Aristide 'wants free elections'

by BBC

Thu, Oct 28, 2004 8:08PM

The former president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has called for free and fair elections in his country.

Mr Aristide's views were made public by the South African foreign minister on a visit to Brazil.

Mr Aristide is currently living in exile in South Africa, while Brazil is leading the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti.

The Caribbean country has recently seen an upsurge in violence between police and Aristide loyalists.

Hint of return

"President Aristide's wish is whatever happen in Haiti, issued in a free and fair election, for the Haitians to choose whoever they would like as their leadership," Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said during an official visit in Brasilia.

"That is the main wish of President Aristide," she said.

The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Sao Paolo says some will take that as a strong hint that Mr Aristide plans to return to Haiti.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3963837.stm

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