Annan Calls for New U.N. Mission in Haiti

[CShine]

Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Tuesday for a broad new U.N. mission in Haiti that would include 6,700 troops, over 1,600 international police and experts to help turn the Caribbean nation into "a functioning democracy."

The U.N. military contingent would replace the 3,600-strong U.S.-led multinational force sent to bring stability to Haiti after a three-week rebellion led Haiti's first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to flee in February.

Annan said the transfer of authority from the multinational force to a U.N. force would take place by June 1, with troops in the multinational force withdrawing on a phased basis as U.N. troops arrived "to avoid any security gap."

In a report to the Security Council, the secretary-general said it was "unfortunate that in its bicentennial year, Haiti had to call again on the international community to help it overcome a serious political and security situation."

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