U.N. Envoy Fails in Democracy Bid in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A U.N. negotiator failed Thursday in the latest effort to restore democracy in Haiti, and a prominent government foe said talks ended with the envoy being showered with insults.

The military-backed leadership refused to budge in its rejection of a proposed international observer mission, Haitian politicians and foreign diplomats said.

U.N. representative Dante Caputo spent three days in intensive but fruitless talks with Prime Minister Marc Bazin and the army command, trying to open a wedge toward returning ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Evans Paul, former mayor of Port-au-Prince and a supporter of Aristide, said Caputo told him that members of Bazin’s negotiating team insulted him. Paul said the negotiations broke up in an angry exchange.

Caputo left to report to the United Nations, which is considering harsher sanctions on Haiti.