ARTICLE - U.S. NOT IN FAVOR OF AN ARMY?

U.S. GOVERNMENT DOES NOT SEEM IN FAVOR OF AN ARMY
(Haiti Libre) -

Yesterday, a senior administration official from the United States, gave more precision about the position of its government on the issue of the creation of an army in Haiti and the ratification of Dr. Garry Conille, ... precisions that were given on the margins of the participation of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the IV Ministerial Meeting "Pathways of Prosperity," which is currently being held in the Dominican Republic.

On the issue of a new army in Haiti, the senior administration official declared "...I would just say that the way forward is really to focus on the Haitian National Police and their being able to get stronger and larger and more capable at doing their jobs. And that's what we're going to continue to focus on. [...] I think that's something that, obviously, President Martelly has to make as his decision. We'll continue to have conversations with him. But right now, our focus is on the Haitian National Police as the structure and the force that needs to be strengthened so that all of the good work of the international community and MINUSTAH can be maintained domestically."

Concerning the new Prime Minister, the official declared, "obviously we're delighted about this, because not only does that get the prime minister approved, .... obviously something that was stopped for quite a number of months; but it [the ratification] allows the Martelly government to move ahead with a full program of government and all the rest of the ministers, and that's critically important. So we're delighted with that."