Haiti Democracy Project

www.haitipolicy.org

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on the negotiations

Prior to departing from Haiti today for the CARICOM meeting to be held in the Bahamas where President Aristide said he will, "plead the Haitian people's cause" with respect to Haiti's political and economic crisis, President Aristide held a press conference to reflect on the negotiation process which was suspended yesterday.

President Aristide said he was looking for the positive aspects of the negotiations thus far and said, "We are moving in the right direction," pointing out that, "for three days Haitians and Haitians dialogued together, in a sense of fraternity and with respect, to find a solution to the political and economic crisis."

President Aristide declared that, "We will continue to dialogue," and expressed confidence that "in the very near future the dialogue will recommence to find a balanced accord" from which 8 million [Haitian] people will benefit."