Haitian Premier, Exiled President Hold U.S. Meeting

Deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide met with his fatigued and embattled prime minister in Washington on Thursday as U.S. policy-makers searched for new ways to restore a democratic regime to the Caribbean nation.

But the closed-door sessions in Aristide’s Georgetown apartment only underscored the pessimism in the Clinton Administration over chances for a satisfactory denouement to the crisis in the small, impoverished land.

There was no indication that Prime Minister Robert Malval has changed his mind about leaving office in two weeks. Fearful that the departure will sever Aristide’s only institutional tie to Haiti, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, traveling in Europe, has called for Malval to remain in his post.

Acting Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff, who plans to meet with Malval today, also is expected to press the prime minister to remain, arguing that U.N. sanctions eventually will weaken the resolve of the Haitian military commanders who overthrew Aristide in a 1991 coup and are blocking his return.

After the Haitian president and prime minister conferred in Georgetown, a top team of Administration foreign policy advisers--Tarnoff, National Security Adviser Anthony Lake and Secretary of Defense Les Aspin--conferred at the White House in a strategy session on both Haiti and Somalia policy. President Clinton did not attend the meeting.