Bipartisan U.S. Support Vowed for Haiti Talks

In an unusual bipartisan approach, Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger and his successor, Warren Christopher, pledged the support of the Bush and Clinton administrations Wednesday for a U.N. initiative aimed at restoring democracy to Haiti.

In a statement, Eagleburger and Christopher called on all factions in Haiti’s complex and sometimes bloody political arena to participate in negotiations mediated by former Argentine Foreign Minister Dante Caputo. Caputo was assigned to the task recently by U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and will attempt to carry out talks with the aid of representatives of the Organization of American States.

Although Eagleburger and Christopher did not mention the flood of Haitian refugees expected to try to reach the United States once President-elect Bill Clinton takes office, officials said that both administrations hope most of them will remain in Haiti if a democratic government replaces the repressive military regime.

“The incoming Administration and this Administration share the goal of restoring democracy to Haiti, safeguarding the human rights of all Haitians on the island and helping the parties find a lasting solution that will end Haiti’s suffering and obtain new support for Haiti’s economy and people,” Eagleburger and Christopher said.

Clinton plans to announce his refugee policy next week in what officials say will be an effort to discourage Haitians from trying to reach the United States. During his campaign, Clinton sharply criticized Bush’s order that the U.S. Coast Guard pick up Haitians at sea and return them to the island without giving them a chance to apply for asylum.

Times staff writer Michael Ross in Washington contributed to this report.