Porter Goss: “it is shaping up to be another bad week for United States policy in Haiti. The United Nations has granted the…”

“it is shaping up to be another bad week for United States policy in Haiti. The United Nations has granted the President's wish for a tougher embargo should the military leadership not step down by May 21. The clock is ticking--the pressure is building. In usual form, the junta responded by throwing the threats back in the faces of White House policymakers; instead of turning over power, the military leaders appointed a new President--never mind that the duly elected President of Haiti they overthrew received 67 percent of the popular vote. The State Department announced yesterday that regrettably, the Haitian refugee numbers are up. In fact, the Coast Guard has repatriated 586 Haitians since Friday--a weekend high not reached since 1992, a direct result of White House policies announced over a week ago. Regrettably the predictions have come true. These sanctions are victimizing the very poorest in Haiti, forcing them into the sea to go into processing centers that do not exist. The Coast Guard had no choice but to return the Haitians to Port-au-Prince. No third country has stepped forward to offer refuge. No processing centers have been set up on ships or elsewhere to deal wire asylum claims. The Coast Guard on the scene has no orders to implement a shipboard processing policy the President recently announced.”