Arrived last Wednesday for a 3-day visit to Haiti, the Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Almagro, and of the National Defense, Luis Rosadilla have met the Ambassadors of Argentina, Brazil, Canada and of the United States to exchange their views on the participation of the "United Nations peacekeeping mission" in Haiti in the reconstruction process. They also talked with Kevin Kennedy, the Representative of the Secretary General of the Minustah on the statute of the peace-keeping forces and of the evolution of the political process in the country.

During their stay, the ministers have visited the 5th Uruguayan battalion deployed in Morne Casse, in northern Haiti and received, during a symbolic ceremony, 34 jeeps of the U.S. administration, these vehicles will be available to the 1,200 men and women deployed by Uruguay in the framework of the UN Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (Minustah).

The last day of their visit, the two ministers met with President René Préval. During this meeting, they have stressed that this was the first time in Haiti, that an elected head of state will make a transfer of power through a democratic process. The two ministers have emphasized on the need to solve the problem of social and political exclusion, underlining that the effort in human and economic resources of the United Nations should be complemented by other initiatives to find a solution to the structural problems of the Haitian society.

Before returning to Montevideo, Luis Almagro and Luis Rosadilla have reiterated to President Préval, the position of Uruguay, for which, the final solution is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Haitian State to allow the progressive withdrawal of the peacekeepers of the territory.

S/ HaitiLibre