AP
Monday, July 26, 2004
Juan Gabriel Valdes, a former Chilean foreign minister, held a private meeting in west-coast Gonaives with Canadian and Chilean military officials. He also met with Brazilian Lt Gen Augusto Heleno, the commander of the UN force in Haiti, and the ambassadors from Canada and Chile.
"A very important part of my job (is) to keep alive the interest and the support of the international community for Haiti," Valdes said.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Valdes on July 12 to be his special representative in Haiti and to head the UN mission in the country. Valdes formally takes over in late August.
The mission includes a peacekeeping force expected to expand to 6,700 troops and more than 1,600 international police.
It started arriving June 1 to replace a 3,600-strong US-led multinational force sent after the three-week rebellion culminated in Aristide's ouster on February 29.
The UN force formally took over June 25, and currently includes 2,300 troops from Brazil, Chile, Canada, Uruguay and Argentina. There are also 205 police officers from China, Chad, Portugal, France, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Jordan, Canada, Turkey and Cameroon.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20040725T210000-0500_63421_OBS_UN_ENVOY_TOURS_HAITI_S_HARD_HIT_AREAS.asp