Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Gun battle erupts as Powell visits Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE: An intense gun battle broke out on Wednesday just outside Haiti’s presidential palace, injuring four people as US Secretary of State Colin Powell met with local officials, hospital sources said.

Shots could be heard by an AFP journalist inside the sprawling white palace where Powell was meeting with interim prime minister Gerard Latortue.

Supporters of former president Jean Bertrand Aristide were believed to have opened fire from a passing car, and UN forces fired back, palace sources said.

The gunfire was heard from inside the palace just after 1600 GMT. Shortly thereafter, several UN tanks rumbled in to patrol the road in front of the palace. Powell arrived at the palace grounds by helicopter at 1430 GMT, and had been expected to spend most of the day there. The top US diplomat also was due to meet with interim president Boniface Alexandre and members of the private sector. afp

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_2-12-2004_pg7_50