    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [March 16, 1993]
    [Pages 309-311]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks With President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti and an Exchange
    With Reporters
    March 16, 1993

        President Clinton. I'd like to make a brief statement and then
    invite President Aristide to make a statement. And then we'll answer
    questions.
        It's been a great honor for all of us to have President Aristide and
    members of his government and the Ambassador from Haiti to the United
    States here in the Oval Office today. And we wanted to have the
    opportunity to speak to the American people and to the people of Haiti
    from the Oval Office to emphasize how important it is to me personally
    and to the United States to restore democracy in Haiti and to restore
    President Aristide as the elected leader of that country.
        To those who have blocked the restoration of democracy, I want to
    make it clear in the strongest possible terms that we will not now or
    ever support the continuation of an illegal government in Haiti and that
    we want to step up dramatically the pace of negotiations to restore
    President Aristide under conditions of national reconciliation and
    mutual respect for human rights with a program of genuine economic
    progress.
        The Secretary of State has named an experienced diplomat, Mr.
    Lawrence Pezzullo, who is here now, to be his special representative in
    Haiti, to work with the Caputo mission through the United Nations and
    the Organization of American States to push forward with a rapid
    settlement of these issues. I would urge the de facto government of
    Haiti and the military officials in that country and police officials to
    support this process. Any opposition, any delay will only result in
    stronger measures taken by the United States and more difficulty and
    hardship for the people of Haiti, who have been the innocent sufferers
    in this whole sad saga.
        I look forward to working with President Aristide. I look forward to
    the success of Mr. Pezzullo. And I want to make it clear that the United
    States is committed strongly to a much more aggressive effort to restore
    Mr. Aristide to his Presidency and to, over the long run, work with the
    people of Haiti to restore conditions of economic prosperity.
        I am prepared to commit the United States to its fair portion of a
    5-year, multinational $1 billion effort to rebuild the Haitian economy.
    And we are going to begin on this project in earnest now.
        I'd like to now invite President Aristide to make whatever remarks
    he would like to make, and then open the floor for your questions.
        President Aristide. Mr. President Clinton, we are delighted to be
    here with you, with the Vice President, Secretary of State, Ambassador
    Pezzullo. We want to thank you on behalf of the Haitian people for your
    support. We want to thank you for what you just said. That went directly
    to the heart of the Haitian people working peacefully for the
    restoration of democracy.
        I grasp this opportunity to thank the American people for their
    solidarity, because with our American brothers and sisters, since 18
    months we realize how beautiful it is to work in a nonviolent way for
    the restoration of de-

    [[Page 310]]

    mocracy. The Haitian people today hear your voice, and on behalf of
    them, I can say, in the past we wanted to be with you; we are with you;
    in the future, we will be with you, and you will be welcome in Haiti
    when I will be there after the restoration of democracy.
        We have a lot of people suffering since 18 months. And today I'm
    sure they are happy because they realize finally that day for the
    restoration of democracy will come, and since today they can continue to
    build but in a strongest way that democracy, always in a nonviolent way.
    The refugees can feel happy. Those who are in Guantanamo can feel happy.
    Those who are in Haiti working peacefully for that democracy can feel
    happy because that day is coming because of you, because of the American
    Government, because of the U.S., because of the OAS.
        Thanks once again for that, and you are welcome to our land.
        Q. Mr. President, in the past few days, President Aristide has
    called for a date certain for his return. He's called for tougher
    sanctions, a tougher enforcement of the embargo, a naval blockade, and
    for some action to relieve the suffering of those in Guantanamo. Are you
    prepared to take any of those steps?
        President Clinton. Let me respond, if I might, to each in turn. And
    let me start with the middle suggestion, the question of whether the
    United States would take tougher action on the embargo. I wouldn't rule
    that out, but I think you shouldn't underestimate the impact of this
    diplomatic initiative, sending Mr. Pezzullo to Haiti, making the
    statements we're making today, sending the clear and unambiguous signal
    we're sending.
        And I might note that just a few moments ago the person we had
    approved for refugee status who had been held illegally by the Haitian
    de facto Government was released to come to the United States as a
    refugee.
        I think that the message we're sending out there is clear. So I
    think what we would like to do is to give Mr. Pezzullo a chance to go to
    Haiti, communicate strongly and directly to the appropriate people there
    what our position is and where we're going before we take actions, which
    at least in the short run will make life even more difficult for the
    Haitians. I wouldn't rule them out, but I think we ought to have it in
    an appropriate sequence of events.
        As to the question of a date certain, I certainly think that we
    ought to return President Aristide in the near future. But I think that
    the date for the conclusion of the negotiations ought to come out of Mr.
    Caputo and his mission. And I think we ought to, in fairness, let him do
    that. It is a very grave thing for the United States alone to be setting
    a date certain in an endeavor that involves the United Nations and the
    Organization of the American States. So I think a date may well come out
    of the efforts of the Caputo mission, but we don't feel at this time it
    is the wisest thing for the long-term interests of President Aristide or
    Haiti for us to set the date on our own.
        With regard to the refugees in Guantanamo, I'm going to do the
    following things: First of all, I'm going to send someone from our White
    House staff to Guantanamo to review the situation personally. Secondly,
    I'm going to take up the legal and human conditions of the refugees with
    the Attorney General, who has jurisdiction in these areas, now that we
    have a new Attorney General confirmed. I wanted to wait and have the
    opportunity to discuss that with her.
        And then we will review the whole question and see whether or not
    there's anything else we should do. I expect all this would be done in
    the near future. I don't expect to take a good deal of time on this.
        Q. President Aristide, is that satisfactory to you?
        President Aristide. Totally.
        Q. Can we expect or can any Haitian in Cap Haitien or elsewhere
    expect the early return, constitutional return of the constitutional
    President of Haiti?
        President Aristide. Every Haitian should be extremely happy about
    what has happened today. I think that all Haitians can look with joy at
    the cooperation of myself and President Clinton, working hand in hand
    for all Haitians, looking forward to peace, to nonviolence, to economic
    development. I think everyone can feel great contentment and happy
    anticipation.
        Q. Is there going to be a real celebration of the Constitution, the
    anniversary of the Constitution of Haiti?
        President Aristide. Yes, with the help of President Clinton, all
    Haitians can feel comfortable and happy about celebrating March 29th as
    an anniversary for peace and respect of the law, the Constitution as a
    basis for the law, and for its respect for all Haitians.
        Q. Mr. Clinton, would it be acceptable to you if the coup leaders
    left without being pun-

    [[Page 311]]

    ished?
        President Clinton. Well, it would be acceptable to me to restore
    President Aristide to power in Haiti under conditions which were safe
    for him and for all Haitians. He has spoken in the past about what his
    policies would be in that regard, and I presume that a lot of the
    details of this would be the subject of negotiations. And those are
    negotiations of which I do not believe I should engage, although I would
    say that I was very impressed with what President Aristide said today
    about the need for national reconciliation. And perhaps you'd want him
    to make a comment.
        Q. Mr. President, you criticized----
        President Clinton. Could we give him a chance to answer, please.
        President Aristide. In Haiti we don't have an institution giving
    justice to people but unfortunately selling that justice. After 200
    years, we realize we still have an army of 7,000 military and 40 percent
    of the national budget. So I used to ask the Haitians, do not go to any
    kind of violence or retaliation or vengeance. I will continue to do the
    same, because what we need is nonviolent reality, not violent.
        That's why I'm not saying we want to see the coup leaders in jail
    and then to feel happy because we punished them. I'm saying, asking to
    all the Haitians to not go to vengeance, to wait for justice instead of
    doing justice for themselves out of institution. We can work peacefully
    to remove the coup leaders from the army and that way to free the army
    and let justice be done; not then to feel happy because we put them in
    jail, no; happy because we can that way make a balance in a country
    where we don't have yet institutions who give justice.
        I would add this point: We want reconciliation. We want justice. We
    want peace. That's why through this process, by a dialog, we can reach
    that level where, finally, the Haitians will feel so happy to not go to
    vengeance and to not see the symbol of the coup in the same place, with
    the same weapons, doing the same repression. That's the way we are
    trying to go.

    [At this point, President Aristide repeated his answer in French, and it
    was then translated by an interpreter as follows.]

        President Aristide. There is no institution in Haiti which is in a
    position or able to give justice in Haiti at the present time. Justice
    is sold, and that has been the case for the last 200 years. We in Haiti
    are opting now for nonviolence, for peace for all the people of Haiti.
    Therefore, we must free the army from those who were responsible for the
    coup, asking at the same time all Haitians not to engage in vengeance,
    but rather to devote themselves to justice and to feel happy in the
    knowledge that justice will be done.
        It is in that sense that we have asked for the departure of the coup
    leaders, that they no longer be the heads of the army, not necessarily
    that they either be in jail or have to leave the country, but that a
    solution be found via dialog which will lead to a truly balanced
    situation so that all can work together in this nonviolent context which
    will bring about a feeling of deepest joy in the hearts of all Haitians.
        Q. Thank you.
        President Clinton. I know we have to go. Let me just reaffirm two
    points, and I'm glad you said it the second time because that's exactly
    what came out of our meetings. That sort of attitude on the part of
    President Aristide is the very thing that should enable us to resolve
    this in a peaceful way. If the people of Haiti can live in peace and
    security, subsequent to an agreement, and begin once again to work for
    their own prosperity instead of living in ever-deepening misery, then I
    think that we will be well on the road to alleviating literally
    centuries of oppression in that beautiful country that has been so
    misgoverned for so long.
        And I applaud his statement. It is in that spirit that I undertake
    this initiative. And I want to close by reaffirming the determination of
    the United States to restore democracy and President Aristide as soon as
    possible.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 5 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.