. And although everyone is working, I think we know that it’s not just rebuilding structures. We want to do better. We want to have a better education system and healthcare system. We want more economic opportunity.
My husband and I feel very personally committed to Haiti. President Obama is very committed to Haiti. So we want to take what has already been done and make it a model, not just for Haiti’s future but for the world.
For example, if I could give you just one statistic, in a year, more rubble has been removed from Haiti than was removed after the tsunami in Indonesia. It is hard when you’re living in the midst of a tent city, when your home has been destroyed and your children are still not regularly going to school, or when the job you had has not come back, to have any perspective. I understand that. So we are here to reassert our commitment. We are impatient; we are determined to work with the people of Haiti to accelerate the progress.
QUESTION: Regarding the political (inaudible) in Haiti right now, you just have a meeting with Michel Martelly, Mrs. Manigat and Jude Celestin. So what kind of message do you send to these leaders in Haiti?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Our message is very simple: We support the votes of the Haitian people and believe they should be respected. We support the OAS recommendations, which reflect the best analysis possible about the intentions of the Haitian people when they voted. But the decision is up to the government and people of Haiti. We would like to see the election go forward into a second round and a resolution so that there can be an orderly transfer of authority and a new president can get to work.
QUESTION: When?
SECRETARY CLINTON: As soon as it can be done. I know that these matters take time. And I met with a group of civil society experts, including election experts, and they’re concerned about making sure that in the next round there are enough observers, there’s enough information for voters so they know where to go to cast their vote.
We will work to help that be accomplished, but the important task now is to set out the schedule and make sure that we hold a free and fair second round.
QUESTION: For the end, Mrs. Clinton, do you have a message for the Haitian population? It’s been waiting a long time for development, democracy, and (inaudible) in Haiti. So do you have a message for Haitian population?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes. I think that the people of Haiti have proven themselves over the course of your history as courageous, resilient, determined people against great odds. Do not give up. Democracy is worth investing in. It must deliver results for the people, and the United States will stand with you. We know how hard this is, and we admire your courage.
QUESTION: Once again, thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much.
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